Mayor Emanuel Proposes $8.9 Billion City Budget
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Mayor Emanuel outlined a 2015 city budget that holds the line on most taxes--with the exception of an increase on the parking garage tax--and promises money for education, crime prevention and job creation.
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Emanuel painted the $8.9 billion spending blueprint in broad strokes in a speech to the City Council on Wednesday.
There will be no new property, sales or gasoline taxes, Emanuel said. He is proposing a 2 percent increase on the tax on parking lots and public garages.
"Our 2015 budget will help the city of Chicago confront and overcome the greatest challenges to our future--the threat of crime, the quality of our education and the need for economic growth and good jobs."
Exactly how that will be accomplished remains to be seen.
Emanuel said the city also would double the size of the pothole repair team.
There are some voices of dissent among the generally favorable reviews Mayor Emanuel is getting after his budget speech today, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.
Alderman Robert Fioretti, who wants Mayor Emanuel's job, was not surprisingly unimpressed with the incumbent's budget speech.
"What we heard today is more of the same and not a serious proposal: Election year fluff regarding potholes and graffiti removal while kicking the real costs down the road," Fioretti said.
South Side Alderman Will Burns liked what he heard.
"I appreciate the investments in afterschool programs, early childhood education, summer jobs, and obviously dedicating more resources to filling potholes," Burns said.
Alderman Scott Waguespack was troubled by what he didn't hear.
"We haven't talked about our pension issues, we haven't talked about the major financial issues," Waguespack said. "What we were given yesterday in briefings was kind of a gloss over."
Budget hearing begin Monday.
