Tribune: Mayor Brandon Johnson’s tax increase for homeless services will head to voters

Mayor Brandon Johnson and other BCH supporters celebrate together inside Chicago City Hall.

By Alice Yin and A.D. Quig (Tribune), November 7, 2023

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s plan to ask voters about raising the real estate transfer tax to combat homelessness cleared the City Council on Tuesday, as aldermen placed the referendum on the March 2024 ballot and advanced a key campaign promise of the progressive mayor.

In a 32-17 vote, aldermen approved the “Bring Chicago Home” measure to create a citywide referendum on implementing a tiered tax rate on all property sales, which advocates have said is a critical strategy to generate much-needed revenue for the city’s homeless population.

Chicago Coalition for the Homeless is a proud coalition member of Bring Chicago Home.

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