News/Commentary

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has residents longing for the good old days of Lori Lightfoot

November 29, 2024 | | Print Article

Mayor Brandon Johnson was voted in by Chicago residents disaffected by the dismal job by then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, but they seem to be experiencing some buyer’s remorse over their choice.

The 48-year-old Democrat earned the stunning disapproval of 70 percent of voters surveyed in a Change Research poll.

Johnson, who has been mayor since 2023, surpassed Lightfoot as a highly unpopular mayor as Lightfoot’s halfway mark still saw her with just 39 percent of voters unhappy with the job she was doing.

With just 15 percent of those polled showing approval for Johnson at his halftime point, he earned the dubious honor of being recognized as “the most unpopular mayor in the history of the city,” according to National Review’s Jeffrey Blehar.

More than half of those surveyed qualified their dissatisfaction as “very unfavorable.”

Johnson’s office has been roiled in controversy as his former top aide was fired in October over sexual harassment allegations. Several City of Chicago employees filed complaints against Ronnie Reese, the mayor’s former communications director.

Johnson has also been pushing for a property tax hike in his proposed budget but was given a resounding blow when all 50 Chicago aldermen voted against the $300 million increase. The Democrat then lowered his demand “for $150 million in property taxes, $128 million in cloud computing taxes, $10 million in streaming service taxes and $10.6 million from a 35% hike in liquor taxes,” according to Illinois Policy.

Johnson told critics to “grow up” and accept the tax increase as S&P Global Ratings warned the city would be placed on “CreditWatch with negative implications” as Chicago faces a looming $982.4 million deficit for next year.

“The negative watch indicates S&P’s concern that Chicago may undo years of budgetary discipline, which is valid,” portfolio manager Dennis Derby told Yahoo! Finance this week. “There is time to work through budgetary issues constructively and should that fail to occur, the city’s credit profile would weaken.”

There don’t seem to be any easy answers before the end of the year.

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“Chicago hasn’t entered December without an approved city budget since 2009, and this year not only is the city starting the month without an OK’d fiscal plan, but the mayor and aldermen are a chasm apart on key issues with aldermen finding few easy answers,” the Chicago Tribune reported Friday.

Residents and local lawmakers alike have expressed frustration with Johnson who has surpassed his predecessor in unpopularity according to the latest local poll.

Social media users weighed in on the polls and the deeply unpopular mayor.

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Frieda Powers
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