Already making waves, Chicago’s new leftist mayor has blamed tax-avoiding corporations for the city’s poverty and soaring crime rates.
Brandon Johnson, who was elected on Tuesday and is a former union leader, claims that “70% of large corporations in the state of Illinois don’t pay a corporate tax,” explaining why the city doesn’t have enough money to repair its problems.
Lack of investment has led to poverty and, of course, violence,” added Johnson, who did not provide his sources.
The 69-year-old Paul Vallas, supported by Chicago’s police union, was defeated by the 47-year-old Cook County Commissioner by a margin of around 13,000. Johnson will replace Lori Lightfoot, who was forced out of office due to an increase in crime during her tenure.
The rising crime rate and the homeless crisis, which has caused a section of O’Hare International Airport to be used as a filthy makeshift shelter, will be Johnson’s major objectives as mayor.
Johnson advocated a tax on the wealthy in order to generate $80 million during the campaign. He has also requested an indefinite moratorium on property taxes.
Speaking to CBS on Thursday, he said, “I’m not going to raise property taxes. The way the city of Chicago (and, to be honest, the entire country) has been governed for far too long is the lazy way.
Soon after his victory, Johnson spoke up about his humble origins, his time spent teaching in the notorious Cabrini Green public housing complex, and his struggles to keep his children safe from the violence that plagued the West Side neighborhood where he grew up.
He credited civil rights leaders including Martin Luther King Jr. and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, saying his victory was a continuation of their work. He also noted that he was speaking on the anniversary of King’s death.
The rate of violent crime in Chicago rose during the COVID-19 epidemic. The murder rate decreased in 2022 after reaching its highest point in 25 years the previous year, when 797 people were killed. Thefts and sexual assaults drove a 47 percent increase in crime during the year ending March 12, 2023.
Johnson claims he would promote 200 current police officers to special agents. More officers taking responsibility is another goal of his.
He also plans to address the city’s financial woes and the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced the closure of several businesses and government buildings.
Pictures of homeless individuals camping inside O’Hare International Airport surfaced in February. Because of this, some vacationers felt unsafe.