Mayor Johnson Cracks Down on Illinois Lawmakers to Save Working People from Trump Cuts
As the Illinois General Assembly hurtles towards its fall veto session, Mayor Brandon Johnson is ramping up pressure on lawmakers to back his progressive revenue proposals to protect working people from funding cuts imposed by President Donald Trump. With federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits just days away from being cut off, Johnson is emphasizing that the need for action is "life and death" for many families.
Johnson's $16.6 billion budget plan includes nearly $600 million in tax and fee increases targeting corporations to boost revenue. However, his allies acknowledge that lawmakers have yet to translate ambitious rhetoric into legislative success, with only three out of 33 progressive revenue proposals making it through last year.
In a recent appearance, Johnson called on state lawmakers to "go first" and seize the opportunity to generate progress on revenue, warning that the status quo is unacceptable. Notably, Johnson pointed to his own willingness to challenge ultra-rich individuals and corporations by proposing tax increases.
The pressure is now mounting as Johnson's city council budget hearings were postponed to allow allies time to lobby in Springfield for three long-shot ideas: a digital advertising tax, an increased corporate income tax rate, and a new personal property replacement tax. These measures aim to generate revenue to mitigate the impact of Trump's funding cuts on working families.
Despite his efforts, Johnson faces significant headwinds from Governor JB Pritzker and business leaders who oppose many of his proposals, including the proposed "head tax" that would increase monthly employee wages by $21.
Johnson emphasized the urgent need for change, stating that it's time for business leaders to reevaluate their priorities and accept a greater share of the tax burden. The mayor vowed not to be deterred by critics, saying that advocating on behalf of Chicago's residents is an ongoing responsibility.
As the veto session comes to a close, Johnson must navigate the complex politics of Springfield without clear alternatives or support from lawmakers. With no end date in sight for his proposals, Johnson is left to face the consequences of failure, and his efforts may ultimately hinge on winning over key legislative leaders before the year's end.
As the Illinois General Assembly hurtles towards its fall veto session, Mayor Brandon Johnson is ramping up pressure on lawmakers to back his progressive revenue proposals to protect working people from funding cuts imposed by President Donald Trump. With federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits just days away from being cut off, Johnson is emphasizing that the need for action is "life and death" for many families.
Johnson's $16.6 billion budget plan includes nearly $600 million in tax and fee increases targeting corporations to boost revenue. However, his allies acknowledge that lawmakers have yet to translate ambitious rhetoric into legislative success, with only three out of 33 progressive revenue proposals making it through last year.
In a recent appearance, Johnson called on state lawmakers to "go first" and seize the opportunity to generate progress on revenue, warning that the status quo is unacceptable. Notably, Johnson pointed to his own willingness to challenge ultra-rich individuals and corporations by proposing tax increases.
The pressure is now mounting as Johnson's city council budget hearings were postponed to allow allies time to lobby in Springfield for three long-shot ideas: a digital advertising tax, an increased corporate income tax rate, and a new personal property replacement tax. These measures aim to generate revenue to mitigate the impact of Trump's funding cuts on working families.
Despite his efforts, Johnson faces significant headwinds from Governor JB Pritzker and business leaders who oppose many of his proposals, including the proposed "head tax" that would increase monthly employee wages by $21.
Johnson emphasized the urgent need for change, stating that it's time for business leaders to reevaluate their priorities and accept a greater share of the tax burden. The mayor vowed not to be deterred by critics, saying that advocating on behalf of Chicago's residents is an ongoing responsibility.
As the veto session comes to a close, Johnson must navigate the complex politics of Springfield without clear alternatives or support from lawmakers. With no end date in sight for his proposals, Johnson is left to face the consequences of failure, and his efforts may ultimately hinge on winning over key legislative leaders before the year's end.
He's pushing for some tax increases to make up for it, and I get it, not everyone wants to give up their profits, but like, what's the alternative? 
And maybe if business leaders start carrying some of that tax burden, they'll start seeing it as a chance to rebrand themselves, you know?
It's like, why would anyone want to voluntarily pay more for something? 
It's definitely something to watch, and I'm not sure how it's all gonna play out... 
so like mayor johnson is trying to push these progressive revenue plans to save working ppl from trump cuts 
but it's not easy lol. the thing is, lawmakers are all like "ok, cool" but then they don't actually do anything 
. and now mayor johnson is gonna have to navigate this whole veto session thing without any clear backup 
.
. he needs to win over these key legislative leaders before december or else... 
it's like trump's cuts are gonna affect people's basic human rights and mayor johnson is trying to do something about it, but the politics in illinois are super messy 
it's hard for me to see why they're not supporting his proposals already...i mean, isn't this what we're fighting for? 
equal opportunities and fairness for everyone? 
he's got a plan to save us from trump's cuts but it's gonna be hard cuz governor pritzker and business leaders are being super resistant 
hope those digital ad tax ideas actually work 
. I mean, you'd think state lawmakers would have the sense to pass some of these measures already... but apparently not 
Mayor Brandon Johnson is really pushing hard for those progressive revenue proposals 
. I think his city council budget hearings being postponed to give allies time to lobby in Springfield was a good move 
.
. The mayor is willing to challenge ultra-rich individuals and corporations by proposing tax increases 
.
Mayor Johnson thinks he can just bully lawmakers into passing his revenue proposals? That's not how democracy works, fam! 
He needs to work with Pritzker and business leaders instead of going around them. This "head tax" idea is just gonna push more businesses outta the city. And what's with these "long-shot ideas"? Where's the pragmatism? We need concrete solutions, not pipe dreams 
. And let's be real, if Trump cuts federal funding, it's on all of us to figure out a way to make it work. Can't just rely on one guy (or mayor) to save the day 
, considering how dire the situation is for working families. Johnson's $16.6 billion budget plan could be a game-changer, but it needs to be sold to lawmakers and business leaders who are all about lining their pockets 
. It's going to be an interesting few weeks in Springfield! 
mayor johnson is like totally right though - trump cuts are straight up cruel and it's not just about ppl struggling to eat food tho 
and im so tired of people saying "oh well" like what even is the point of having a mayor if u cant actually make a difference 
my city's budget plan is literally super progressive and i wish more ppl would support it 
we need some kind of alternative income source stat 
.