DUNNING — Mayor Rahm Emanuel will hold the final public hearing about the city's cash-strapped budget Thursday at Wright City College before submitting a spending plan to the City Council later this month.
The hearing will start at 6:30 p.m. at Wright City College, 4300 N. Narragansett Ave., but doors will open at 5:30 p.m., for those who want to get a good seat. Emanuel and city leaders will answer questions from residents, organizers said.
Emanuel held the first of three hearings Monday night at Malcolm X City College on the West Side and got an earful from residents angry about a host of issues, including the fight to reopen Dyett High School in Bronzeville.
Twelve residents are in the third week of a hunger strike designed to force Emanuel to consider their plan to reopen the high school.
City officials are expected to give a presentation about the state of the city's finances that Emanuel has said faces a "major crisis" created by the state Legislature's requirement that the city make a $550 million pension payment to police and fire pension systems by 2016, which would force officials to either drastically cut services, raise taxes or borrow a significant amount of money.
Residents can also provide their ideas for the city's budget via social media using the hashtag #ChiBudget2016, organizers said.
Emanuel is scheduled to present his proposed spending plan to the City Council on Sept. 22.
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