We will be adding more details, including links to the Mayor’s budget that will be released this week. Check back in for more actions and data around connecting Chicago and state budget shortcomings.

Fast Fact #1 – Chicago’s Budget Challenges Start in Springfield - Structural deficits are the root cause of chronic underfunding that start at the state-level

Fast Fact #2: The Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) has made the situation in Illinois demonstrably worse.

Fast Fact #3: Historic underfunding of pension funds Increasingly contribute to fiscal challenges.

Fast Fact #4:  Together – a state-level broken tax system and a pension fiscal mill stone – these forces have created an almost impossible situation for municipalities and school districts across the state. 

Fast Fact #5: This historic underfunding from the state has resulted in the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools in particular relying increasingly on property taxes to cover the gap between constrained revenue and the services it needs to provide to residents and students, respectively.

Fast Fact #6: The City’s budget includes the individual budgets of over 30 City departments and offices like the Chicago Police Department (CPD), the Department of Transportation (CDOT), the Chicago Fire Department (CFD), the Chicago Public Library system, and the Mayor’s Office.

Fast Fact #7:  The City of Chicago budget is actually a “family” of funds with different revenue sources focused on different services and activities. 

Fast Fact #8: Both the City of Chicago and Chicago Public Schools are significantly constrained on how and where they can grow revenue.