Chicago – November 23, 2025
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is pushing for state help in funding the city’s budget, but a city council member says the mayor’s administration has failed to communicate with Springfield.
Johnson said Thursday that the city needs funding from the state of Illinois for public safety after a CTA train passenger was set on fire Monday evening.
“Just know that it’s a top priority. That funding that we need from Springfield, I know people are looking at a year from now, but we’re calling on Springfield to send that with some expediency,” Johnson said.
Alderman Samantha Nugent told the City Club of Chicago she previously worked in intergovernmental affairs, but she would have been fired if she were as bad at her job as the mayor’s team is.
“We are not communicating with the governor of our state. We do not have a legislative agenda. We don’t know what we’re asking for when we’re down there, and we’re sure not getting it,” Nugent said.
Alderman Matt O’Shea criticized city officials who “keep popping off in the media” about Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
“He’s a presidential candidate in three years, and we keep taking swings at him,” O’Shea said.
Nugent and O’Shea are among a group of at least 25 aldermen who oppose tax hike proposals in the mayor’s budget.
At the core of the aldermanic opposition is Johnson’s corporate head tax that would impose a $21-per-employee monthly tax on businesses with 100 workers or more.
O’Shea said it would be a “job killer” and suggested that labor unions could put “skin in the game.”
When asked about unions Thursday, Chicago Budget Director Annette Guzman Annette Guzman said the city is engaged with its organized labor partners over healthcare costs.
