Month: October 2024

“Look, this a very difficult decision, but to be quite frank with you … we’ve just have had irresponsible administration after administration that has kicked the can down the road, and now it’s in front of my door,” Johnson said about his backtrack when talking to reporters Tuesday about the tax hike.” (Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Brandon Johnson did what he always does. He blames others for the city’s woes he is creating. He has no clue that he is to blame now. He wears the hat. The past is the past. He stubbornly refuses to take responsibility or accountability for anything.

He pulled the trigger pointed at all our heads. He is raising property taxes to balance his budget. The projected raise is 4%. Homeowners, renters, and businesses of all sizes will be impacted by his foolishness. Rents and mortgages will go up. If properties are paid for, owners will pay more out of their pockets. Prices for goods and services will go up. All of us will suffer this perfidy. He promised not to raise property taxes. He broke that promise like a typical politician.

Property taxes are already too high. That is partly because the Cook County Assessor’s Office inherited and uses the Ouija Boards and Tarot cards from Joe Berrios to over assess property values.

Johnson is cutting Chicago Police hiring, defunding the police. It was his position before running for mayor. The police department is undermanned. Public safety will be impacted. Police officers may have to work more overtime to compensate for shortages, impacting their physical and mental well-being. Response times to calls will be negatively impacted.

Johnson also wants to raise taxes on alcohol. Those taxes are already too high. What will he tax next? He is also taking away the two cents retailers keep from the seven-cent bag tax, causing more pain.

During the 1980s Mayor Jane Byrne had budget problems. She solved them by demanding every city department to cut their budgets by 10%. Johnson is only asking for a measly 3% budget cut from department heads. Better to make people suffer than cut the fat from bloated payrolls.

“Maybe it’s time for the City Council to step into the power that they have always had, but never exercised before and be a true co-equal branch of government that actually comes forward with alternatives that do involve shared sacrifice,” Ferguson said. (Sun-Times)

Johnson needs 26 alders to pass this atrocious budget. There is only one thing to do. Write, call, or email your alder now. Demand they do not vote for this travesty, or you will not vote for them. As for Johnson, some people have an excellent opportunity to start running against him now. The campaign slogans should “Bye Bye Brandon.”

People are already primed for a tax rebellion. You’re gonna come into that environment with a significant property tax increase proposal? It’s folly. I don’t see how he gets 26 votes.” (Ald. Brian Hopkins/Sun-Times)

The city council and the mayor need to fear for their jobs. They need to feel the heat now. Johnson guaranteed he is a one-term mayor over the property tax increase.

“Johnson campaigned for mayor on a pledge not to raise property taxes, but has said in recent months that the possibility is on the table due to the huge deficit.” (Chicago Tribune)

The feckless flailing Mayor Brandon Johnson is going to raise property taxes to balance his budget. Too many people are holding on dearly trying to keep their homes due to high property taxes. Bye Bye Brandon will be the political slogan if he raises property taxes.

Furthermore, his Chicago-based collective of rappers — called “Only the Family,” or OTF — is described by the LA-based U.S. attorney’s office as “a group of individuals who engage in violence — including murder and assault — at Banks’ direction and to maintain their status in OTF.”

Mayor Brandon Johnson refused to comment whether he will give back a 2023 $150,000 campaign contribution by Chicago rapper, Lil Durk, real name Durk Devontay Banks. Banks was arrested last week while trying to leave Miami for Italy over an alleged murder for hire plot. It was the largest individual political contribution aside from unions.

“You are asking me if I should make a judgment on a Black man before a full trial has actually come to fruition,” the mayor said at a news conference after touring Collins High School. “I hope you do understand why it is not my position to determine the outcome of someone’s life…  Asked Friday if he felt he should give back the money, Johnson said, “I don’t operate in feelings, I operate in truth and justice.” (Chicago Tribune)

Once again, instead of answering the question, Johnson contributed his usual racial word soup and salad. It is par for the course. Aside from the optics, there probably is another reason Johnson will not return the money. He is a typical political cheapskate and chiseler.

Johnson does not care about optics. His overblown ego and false belief in his competency are on display every time he opens his mouth. Johnson thinks he is popular, even though his popularity rating is in the toilet. His performance rating is tanking in the polls.

Other politicians returned donations when the donors were accused of crimes or caught in scandals. Johnson is not other politicians. He does not care what people, or the press think about him. He only thinks about how he views himself.

Politicians are supposed to have higher ethical and moral standards. Too many Chicago politicians, including Brandon Johnson, are devoid of ethical and moral standards. They only care about the money. $150,000 is a lot of money to give back, especially since Johnson is so unpopular, even among progressive voters. Small and large campaign contributors will shy away from financing his run for reelection.

Johnson should return the money proving to the people he is bigger and better than others. Returning the money is no reflection on Durk’s guilt. Durk is presumed to be innocent in court and in the public eye. Johnson returning the donation does not imply guilt. It is just the right thing to do.

“Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told reporters this week that “everything is on table,” including the potential layoff of city workers, which Johnson said he hopes to avoid, as the city grapples with how to address a nearly billion-dollar budget shortfall.” (NBC 5)

Chicago is facing a financial crisis, yet it found $80,000 to renovate the office of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s wife in the Cultural Center. The mayor is trying to fill an almost billion-dollar hole in the city budget and raising property taxes is on the table. Yet, he found $80,000 to renovate his wife’s ceremonial office.

“One invoice shows the city was billed more than $43,000 for furniture, including a $2,200 high-back executive chair and a $4,400 desk that’s referenced on the invoice as “First Lady’s Desk.” Another $4,600 is listed for what appears to be the desk for a staffer. The same invoice shows more than $8,300 was spent on two club chairs.” (NBC 5)

Past mayor’s spouses had that office in the Cultural Center. Former mayor Lori Lightfoot did not renovate the office for her wife. With property tax increases on the table, this sends a wrong message of wasteful extravagance to the citizens. The public should be outraged. Hopefully editorial writers will be writing poison pen screeds.

The real question not being asked by the news media is, why does the mayor’s wife have or need an office? Why waste money on this? The mayor’s wife has no civic responsibilities requiring an official office.

Brandon Johnson has no concept of optics. This extravagance makes him look worse than he already does. His approval rating is in the toilet at 27%. 62% of people polled disapprove of his performance.

“As for the $80,000 spent on his wife’s office, Johnson told NBC 5 Investigates, “if I were to allow my leadership to be based on someone’s opinion of me, it would be a derelict of duty. I never question my position to invest in people. I don’t do this for optics; I do this to transform lives.” (NBC 5 Investigates)

How does spending $80,000 on refurbishing and furniture for a ceremonial office transform lives? How does it invest in people? Johnson cannot even defend himself against any criticism without going on the attack. He can’t even give a reasonable honest answer to simple questions. As for Johnson’s leadership, it is nonexistent. He is not leading, Johnson is floundering.

If Johnson raises property taxes, he will alienate more alders. Johnson will anger property owners who are already overburdened by property taxes. Johnson will become the next one term mayor. Property taxes in Chicago are already too high and many people are struggling to keep their homes or pay higher rents.

Brandon Johnson is failing the people of Chicago. In his almost two years in office, he had no major accomplishments. Johnson has been derelict of his duty to the people of Chicago. His lack of concern for the optics of his wife’s office make over is startling. Politicians are supposed to care how things look when spending/wasting the people’s money. In this case, $80,000 was wasted. How much money will Johnson waste next?

“We can’t imagine how Johnson and his allies could have been more irresponsible in recent weeks regarding Chicago Public Schools, creating a terrible look for City Hall and destabilizing the district when it sorely needs managerial competence, not chaos.” (Sun-Times Editorial Board)

“Editorial: Brandon Johnson’s reckless Chicago Public Schools maneuvering must be vehemently opposed.” (Chicago Tribune)

Mayor Brandon Johnson shot himself in the foot when he demanded and got the resignations of all the Chicago School Board members. He then shot himself in the other foot when he tried to justify his actions. If the current School Board fires CPS CEO Pedro Martinez per Johnson’s order, it will be another self-inflicted wound.

Both the Chicago Tribune and the Sun-Times Editorial Boards scorched Johnson for his actions. Johnson wants the Board to take out an over $300 million-dollar high interest loan, considered a payday type loan. CPS, like the city, is already heavily saddled with debt. The loan would be a disaster, especially since the chances are slim it could be paid back or refinanced. Johnson also wants the teacher’s union contract settled on their terms.

“The parents of this city elected one of their own, and I’m going to do everything in our power to ensure we don’t go back to a time of chaos,” Johnson said on WTTW.” (WGN TV)

Exactly what does that mean? All the people who elected Johnson were not parents. The only reason he is the mayor is because less than 30% of voters voted. This was just more word soup and salad. Chaos? Johnson is the chaos. His administration is chaotic. In his time in office, he accomplished nothing except sowing chaos. Brandon Johnson should be the first definition of chaos in the dictionary.

41 alderpersons, many of them allies of the mayor, signed a letter over the debacle, condemning the mayor’s machinations over the school board and Pedro Martinez. He is losing support fast. I know people who voted for him and are sorry they did. Some are beyond angry.

Johnson is doing the bidding of the Chicago Teacher’s Union, who wants Pedro Martinez fired. He is bought, paid for, and owned by the union and will do what he is told. Martinez days are numbered. Johnson’s blatant conflict of interest with the CTU is egregious and appalling.

Johnson has no managerial skills. After over one year, he still does not know how the city operates and what those operations cost. It appears most of his appointees lack the same skills.

This administration is plagued with turmoil and chaos caused by Brandon Johnson. He has no one to blame for himself. Instead of surrounding himself with knowledgeable people, he hired political hacks and lickspittles to do his bidding. Johnson thinks he knows everything. When you think you know everything, you are wrong. Johnson’s only defense or answer to questions is expressing his grievance. Any simple question is an attack on him. If a reporter asked him the time, Johnson would go on a grievance fueled rant.

When cornered, Johnson makes accusations of racism. He hopes the media will not ask him the tough questions. If he claims racism enough, he can shut them down. He has no answers, only accusations and grievances. If this keeps up, Johnson may go down as the worst mayor in Chicago history.

Johnson is going to London to watch the Bears play this weekend. When asked about the trip, he angrily reproached the reporter, claiming he was going to London to bring business to Chicago. Yeah, right, on a weekend? Johnson cannot even tell a credible lie. Who is paying for the trip, hotels, game tickets, and other amenities for Johnson and his team?

Johnson cozies up to and has a bromance with Bears president and CEO, Kevin Warren. Johnson wants the Bears stadium on the lakefront and will do anything to get it, even if it means destroying the lakefront. Warren will do anything to get the mayor to get the funds for the Bears lakefront folly.