Chicago City Wire

A bipartisan coalition of groups is vocally opposed to the 5% property tax increase imposed by the Chicago Public Schools board. 

Coalition leaders held a press conference in which Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski presented data showing that despite a significant increase in per-student spending, the educational outcomes for minority students have worsened, with low proficiency rates in reading and math. The coalition argues that raising taxes for a failing system that has already received over $9 billion in funding is unjustifiable and risks driving more residents and businesses away from the city. 

“Increasing taxes again on Chicagoans puts the city at risk of losing more residents and businesses,” Wirepoints said in a press release regarding the announcement. “Especially when the board is raising taxes to benefit a system that fails to educate 300,000 students despite receiving a record $9 billion-plus in funding. The district’s ongoing failure is just one of the reasons why Chicago Public Schools doesn’t deserve another penny from taxpayers.”

Dabrowski said CPS doesn't deserve the additional money until it is held accountable for its failures, as data proves.

“The problem is parents aren’t putting up with this," he said. "People are fleeing CPS. It’s too expensive, the teaching is not working, and in less than 20 years, it’s gone down 116,000 students,” Dabrowski said at the press conference.

With the CPS budget already at $9.4 billion taxpayers are questioning the need for additional funds. FOX 32 News reports concerns have been raised that such a tax hike may burden middle-class families and contribute to a continued decline in student enrollment.

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has consistently raised property taxes annually for the past decade. CPS has the authority to increase taxes by the lower of the two: either the rate of inflation or 5%, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The 5% increase this year amounts to $131 million.

Wirepoints also highlighted Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's promise. 

“'As mayor, I will not raise property taxes.' That was a key message Brandon Johnson made during his run for Chicago mayor," Wirepoints noted. "Now less than two months since he assumed power, the Chicago Public Schools board is set to hike property taxes by 5 percent and there’s no pushback whatsoever from Mayor Johnson."

In a tweet, Johnson mentioned the city's "sky-high property taxes are the direct result  of Paul Vallas’ budget mismanagement."  

"Enough," he said.  "As mayor, I will not raise property taxes. I stand with the residents and families of the 25th ward in calling for a future where we can all thrive."