Chicago City Wire

Preliminary results from the Chicago Board of Elections have revealed that the “Bring Chicago Home” ballot referendum has been unsuccessful, with a vote of 54% to 46% against the proposal. Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's plan to increase the real estate transfer tax on properties valued over $1 million has faced rejection by the majority of voters.

According to the Illinois Policy Institute, the proposed tax hike was deemed detrimental to Chicago's real estate market and could have had negative effects on entrepreneurs, business owners, and housing development. The organization also raised concerns about the Chicago Teachers Union's involvement in the referendum, filing ethics complaints against them for allegedly taking students out of classrooms to vote at a partisan event.

In response to the referendum results, Matt Paprocki, president and CEO of the Illinois Policy Institute, expressed his views on Mayor Johnson's defeat, stating, “Even in a low turnout primary, Mayor Johnson failed to move enough voters to advance his chief proposal to hike Chicago real estate taxes." Paprocki highlighted the significance of the outcome, emphasizing that "Chicagoans made their voice heard: they’re wary of tax hikes."

The defeat of the "Bring Chicago Home" referendum is seen as a significant political setback for Mayor Johnson and the Chicago Teachers Union, who were vocal supporters of the tax increase. With this outcome, it is evident that the residents of Chicago are cautious about additional tax burdens. Johnson, who already faces challenges with low approval ratings, is advised to shift his focus towards addressing issues such as high taxes, rising crime rates, and the migrant crisis.

Despite allocating $400 million in the 2024 budget for homelessness and unhoused migrants, the city of Chicago still has unused federal aid that could potentially aid in reducing homelessness. The aftermath of this referendum result calls for a reevaluation of priorities and a renewed focus on addressing the pressing concerns of the city.

For more updates on Chicago’s election results, interested individuals can visit illin.is/election.