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Service Cuts on the Table as Chicago Confronts $1.15B Budget Shortfall, Alderpeople Say

Chicago City Hall. (Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

Mayor Brandon Johnson is expected to unveil his 2026 budget proposal to the Chicago City Council on Oct. 16. A budget forecast released in late August projects a $1.15 billion deficit for the city, driven by the end of one-time federal pandemic aid and continued uncertainty over pension payments for Chicago Public Schools employees.

Once the City Council receives Johnson’s budget proposal, alderpeople will have until Dec. 31 to negotiate modifications and garner the 26 votes necessary for passage. 

Much has been made about how the city should address the deficit — by increasing revenue or cutting spending or both.

Here’s what two alderpeople had to say:

Ald. Jason Ervin (28th Ward), chair of the Budget Committee, said Chicago must expand revenues while cutting costs tied to inefficient services and lawsuits filed against the city.

“Light poles falling on people, that’s something we should be able to get a handle on and be able to deal with,” Ervin said. “Tripping hazards from sidewalks, those are things that we know about that if we address them in a more frequent manner, then we spend a thousand bucks, save $500,000. I don’t think we can cut our way out of this situation nor do I think we can tax our way out of this situation.”

Chicago taxpayers have spent at least $231.2 million on police misconduct lawsuits in 2025. In all, the city has paid $491.7 million in police misconduct settlements and verdicts since 2019, according to a WTTW News analysis.

Ald. Matt Martin (47th Ward) said Chicago’s financial problems stem from a combination of unnecessary spending and insufficient revenues.

“Chicagoans, they don’t think this is just a revenue issue,” Martin said. “I think it’s incredibly important that we on City Council look first to tighten our belts before we go to taxpayers asking them to chip in more.” 

Martin highlighted costs from third-party contracts — when the city hires a private business or individual — and vacant government positions as potential areas for cuts.

Johnson said in July he would not propose a hike in property taxes. But his budget task force recommended raising property taxes annually to keep pace with inflation.

New Dashboards Track Immigration Aid Requests Around Chicago as Advocates Say Calls Have ‘Skyrocketed’

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicle is pictured in Chicago in an image uploaded to social media by the agency on Sept. 8, 2025. (Credit: ICE)

Calls from local residents seeking legal aid have “skyrocketed” in recent months, Chicago immigration advocates said Thursday, as families are increasingly seeking out assistance amid ongoing federal enforcement operations. Local immigration leaders announced the launch of new public information dashboards tracking the number of calls for legal assistance and arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in and around Chicago.

“We will not let this terror be swept under the rug,” said Erendira Rendon, vice president for immigrant justice with the Resurrection Project, which announced the dashboards Thursday at a news conference on Chicago’s Southwest Side.

More context: 

The dashboards track calls made to legal hotlines run by organizations including the Resurrection Project, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Cook County Public Defender’s Office and National Immigrant Justice Center. Data shows those agencies received 330 referrals for legal assistance in September alone — the same month the U.S. Department of Homeland Security ramped up its immigration enforcement efforts by launching “Operation Midway Blitz” in Chicago and Illinois.

That total is more than twice as large as any other month and accounts for more than 40% of total calls received by the immigration advocacy groups thus far in 2025. The dashboards also track ICE arrest data in Illinois, showing that of the 1,470 people arrested by the agency between January and July, 60% had a criminal record.

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September in Chicago Was Warmer Than Normal and One of the Driest in 150 Years

(Michael Izquierdo / WTTW News)

September in Chicago felt like a continuation of summer, with above-normal temperatures. But the real story was the lack of rain.

According to the National Weather Service, less than a half an inch of precipitation was recorded at O’Hare Airport — Chicago’s official weather station — tying for the seventh driest September since data collecting began in 1871. The paltry total of .49 inches of rain was 2.7 inches below normal. The stress on trees was evident, as many began dropping leaves early.

On the temperature front, the mean average for the month was 69.3 degrees, or 3 degrees above normal. The average high temperature of 78.9 degrees was 3.4 degrees above normal. October has kicked off with a similar summer-like pattern. Even with a string of 80-degree days in the forecast, no records are likely to fall — October temperatures have topped 90 degrees several times in past decades.

For folks wondering “What happened to fall?”, more seasonable temperatures are expected next week.  

More from WTTW News: 

• Local businessman and former Chicago mayoral candidate Willie Wilson joined "Chicago Tonight” to talk public safety and the possibility of National Guard troops being deployed in the city. 

Back in the Day: October 3, 1950 - Founding Member of Styx John Curulewski Born in Chicago 

Styx is one of Chicago’s most successful rock bands of all time. They’ve sold tens of millions of records and had Top 10 hits in three decades including tracks like “Come Sail Away,” “Mr. Roboto,” “Lady” and “Show Me the Way.” While they’re not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, they’ve had a career full of mainstream longevity and are still touring. On this day 75 years ago, founding guitarist and co-singer John “JC” Curulewski was born in Chicago. While attending Chicago State College, he was a folk guitarist who joined a band composed of his classmates called TW4 that by 1972 had evolved into Styx. He stayed with the band for five albums, ending with the 1975 major label debut “Equinox.” He left the band by the end of that year, being replaced by guitarist Tommy Shaw, and died in 1988 after a brain aneurysm. 

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The 2025 Chicago Festival Guide

Every Friday, WTTW News highlights the best fairs, festivals, neighborhood gatherings and more happening near you. Click here for the full list. 

Oct. 3-5: Lincoln Park Wine Fest | Map

Sip your way through Jonquil Park for two hours. Tickets are available, and remember to pace yourself! 

Oct. 3-5: West Town Art Walk (West Town) | Various locations

Explore the small businesses and sights populating one of Chicago’s largest community areas. 

Oct. 4-5: Lincoln Square Ravenswood Apple Fest | Map

Apples. In Lincoln Square. Three days. They’ll have apple pie and apple cider (the hard stuff and the regular stuff) too.

Oct. 4-31: Boo! at the Zoo (Brookfield) | Map

If you want to be spooked, look elsewhere because this fall-themed pop-up promises “not-so-scary thrills, festive decorations, and plenty of fun for all ages.” 

Oct. 5: Sundays on State (Loop) | Map

The last time all year that you can safely stroll down parts of State Street while it's closed off from any car traffic. 

What's the best steakhouse in the Chicago area? Tell us where and why. 

Email DailyChicagoan@wttw.com with your responses and your answers might be published. Here's what you had to say: 

"Swift and Sons" — @chunbawamba

"Jack Gibbon's Gardens in Oak Forest. South Side treasure." — Nikki B. 

"Ken’s on Western!" — Curtis L. 

"Bavette's Bar & Boeuf" —  Davin L. 

"Boeufhaus" — Josh Terry, newsletter producer. 

• Nick Blumberg hosts "Week in Review." 

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