2 City Council members want Johnson to slow down on proposed $800M tax increases

CHICAGO - Two City Council members want Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson to slow down on his proposed $800 million tax increases.

"Before going to the revenue side of the equation, I definitely think that we have to look at the expense side," said Ald. Jason Ervin of the 28th Ward.

"When you come in and just talk about $800 million in new taxes without really looking at everything else, you're kind of stepping off on a bad foot," said Ald. Scott Waguespack of the 32nd Ward.

During the campaign, Johnson promised not to raise property taxes, while also promising billions of dollars in new social spending for mental health services, civilian anti-violence intervention programs and new, year-round youth jobs.  He also promised this would significantly reduce Chicago's chronic street violence. 

Will Johnson move to fill nearly 2,000 vacant police jobs, which is one cause of slow response times to 911 emergency calls? He declined to say when FOX 32's Mike Flannery asked him Thursday. 

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Many in the City Council hope he will while acknowledging more than that is needed.

"It seems like our system, we respond to everything, you know: people fighting over the remote, kid won't go to bed. Somebody calls the police department, the police department has to respond. So, I think we need to take a holistic approach and review," said Ervin.

FOX 32's Mike Flannery will take a closer look at the election victory speech the president of the Chicago Teachers Union delivered Tuesday night before she brought Mayor-elect Johnson to the stage and much more on Flannery Fired Up.

Flannery Fired Up airs at 9:30 p.m. every Friday.