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Committee on Finance Chairman Alderman Dowell Issues the Following Statement on the Passage of the FY24 City of Chicago Budget
Dear Brian,
People often ask me why I supported Brandon Johnson for Mayor. I tell them that he spoke with his values. And he lead with his values in this budget. I saw a man that saw community. I saw a Black man who lives in a Black community, who saw the entire city. This budget is a reflection on Mayor Johnson's values. This is a very good budget, where the City fulfills its commitments to its residents, and moves the needle forward in a meaningful way on transformational priorities such as:
- Mental healthcare for all
- Homelessness prevention and support
- Stabilizing CPD’s officer ranks
- Establishing an Office of Re-entry
- Implementing a non-police public safety response model
- More summer jobs for youth
- Reestablishing the Department of the Environment
- Funding a Reparations Commission
- Investing in street level, community-focused violence prevention services
- Expanding utility billing relief to 3-flat buildings and debt payment forgiveness programs
- Continuing to make supplemental payments to shore up our pension obligations
It does all this and more without raising property taxes or cutting the institutional supports that are the foundation of good government. This budget meets our fiduciary duty as aldermen, and that is proven by the recent credit rating upgrades Wall Street has given our City. This is good public policy, and fiscally responsible government.
The FY24 budget builds on top of the many other historic achievements already underway through the leadership of our Mayor, such as Bring Chicago Home and One Fair Wage. Taken all together, the budget and these other initiatives will have a giant, positive impact on the daily lives of our residents. And this is just the beginning. As the Mayor and the City Council now have a full year before the FY25 Budget is introduced, we can down into the “nitty-gritty” and really get into the machinery of how our City works, and implement new policies that fulfill the promises we all were elected to bring to our residents. To do this, under my leadership as the Chairman of the Committee on Finance, we have created a Revenue Subcommittee that will be looking at fair and equitable ways the City can raise revenue without overburdening hard-working Chicagoans. It’s hard to turn a ship that has been headed in one direction for a long time. I think we are making that move, and that is going to be a benefit to the entire City. This budget is a major downpayment on those priorities.
One of the things I’m most proud of during the budget process was the willingness of everyone involved to collaborate and compromise in order to come out with the best version of the budget possible. The budget shows that we as a council can work together, and when we do, we can be more than the sum of our parts. I hope that we can extend this good feeling, this spirit of togetherness, and uphold the respect that each of us in City Council deserve as we work collaboratively on what is best for our City moving forward.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that all these accomplishments were made while tackling the migrant crisis. This is a real crisis – though one manufactured by forces outside of our control, with the goal of sowing division among communities and disrespecting the lives of minorities. I am so proud that we are tackling this issue with humanity and empathy, something many other jurisdictions are failing to do. This is not an either/or issue, we can work together through the migrant crisis and provide for existing Chicago residents at the same time. Thank you Mr. Mayor for handling this issue with the grace, strategic thinking, and humility it deserves. We must center the needs of everyone in this City.
In closing, I want to ask, what kind of City do we want to live in? I want one that fights for the least of us, prioritizes equity and inclusion, and uplifts all communities together, not one that pits neighborhoods and people against each other. I want one that supports businesses and residents at the same time; supports Black, Brown, White and Asian residents, and remains fiscally prudent in its spending. I want people to feel safe in every community. And I think this budget gets on the way to being that City. Think back to the long list of accomplishments that I mentioned earlier. These are real wins. Now let’s continue making Chicago the best city it can be for all residents.
Sincerely,
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