Chicago aldermen Thursday struck down most of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s last-minute progressive questions to ask voters this autumn, opting instead for a slate mainly of their own making.
The City Council Rules Committee advanced four non-binding referendum proposals for the November ballot, plus three more for voters to consider during the February municipal election. They turned down Johnson’s bid to see what voters think about the city imposing a 3% tax on millionaires.
The ballot questions the committee sent to the full City Council for consideration would ask Chicagoans if the city should build a permanent event space, re-implement acoustic gunshot detection software and make pension contribution funds earlier in the year.
Shortly after Thursday’s meeting, Johnson released a statement ripping the committee for not letting voters have their say on the millionaire tax. “Rather than trust voters to weigh in again, these members chose to shield powerful special interests instead of standing with working people,” Johnson said.
The questions would be used only to advise lawmakers on the will of voters and would carry no legislative weight. The city would need changes at the state level in order to impose a tax on millionaires.
The proposals that passed the committee Thursday will likely face a council vote later this month ahead of a mid-August deadline, and only three can make it onto the ballot.
Only one of Johnson’s three proposals for November won committee approval. Johnson’s referendum would ask Chicagoans whether the city should use “all lawful means” to address the economic harm caused by President Donald Trump’s “Operation Midway Blitz” deportation campaign.
Aldermen also blocked consideration of Johnson’s other ballot request, to ask voters whether the city should establish a property tax relief fund — while arguing the mayor had overstepped.
Johnson did not introduce the proposals to the City Council until Thursday and used the “direct introduction” maneuver that is meant to be used in emergency situations.
Citing that maneuver, mayoral opponents accused the mayor of pulling a “political stunt” and abusing council rules. After a brief debate that focused on procedure over substance, aldermen blocked consideration of Johnson’s millionaire tax and property tax relief fund referendums.
“He might as well rip up the rules of order,” Ald. Scott Waguespack said, holding up a pocketbook copy of the legislative body’s rulebook after the meeting. “That’s what it boils down to. You might as well just trash this thing.”
Several of Johnson’s top deputies were lobbying aldermen to vote with them in a room behind council chambers. But the effort failed as a majority instead advanced two proposals aimed at politically pressuring the mayor.
It was an unforced error for Johnson, who could have forced aldermen to vote on the substance of each measure — as opposed to the timing of his introduction — if he had simply introduced them during June’s City Council meeting.
Top Johnson aide Kennedy Bartley declined to answer when asked about the timing of the introduction.
Aldermen also advanced three referendum questions for voters to consider during the February 2027 mayoral and aldermanic election.
The three questions, which must be approved by the full council to secure a spot on the ballot, ask if the city should build a monument celebrating Chicago music, establish separate legal counsel for the City Council and withhold funding from sister agencies that do not help the city recoup debt.
Ald. Jason Ervin, a close mayoral ally, urged his colleagues to delay voting on the three proposals. He argued that passing the referendums Thursday could block aldermen from approving more important referendum questions later.
“What’s the rush here?” Ervin asked, before aldermen nonetheless advanced the referendum questions. “We don’t need to be this far in front of the horse on this, not today at least.”
A referendum question proposed by Ald. Matt Martin asking if the city should adopt a ranked-choice voting system did not face a vote.
