This browser does not support the Video element.
Possibility of Chicago government shutdown grows
Back here in the city, Chicago is about two and a half weeks away from a budget deadline. If the mayor and city council do not reach a deal, the city could face a government shutdown. There are still a lot of questions about how that would affect city services. Bret Buganski breaks down where talks stand and what the next pressure point is.
CHICAGO - The deadline for approving the city budget is two and a half weeks away, and if Mayor Brandon Johnson and City Council members fail to reach a deal, Chicago could face a government shutdown.
What we know:
A shutdown would raise immediate questions about how city services would function.
For days, the mayor’s office has warned that a halt in government operations could leave roughly 30,000 city workers without pay and bring most city services to a stop.
FOX 32 Chicago requested specifics from the mayor’s office. On Friday afternoon, a spokesperson said they would provide more information but did not offer details.
A shutdown could also affect non-city workers. Vince Sliwa, owner of Windy City Garage, builds garages across the Chicago area. His business depends on city permits and inspections — processes that would halt in a shutdown.
"If we're unable to get the permits or inspections, we're kind of at a standstill and for the clients and for our workers, it's just, we're playing the waiting game," Sliwa said.
What's next:
Earlier this week, FOX 32 Chicago spoke with Ald. Brian Hopkins of the 2nd Ward. When asked what a shutdown would look like, he said he was unsure.
Chicago has never experienced a city government shutdown.
The mayor and City Council have until the end of December to agree on how to close a budget gap of more than $1 billion.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX 32's Bret Buganski.