CPS FY12 Budget Calls for Maximum Property Tax Hike

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 5, 2011 9:30PM

Jean-Claude Brizard unveiled his proposed first budget as Chicago Public Schools CEO this afternoon. It's an ambitious budget, proposing to expand all-day kindergarten and magnet school programs, and increasing the number of AUSL teaching academies, for instance, while touting the cost-cutting initiatives in the systems central office under Brizard's brief tenure.

Brizard's budget also aims to balance CPS' projected $712 million budget deficit by eliminating $100 million in pay raises to teachers and other union workers, tap into $241 million in reserves from previous years and call for the maximum allowable property tax hike for schools. CPS Chief Administrative Officer Tim Cawley said the hike, the first one requested by the school system in four years, is a bitter but necessary pill to swallow.

“If we did not raise property taxes, it’s not clear where the cuts would have come from,’’ Cawley said. Even with the property tax hike, multiple other cuts were needed and “everyone one of [them] has pain in it.’’

If approved, the tax hike, which will cost Chicago homeowners an average of $84, will generate $150 million in revenue. Brizard's $5.1 billion budget calls for an additional $87 million in program cuts just to get rid of the red ink. Brizard said in the statement the budget, and the school system, will leave no child behind.

“Despite these challenging fiscal times, our children can’t afford to wait any longer for the world class education they deserve. We had to make some very difficult, but necessary choices in order to keep cuts as far away from the classroom as possible to ensure we are protecting investments we are making in our students to help make them college and career ready.”