Chicago Board of Education quietly votes to raise property taxes
Chicago Board of Education quietly votes to raise property taxes
A secretive meeting by the Chicago Board of Education led to the approval of increased property taxes on homeowners.
CHICAGO - The Chicago Board of Education voted 15–5 to increase property taxes on Chicagoans by $25 million, the maximum allowed under state law, which puts a cap on yearly increases.
But it was a characteristically common vote for CPS, as it has typically voted to increase taxes to the limit every year.
What we know:
This year, however, it was shrouded in mystery, as board President Sean Harden first canceled the vote at a meeting early this month.
The school district is banking on this money to help balance its budget, in addition to what is expected to be a record amount of TIF surplus money.
Board member Jennifer Custer said the money will be put to good use.
"Today’s levy vote is an investment in our children and the future of Chicago Public Schools, and I will always vote to fund our public schools," Custer said.
But Carlos Rivas, one of the five no votes, said it comes at a time when Chicago families are reeling from high costs, and higher property taxes were something the mayor promised not to do, even though he doesn’t directly control the school board.
"Even if it is only $16 on my home, it is something that a lot of families can’t afford and adds a compounding effect to the large increases in their taxes," Rivas said before the board voted.
A moderate nonprofit group called Urban Center, which has been critical of Mayor Brandon Johnson and the CTU, had this reaction:
"Their ‘quiet’ action today at a board meeting few knew about during the holiday season, and conveniently after the mayor’s failed budget despite his claims of protecting Chicagoans from property tax increases, only serves to demonstrate board members’ contempt for taxpayers, who continuously foot the bill to pay for the demands of the Chicago Teachers Union, a Johnson ally."
To make matters stranger, Fox Chicago was told by multiple sources on Monday that board president Harden called members into group meetings to complain about leaks to the media — namely Fox Chicago's Paris Schutz who revealed that this meeting — a public meeting — was scheduled and would take place.
Fox Chicago learned that Harden vowed to force the resignation of any board member he discovered leaking this information.