The city of Chicago faces a pension crisis, heightened crime and a failing public school system. New Mayor Brandon Johnson has taken no concrete steps to deal with any of it.
When Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson took office on May 15, he inherited numerous challenges plaguing the city.
According to a survey conducted by Echelon Insights on behalf of the Illinois Policy Institute in February, 75% of Chicagoans were dissatisfied with public safety, with 60% dissatisfied with affordability in the city. Just 33% of Chicagoans were satisfied with public education in the city.
Johnson has had 100 days to begin addressing these issues. To date, he hasn’t started seriously tackling any of it.
Crime
- Overall crime is up 39% this year.
- Violence against, and committed by, school-age youth has seen historic increases since COVID-19. The University of Chicago’s Crime Lab just reported a 50% increase in murders of youth 17 years and younger since 2019.
Finances
- Chicago is facing a projected budget shortfall of between $306 million and $951 million for 2024.
- Debt service and pension contributions now make up 42% of the city budget, crowding out services.
Read the full 100-day review here.
Leave a Reply