Chicago Budget Vote Delayed, Raising Shutdown Fears

The city’s budget vote, scheduled for Friday morning, has been delayed until Monday at 1 p.m. The City Council voted 32-17 to recess the meeting after protests erupted in the chambers. The delay cut off the public comment session, angering many attendees. Now, Mayor Johnson and the council face a tight deadline, with just 15 days to pass a budget before the city risks an unprecedented government shutdown on Dec. 31. Before the meeting began, Mayor Johnson pulled the vote, acknowledging that his budget plan—which includes a $68.5 million property tax hike and $165.5 million in additional taxes and fees—didn’t have the support to pass, even with his potential tie-breaking vote. The city has struggled with a $982.4 million budget shortfall for months. Early on, officials floated solutions ranging from layoffs and pay cuts to new fees for garbage collection and video gaming. Johnson, who campaigned on a promise not to raise property taxes, later reversed course to close the gap while vowing to avoid layoffs. Last month, the City Council unanimously rejected his initial proposal for a $300 million property tax increase. There was hope earlier this week when Johnson’s revised plan, featuring a more minor tax increase, narrowly...