By Bill Cameron, WLS News
Chicago aldermen have approved Mayor Emanuel’s controversial 2016 city budget, but with quite a few no votes
Emanuel’s bad-news budget with nearly a billion dollars of higher taxes, fines and fees was enacted by the aldermen on a vote of 36-14. During debate, Ald. Carrie Austin (34th) said it was the responsible thing to do.
“It’s not easy for anybody to pick up this heavy lifting. None of this is easy. Absolutely none and I’ve lifted some heavy budgets…I came from a sick bed to make sure that this budget was passed,” Austin said.
But former firefighter, now northwest side alderman Anthony Napolitano (41st) voted no.
“I’d probably have less pressure being stuck in a basement, not finding my way out in a fire, then going through this right now,” Napolitano said.
As for the mayor, he was happy to get his budget passed because he told the aldermen finances hung over the city like a dark cloud.
The council also approved the controversial George Lucas Museum.
@ 2015 WLS News
