Paul Vallas, former CEO of Chicago Public Schools, has raised concerns regarding the city council’s 2026 budget. He said that it directs significant tax-funded support to his former employer while imposing additional fees on residents regardless of their income.
“Mayor Johnson got another bailout for his former employer and political patron, the CTU, as city council approved a budget providing schools another $552 million in property taxes on top of his controlled school board raising priority taxes $232 million-his top priority,” said Paul Gust Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer. “so much for the mayor claiming to hold the line on property taxes. Chicagoans will actually pay $526 million more in total property taxes this year as well as face almost $500 million in 20 additional tax and fee increases, non of which are tied to income or wealth. Johnson refused to sign the budget but did not veto it. this way the CTU gets their windfall to help pay for their record $1.6 billion contract and the mayor and his supporters gets to continue promoting the false narrative that his fight with city council is all about his wanting to tax rich.”
According to Vallas, he addressed Mayor Brandon Johnson’s budget decisions and their effects on Chicago taxpayers in a statement shared on X. He described the allocation of funds to Chicago Public Schools through property tax increases and additional fees. The post includes a cartoon illustrating the city’s financial trajectory.
The Chicago Board of Education recently voted to raise its property tax levy for public schools despite opposition from residents concerned about affordability. This decision follows a contract with the Chicago Teachers Union that includes salary increases over four years. The district faces ongoing budget deficits requiring more revenue from local sources.
Teacher unions in multiple U.S. states are advocating for measures that lead to higher property taxes to fund education contracts. In Illinois, such initiatives have supported amendments increasing levies on homeowners. Nationwide, cities are adjusting taxes upward to cover union-negotiated salary boosts amid fiscal pressures.
Vallas served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001, implementing reforms focused on finance and education. He later held leadership roles in school districts in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Bridgeport. As a Democrat, he ran for Chicago mayor in 2023 with an emphasis on crime reduction and public safety.
