Chicago mayor says migrants not a priority over safety

The mayor of Chicago is defending his spending choices as the city faces a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion in 2025.

When asked why he chose to impose a hiring freeze instead of a freeze on migrant spending, Mayor Brandon Johnson said he is not prioritizing migrants over public safety.

“We spend $2 billion on community safety just for policing alone, so it is a priority. It’s the top priority that I have as mayor of the city of Chicago,” Johnson said.

The mayor said he wanted the Bring Chicago Home real-estate tax to provide revenue to shelter the homeless and new arrivals.

“Greedy corporations again did not want to pay their fair share, and it’s left people vulnerable, but we’re going to continue to work to find the right investments to not only balance our budget but to keep those investments alive,” Johnson said.

Voters rejected the proposed “mansion tax” in a March referendum. The measure called for a real-estate transfer tax hike on properties worth more than $1 million.

Johnson’s administration announced a hiring freeze and budget restrictions shortly after releasing the city’s projected deficit.

The mayor promised to veto city council efforts to keep ShotSpotter technology, which cost taxpayers $8.6 million from February to September of this year.

ShotSpotter owner Sound Thinking offered the city a 48% discount to keep the system for another 15 months. The existing ShotSpotter contract expires on Sunday, September 22.

The council voted 33-14 to give the city’s police superintendent the power to keep ShotSpotter, but Mayor Johnson said the move was illegal.

Johnson said his administration is extending grace to one of his heavy-criticized aides and also to police officers who caused harm.

The mayor spoke after the city council approved spending more than $15 million to settle police misconduct lawsuits, including $11.6 million for the Jakes v. Boudreau case. Anthony Jakes spent 20 years in prison after he was beaten and coerced into a false confession for a murder which occurred in 1991.

Mayor Johnson said even the police department deserves to be able to atone for harm.

“We are paying hundreds of millions of dollars to atone for harm. Should we not do that? Should we leave it up to the individuals who are responsible for it and make them do it. Guess who’s paying that bill? The taxpayers are,” Johnson said.

The mayor defended Managing Deputy for External Relations Kennedy Bartley, saying she apologized for anti-police comments and calls to abolish the police.

“She has the right thing by talking to leadership in the police department and apologizing for her words. She’s having sit-downs with individuals. Look, here’s the beautiful part about my administration: we believe in grace,” Johnson said.

Bartley has also been accused of making antisemitic remarks. Several aldermen had called for Bartley to be fired.

Johnson announced Bartley’s hiring on May 28 of this year, calling her a “trusted voice within the community.”