Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is back in the news this week after winning council members’ approval of his new plan to release $70 million to fund migrant services.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson’s Plan Approval
In a 20-8 vote, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson won support for his plan, which had previously divided council members.
Behind-the-Scenes Lobbying Success
This was, in part, due to a lot of behind-the-scenes lobbying, with the funding expected to be approved by the full Council.
Mayor’s Push for Additional Migrant Services
Mayor Johnson has been asking the City Council to approve extra funding for migrant services for months now, but city aldermen have been consistently pushing back.
Hours-Long Funding Discussions
In the funding debate, which went on for hours, one alderman said, “Here we are begging for more money when we don’t have money for the people here (…) We’re throwing money out the window on a population of people who are coming here, and they’re living better than people who are already here.”
Aldermen’s Opposition to Funding Increase
Another added, “I have yet to see anything for my community.”
Chicago’s Migrant Influx
Chicago has seen one of the biggest influxes of migrants since the beginning of the migrant crisis in 2022. Just under 40,000 migrants have arrived at the city, and resources have been stretched to breaking point as the city grapples with feeding and housing these newcomers.
Financial Strain
Chicago has spent almost $300 million on the migrant crisis since 2022, a figure that has opened Johnson up to a great deal of criticism.
Seeking Federal Aid
Despite Johnson spending months trying to obtain federal aid and the Biden administration attempting to pass a bill for significant migrant funding for sanctuary cities, Congress pushed back.
$20 Million Against Budgeted $150 Million
In the end, Chicago was only given around $20 million in new migrant funding, a figure that falls far short of Chicago’s budgeted $150 million for migrant services this year.
Claims Of Inadequate Funding
One alderman was quoted as calling the $20 million “a drop in the bucket” and “wholly inadequate.”
Mayor’s Acknowledgment
The $150 million budget is a figure that Johnson himself has openly admitted will only be enough to cover first-quarter migrant expenses.
Innovative Funding Source
The new $70 million in funding will be coming from Chicago’s reserve balance – an emergency fund to be used in the case of a major disaster.
Emergency Fund Utilization
This won’t affect the reserves set aside for funding government services or rainy-day situations as it comes from reserves that haven’t been assigned to anything yet.
Avoiding Public Service Cuts
It’s a trick that former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot used during her last few weeks in office and will mean the city doesn’t have to make cuts to public services or layoff employees.
Preparing for Greg Abbott’s Plans
Greg Abbott is expected to step up his efforts to bus migrants from Texas to sanctuary cities in the months leading up to the Democratic National Convention in August.
Balancing Priorities
For a lot of council members, the anticipation of thousands more arrivals was enough to approve the extra funding.
Johnson’s Office Prepares for Arrival Patterns
“This funding request is based on a rigorous analysis of arrival patterns over the past two years, ensuring that the city will be prepared should there be any sudden increases in new arrivals sent by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott,” said Johnson’s office.
Critiques of Funding Allocation vs. City Crises
Despite this, some aldermen criticized Johnson for using the money on migrants and not on crises currently affecting the city.
Calls for Local Crisis Support
Chris Taliaferro for the 29th Ward argued that the money should be used to help victims of last year’s floods, stating, “Those that experienced millions of dollars in damage in their homes last year – we have not allocated a dime for them. The senior in my Ward that has – not three leaks in a roof but three holes in a roof – we can’t help. (…) The senior who has a porch falling off the back of her house – all she can get from the city is tickets and more tickets.”
Chris Taliaferro’s Perspective
“When we have forgotten about the family that lives here, it becomes very difficult for me to support another $70 million going somewhere else,” Taliaferro said.
The post – $70 Million Migrant Plan Causes Rift in Chicago Council – first appeared on Wealthy Living.
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