By Elaine Mallon | Washington Examiner
Mayor Brandon Johnson was met with strong opposition from Chicago residents during a Wednesday City Council meeting over his $70 million budget request to support the city’s immigrants and asylum-seekers. One resident has even launched a recall effort.
As a strong supporter of Chicago’s sanctuary city status, Johnson petitioned the city’s aldermen to allocate more funding for immigrants. So far, the city has spent $300 million on housing, food, and healthcare for newcomers. The alderman deferred Johnson’s request and is expected to let the measure stall. However, if approved, the money will be drawn from the city’s assigned fund balance from 2022, according to budget director Annette Guzman.
The city is projected to run a deficit of $1.5 billion this year and $1.9 billion for 2025. Johnson has blamed the city’s financial crisis on the federal government’s failure to step in and provide aid to the asylum-seekers.
During the meeting, voters attacked Johnson for not putting the citizens of Chicago first.
“We need that money in my neighborhood; we need that money on my block,” a woman wearing a red “Make America Great Again” cowboy hat said. “So I’m asking y’all to use our tax money for our people. We need it.”
Read more at: Washington Examiner
