(The Center Square) – After Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson was elected Chicago mayor last week, some are warning of higher taxes coming to the Windy City.
Johnson defeated Paul Vallas in a run-off election last week to become Chicago’s 57th mayor.
Some criticized Johnson’s positions on taxing and policing.
Johnson’s tax plans included $100 million from a tax on financial transactions of $1 or $2 for every securities trading contract and another $100 million from taxing suburban residents who travel to the city.
Last week, Gov. J.B. Pritzker addressed a proposed transaction tax that Johnson campaigned on.
“I have not stood for a transaction tax,” Pritzker said. “I think it would be easy for those companies and servers to move out of the state.”
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski told The Center Square that the only way Johnson can implement the programs he has campaigned on is by raising taxes on Chicagoans.
“Chicagoans should be really worried because you’ve got the pension problems that are there, that never went away,” Dabrowski said. “If Brandon really wants to pursue the kind of spending programs he wants and he is refusing to reform anything, then heck yeah, tax hikes are coming.”
Johnson has also campaigned on cleaning up crime in the city but has been tied to the defund the police movement. He has since walked back his statements.
In an interview with CBS last week, Johnson was asked why he has backed away from that position.
“Well, it’s not so much of a retreat [from that idea]. It’s more of having a better understanding of the impetus of that hashtag,” Johnson said. “Look, there were organizers all over the country who wanted to work within the confines of the system. Whether it was body cameras, dashboard cameras, all of these implementations of formations that would ostensibly provide more accountability within law enforcement, and it didn’t work.”
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration was criticized for a relaxed approach to fighting crime in the city. Dabrowski said Johnsons’ ideology will bring an even softer approach to crime.
“Johnson is strong on defunding the police. He is supportive of [Cook County State’s Attorney] Kim Foxx’s initiatives so, we are likely to see a much softer approach on crime,” Dabrowski told The Center Square.
Dabrowski said Chicago could soon see tough times, but all the problems could finally lead to the switch he believes the city needs.
Johnson has “promised to target businesses and the wealthy to pay for his social programming. We’ve already seen leaders in business and finance like Ken Griffin and Citadel and Boeing leave. Don’t be surprised to see a continued, steady outflow. The damage could be deep.” Dabrowski said in a statement. “The silver lining in all this? A few years under Johnson may finally push the center left in Chicago to finally give a reformer the support of 50 percent plus one.”
Johnson will be sworn in as mayor on May 15.
This article First appeared in the center square
