“This budget will mark the third year in a row that we have balanced the city’s finances without raising property, sales, or gasoline taxes.”
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The mayor conveniently ignores one small, expensive fact—that in addition to what’s in the official city budget, hundreds of millions of property tax dollars are scooped up each year by the tax increment financing program. In 2012, the most recent year available, the TIF program collected $457 million from property taxpayers, $3 million more than the year before, according to county clerk David Orr. That means that in Emanuel’s second year in office, the city’s total property tax take was nearly $1.3 billion, far higher than the $801 million listed in the official city budget.
“We have invested in a longer school day in our public schools, so Chicago’s children will get more hours in the classroom.”
“We have moved hundreds of police officers from behind desks to policing our streets. . . . Our new budget will fund another full year of academy graduates, ensuring that Chicago’s police force remains at full strength.”
“My administration remains willing to work with anybody and talk with anybody to achieve pension reform. Our door is always open to work with anyone who has balanced proposals to solve this crisis.”
