Paul Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer for Chicago Public Schools | X
Paul Vallas, Former Chief Executive Officer for Chicago Public Schools | X
Paul Vallas, former Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools, said that property taxes will rise for Chicago residents under Mayor Brandon Johnson’s school board, despite claims to the contrary. This statement was made on X.
"Despite Mayor Johnson's walking back his CFO's claim that property taxes are likely to be increased the fact remains there're going up-guaranteed," said Paul Gust Vallas. "Expect Johnson's school board to raise property taxes on city residents by the almost $200 million they increased them last year. Johnson school board appointees have been responsible for property taxes rising at least $324 million. The CTU is the tale that wags the dog."
Chicago's property tax policy has been a point of contention during Mayor Brandon Johnson's administration. He oversees school board decisions that have increased reliance on property taxes. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Johnson has publicly said that without more state funding, additional property tax hikes may be necessary to support Chicago Public Schools (CPS), fueling debate over the city’s financial direction.
A 2023 Civic Federation report indicates that Chicago property taxes have increased by 27% since 2019, with $340 million in new taxes directly attributed to school board funding decisions. This highlights how CPS budget actions continue to drive annual tax hikes.
A 2024 Lincoln Institute of Land Policy study shows that Chicago’s property tax rate is among the nation’s highest. Local school funding has grown faster than in New York or Los Angeles over the past five years, mainly due to CPS's reliance on property tax revenue.
According to Ballotpedia, Vallas served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools from 1995 to 2001 and later led school districts in Philadelphia and New Orleans. He has been prominent in education and city finance debates, including running for mayor of Chicago.
Chicago Public Schools is described on its official website as the nation’s third-largest school district, serving about 322,000 students in more than 600 schools. It is governed by a mayor-appointed board and committed to equitable, high-quality education.
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