CBS News host Vladimir Duthiers attacked Brandon Johnson, the incoming Democratic Chicago Mayor, on Thursday for raising taxes.
In a Tuesday runoff, Johnson defeated Paul Vallas, Chicago Public Schools CEO. Vallas accused Johnson repeatedly of wanting to “defund police,” which Johnson described as a “real political objective” on a December 2020 radio program.
Johnson spoke on CBS about the need to improve community services like youth employment and health care in order to reduce crime. Johnson also called for more counselors, social workers and EMTs to support police officers.
It sounds great on paper. But how can you afford it? As you all know, Chicago is on track to a significant deficit by 2024. Duthiers stated that although you claim you won’t raise taxes, you have discussed other options, including property taxes.
Johnson stated that he was not planning to increase property taxes. Johnson stated, “That’s been a lazy form of governance for quite some time in Chicago and across the country.” In his [State of the] Union speech, President Biden stated that teachers and firefighters should not be subject to the same tax rates as millionaires and billionaires.
“So, you won’t raise property taxes but you will have tax increases?”
Johnson stated, “Well, we’re going to have to find the revenue that individuals have the means to contribute to a safer community.” “Seventy percent of large corporations in Illinois didn’t pay a corporate income tax.”
