City Council Unanimously Approves $8.2 Billion 2017 Budget
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Aldermen quickly and unanimously approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel's $8.2 billion budget for 2017 on Wednesday, including $50 million in new taxes.
There were not only no votes against the mayor's spending plan, but no debate on the City Council floor. Passage of the budget could not have been easier for a plan that includes hiring hundreds of new police officers, a major effort to provide mentors to youths in troubled communities, plus job development programs.
The mayor said aldermen have shown they know what this budget is about.
"I always remind people it is not an end in itself about balancing a budget, and also the pensions, it's an effort of a larger economic effort for the city of Chicago. It's a tool in the toolbox. It is not the toolbox," he said.
Among the $50 million in new taxes aldermen approved on Wednesday was a new 7-cent-per-bag tax on paper and plastic bags from stores, plans to double parking meter rates near Wrigley Field during games and other events, adding more than 750 new metered spaces around the city, higher parking rates at the airports, and a $14-an-hour fee for parking in loading zones in and around downtown.
The spending plan will help the mayor begin making good on his vow to hire 970 new police officers above the department's current authorized strength over the next two years. His plan calls for 516 new patrol officers, 200 new detectives, 112 new sergeants, 50 new lieutenants, and 92 new field training officers.
The 516 new patrol officers would be above the department's current authorized strength. The remaining positions would be added through promotions from within, and promoted officers would be replaced with more new hires.
However, Chicago taxpayers can expect to pay a lot more for city services than the $50 million tax package aldermen just approved. Before Wednesday's vote, the City Council already had approved a record property tax hike and a new water and sewer tax that will mean bigger bills for Chicago taxpayers next year, so the heavy lifting on taxes was done even before the mayor presented budget plan for next year.
Aldermen already approved a new $240 million water and sewer tax earlier this year.
Also already built into the 2017 budget is the second phase of a massive property tax hike approved by the City Council last year.
That $588 million increase in property taxes in Chicago was stretched out over four years, with the biggest hit coming for the 2015 tax year of $318 million, payable this year; plus another $45 million for school construction. The property tax levy then increases by $109 million for the 2016 tax year, $53 million for the 2017 tax year, and $63 million for the 2018 tax year.
