Tax the rich? Chicago mayoral hopefuls debate city budget

CHICAGO — Ken Kunz used to know everyone in the North Side Chicago neighborhood where he’s lived for more than 40 years. That’s why he voted both in the February mayoral election and the upcoming runoff for Brandon Johnson, a former teacher and union organizer who has called for $800 million in new taxes on “the ultrarich.” “It seems like he is at least willing to represent someone who makes as much money as I do,” said Kunz, who operates his own delivery business and manages the property where he lives, which helps make rent manageable. “I just want as much representation as the developer who’s building million-dollar condos around the corner from my house.” How to balance Chicago’s steep financial challenges with residents’ concerns about the cost of living is among the many issues separating Johnson and Paul Vallas, the former schools CEO and onetime city budget director, before the April 4 runoff. “He’s not putting forward a budget plan because he’s going to raise your property taxes.” Vallas says he would look at the city’s entire budget to find efficiencies and “work to avoid” taxes. The one thing he definitely wouldn’t do, he said, is propose $800 million in taxes “right out of the box.” Vallas, who also ran schools in New Orleans, Philadelphia and Bridgeport, Connecticut, says his experience makes him the better choice to handle the city’s massive budget amid tumultuous times.