Chicago mayor-elect's spending rhetoric raises red flag for downstate lawmakers

Some downstate Illinois lawmakers are voicing concerns over Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson’s proposed spending spree.

Johnson told lawmakers they must commit to working together if both the city and state are to succeed. He said his time at the statehouse is about building a better, stronger and safer Chicago by establishing a strong foundation for collaboration.

While saying he does not condone crime, Johnson has defended the youths that terrorized the city last weekend and says funding is needed to give young people opportunities.

“Violence prevention and the resources that come with that include jobs, health care, housing, all of these measures have to be front and center,” Johnson said at a news conference Wednesday.

House Minority Leader Tony McCombie, R-Savanna, wants to know how Johnson plans to pay for his visions.

“I’m not sure. I think this speech is setting things up for a bailout, certainly with all these things he has mentioned today,” McCombie told The Center Square.

State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said history shows that Illinois taxpayers may have to pick up the tab for Johnson’s agenda.

“So far my history here in nine years has been when you say spend, spend, spend, spend, the history of the city and the history of this state has been spend into a forced tax increase,” Bryant said.

Johnson has reiterated that Chicago will remain a sanctuary city that will take in refugees.

“For a very long time, I’ve said if you want to be a sanctuary city, I don’t live there and that’s fine but you flip the bill,” Bryant said.

The Illinois Freedom Caucus, consisting of downstate Republicans, criticized Johnson's speech.

"What we wanted to hear today was real ideas and real solutions – not more virtue signaling," the group said in a news release. "Instead of solutions, all we heard today was one woke cliché after another. There is no vision for building a better business climate in Chicago. Under the future Johnson Administration, businesses in Chicago will be taxed even more than they already are."

Greg Bishop contributed to this report.