UPTOWN — After Mayor Rahm Emanuel delivered the 2016 budget to City Council Tuesday, Ald. Harry Osterman (48th) announced he'll be hosting a series of Town Hall meetings across his ward to welcome community ideas and feedback.
At City Hall, Emanuel asked aldermen to pass a $9.32 billion budget that included a $543 million increase in property taxes, plus a squadron of new fees and taxes including a $9.50 tax for garbage collection.
"I'm very concerned about the magnitude of the proposed property tax and the effect it would have on renters, homeowners and small businesses in our community," Osterman said via email Tuesday.
The budget includes: a $543 million property tax increase over four years to address police and fire pension obligations and new fees on garbage collection, e-cigarettes, ride-sharing services and taxis. Emanuel also proposed eliminating 150 vacant positions, the move to a grid sweet sweeping system and TIF reforms, Osterman said.
"At the same time, the mayor is calling for some new investments, including continued expansion of after-school programming and reassignment of more than 300 police officers currently performing desk jobs back to street patrol duty," Osterman said.
Osterman said he will welcome ideas and feedback from the community at the four meetings scheduled for October, which will all start with "a state of the ward" presentation and will include significant time for questions, Osterman said.
The meetings are at the following dates, times and locations:
• At 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 8 at Unity Lutheran Church, 1212 W. Balmoral Ave.
• At 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 13 at Senn High School, 5900 N. Glenwood Ave.
• At 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 14 at Somerset Place Apartments, 5009 N. Sheridan Road
• At 7 p.m. on Oct. 15 at Emanuel Congregation, 5959 N. Sheridan Road
"My City Council colleagues and I will be spending the next month going through the budget process, and we will be working together to look for alternative ways to increase revenue to fund city government and provide important city services," Osterman said.
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