Chicago City Wire

For the first time in 2025, Chicago voters have identified high taxes as their top concern, surpassing crime and other issues such as the economy, housing, and city governance. This finding comes from the latest Lincoln Poll conducted for the Illinois Policy Institute by M3 Strategies.

Mailee Smith, vice president of policy and litigation for the Illinois Policy Institute, commented on the results: “Chicago voters are clearly sending city leaders a message: no more tax hikes. When Mayor Johnson put a tax hike to the ballot last March, voters rejected it. Amid high-inflation and the soaring cost of living, city leaders should be looking for ways to cut costs and make it easier for struggling residents. Tax hikes will just enable more reckless spending. Instead of adding punitive taxes, lawmakers must prioritize pro-growth initiatives that make Chicago a destination city for new residents and businesses.”

Concerns about high taxes are not limited to Chicago. Statewide data shows that 52% of Illinois voters consider high taxes to be the main issue facing Illinois. Recently, state lawmakers approved a plan on October 31 aimed at supporting public transit in the Chicago area by raising toll road fees and increasing sales tax in Cook County and surrounding counties by 0.25 percentage points.

Mailee Smith, Vice President of Policy and Litigation | Illinois Policy Institute

The Lincoln Poll surveyed 530 likely Chicago voters between October 17-20 with a margin of error of ±4.3 percentage points. A separate survey included 929 registered voters statewide from October 8-10 with a margin of error of ±3.2 percentage points.

Topline results from both polls are available online:

- For details on the Chicago voter poll toplines visit https://illin.is/chipoll1025.

- For information on the Illinois statewide voter poll toplines see https://illin.is/ilpoll1025.

Further information about the Lincoln Poll can be found at https://illin.is/poll1025.