Mayor Rahm Emanuel today said a property tax hike for Chicago Public Schools is acceptable because district administrators have made large cuts to the school budget and investment is necessary to improve important programs like early childhood education.
"I have no tolerance for an overblown bureaucracy, and I have no tolerance for inefficiency in the city budget, in other agencies, and I'm glad (school officials) followed the cut and invest strategy," Emanuel said. "I think they've made the tough choices."
"I also expect people to respect the hard-earned dollars of taxpayers," he added. "But they also rely on the school system. As you know, I said I was going to protect the classroom. We've not only protected the classroom, we've expanded educational choices and opportunities."
Chicago homeowners would see their annual tax bills increase by 2.4 percent — about $84 on a home assessed at $250,000 — the first time in four years CPS has raised taxes to the cap limit. The cash-strapped school district will collect additional revenue from a buildings levy, netting roughly $150 million in new money.
The mayor previously said that a tax hike is off the table to close a $635 million shortfall at City Hall because there are too many inefficiencies in city government.
"I have no tolerance for an overblown bureaucracy, and I have no tolerance for inefficiency in the city budget, in other agencies, and I'm glad (school officials) followed the cut and invest strategy," Emanuel said. "I think they've made the tough choices."
"I also expect people to respect the hard-earned dollars of taxpayers," he added. "But they also rely on the school system. As you know, I said I was going to protect the classroom. We've not only protected the classroom, we've expanded educational choices and opportunities."
Chicago homeowners would see their annual tax bills increase by 2.4 percent — about $84 on a home assessed at $250,000 — the first time in four years CPS has raised taxes to the cap limit. The cash-strapped school district will collect additional revenue from a buildings levy, netting roughly $150 million in new money.
The mayor previously said that a tax hike is off the table to close a $635 million shortfall at City Hall because there are too many inefficiencies in city government.
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