The Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce released the following statement regarding Mayor Lightfoot’s budget proposal:  

“As Chicago’s business community continues to recover from the pandemic, it is vital that Chicago foster a welcoming and safe environment for both employers and employees. We applaud Mayor Lightfoot for allocating needed funding to address the ongoing violent crime crisis, but we need an immediate and urgent plan to fill vacancies with the Chicago Police Department to ensure residents and businesses feel safe. Additionally, more must be done to help Chicago’s business community, particularly small businesses. The current proposal calls for the second consecutive increase in the property tax levy in two years, all at a time when businesses are seeing their property tax assessments skyrocket without any clear reason why. In addition, many businesses within the hospitality industry including hotels, restaurants and bars are still struggling and need direct support. With the historic level of federal funding coming to the city, we can avoid a property tax increase that impacts all residents and businesses, while still investing in our communities, public safety, violence prevention, and economic development, and providing support to small businesses and industries most impacted by the pandemic. As the voice for Chicago’s business community, we stand ready to work with Mayor Lightfoot and City Council to create a budget that will foster economic growth and get our residents back to work,” said Jack Lavin, President & CEO, Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce.