Chicago City Wire

Mayor Brandon Johnson and Governor J.B. Pritzker have recently intensified their criticism of former President Donald Trump amid discussions about the potential deployment of the National Guard to Chicago in response to city violence. According to observers, both leaders are using Trump as a focal point to divert attention from ongoing issues in Illinois and Chicago.

The debate follows the aftermath of the 2024 presidential election, with Governor Pritzker making strong comparisons between Trump supporters and Nazis. Mayor Johnson has also been vocal, reportedly labeling Trump a “terrorist.” Both have expressed concerns over federal intervention in Chicago, likening it to measures previously taken in Washington, D.C.

One recent move by Mayor Johnson was the signing of an Executive Order urging federal law enforcement not to wear masks while operating in Chicago and instructing local police not to cooperate with federal agencies. The order has been described as largely symbolic and lacking legal force. This action came during a weekend marked by high levels of gun violence in the city, including its 50th mass shooting this year and increased shootings involving school-age youth.

Despite these events, neither Johnson nor Pritzker announced significant new policies addressing violent crime during that period. Instead, Mayor Johnson attended a pro-labor rally where he spoke about defending humanity and democracy.

Data from the University of Chicago Crime Lab indicates that Black residents are disproportionately affected by gun violence compared to white residents. Many violent offenders remain at large due to factors such as police shortages and lenient pretrial release policies.

Illinois’ financial situation remains strained despite receiving $13.2 billion from the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021—$6 billion of which went directly to Chicago (https://www.cbo.gov/publication/57414). After utilizing nearly $14 billion in COVID-related funding and raising more than $7 billion annually through increased taxes and fees, Illinois is still projected to face a budget deficit exceeding $3 billion next year (https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/chicago-politics/illinois-budget-deficit-projected-to-grow-to-3-billion-in-2025/3453422/). Similarly, Chicago faces a projected deficit of $1.2 billion (https://blockclubchicago.org/2024/04/17/chicagos-budget-deficit-is-now-1-2-billion-top-city-officials-say-migrant-crisis-is-main-driver-of-shortfall/).

Tax burdens for Illinois residents are among the highest nationally (https://www.illinoispolicy.org/reports/the-truth-about-property-taxes-in-illinois/) with property tax rates also ranking at or near the top according to multiple studies (https://taxfoundation.org/data/property-taxes/property-taxes-by-state-county-2024/, https://wallethub.com/edu/states-with-the-highest-and-lowest-property-taxes/11585). Commercial property taxes in Chicago are second only to Detroit among major U.S. cities (https://www.chicagobusiness.com/commercial-real-estate/chicago-commercial-property-tax-rates-among-highest-us).

The state’s economy continues to struggle: Illinois has seen slower GDP growth compared with national averages since 2019 (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/release/tables?rid=295&eid=151258&od=2019-01-01#snid=151261), persistent private-sector job losses between 2019–2024 (https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/SMS17000000500000001), and ongoing manufacturing stagnation relative to neighboring states.

Debt remains a significant challenge for both Illinois—which holds one of the nation’s highest per capita debt loads—and for Chicago, whose pension liabilities now exceed those of most U.S. states (https://reason.org/policy-study/unfunded-public-pension-liabilities-state-local-governments/#:~:text=State%20and%20local%20government%20pension,state's%20unfunded%20pension%20liability%2C).

Spending on benefits for migrants has drawn criticism as well; reports indicate over $2.8 billion spent statewide—including more than $600 million allocated within Chicago—while critics argue low-income residents continue to be underserved.

Crime statistics show that even after national declines post-pandemic, Chicago leads major cities in murders, shootings involving school-age youth, and mass shootings per capita (https://crime.chicagotribune.com/chicago/homicides). Population trends reflect dissatisfaction: Since 2000, approximately 1.6 million people have left Illinois—many citing high taxes as their primary reason for moving out—with higher-income individuals making up much of this outbound migration (https://wirepoints.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/WP-Taxpayer-Migration-Dec.-18-2023.pdf).

Recent analyses highlight that young affluent households are increasingly leaving Illinois for states like Texas and Florida with no income tax requirements.

Chicago has also experienced substantial demographic shifts; nearly 25 percent of its Black population left between 2000–2020—a trend impacting middle-class communities significantly.

In summary, while both Mayor Johnson and Governor Pritzker have directed public focus toward former President Trump amid discussions about federal involvement in city affairs, many analysts attribute ongoing challenges facing both city and state governments primarily to longstanding policy decisions made at local levels rather than actions by any recent presidential administration.