Welcome to Newswire — your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what action we can take to make our city great, featuring public meeting coverage by City Bureau’s Documenters.

Quote of the Week

“A lot of the taxes we’re talking about here today are still a burden on working-class people, on poor people, on small businesses. We all have our fair share to pay, but we continue to leverage this burden on working-class people… we should be really examining how we make the wealthiest people in our state pay their fair share.”

— Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th Ward) urges fellow City Council members to examine progressive tax structures which increase tax rates for the wealthiest residents.

[City Council Committee on Finance: Subcommittee on Revenue, June 3, 2025]

Tax city, tax tax city

Chicagoans may continue to see additional taxes on their grocery bills. Following the Committee on Finance meeting, the Subcommittee on Revenue met to discuss the city’s grocery tax — which Mayor Brandon Johnson and his budget team want to continue into 2026 despite the Illinois General Assembly voting to end it last year.

The statewide 1 percent grocery tax will be scrapped, effective Jan. 1, 2026. However, individual municipalities can decide whether or not to keep collecting the tax. As of May 28, 202 cities and towns have opted to continue the tax, including Chicago suburbs such as Berwyn, Cicero, Oak Lawn and Wheaton.  

The tax was first implemented in 1990. It was suspended in July 2022 in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic before being reinstated in June 2023. 

During the meeting, some alders emphasized the need for progressive tax structures in which the state taxed wealthier constituents at higher rates, rather than the flat rate 4.95 percent for everyone. City Council newcomer Ald. Anthony Quezada (35th Ward) ended his line of questioning by recalling the 2020 Fair Tax amendment, which proposed the wealthiest in the state pay more in taxes. The amendment – heavily financed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker – failed to pass following a fierce opposition campaign led by Ken Griffin, then Illinois’ richest man.

The grocery tax discussion takes place as Chicago could face at least a $1 billion budget deficit for 2026. Not implementing a Chicago grocery tax could result in a loss of $80 million in revenue in 2026, according to the mayor’s budget team. 

The 1 percent tax specifically applies to “food prepared for consumption off the premises where it is sold.” Groceries purchased with SNAP benefits are not taxed. 

City Council must vote to continue the tax by October 1 in order to continue collecting money from the tax without interruption. 

  • City Council Committee on Finance: Subcommittee on Revenue

What you can do:

What do you want to see the city do with the grocery tax? Click here to find your ward and contact your alder.

Ride-share drivers want their [fare] share

Chicago’s Uber and Lyft drivers are demanding safety standards, a living wage, and decent working conditions. Despite it not being on the agenda, the majority of the public comment period at a recent Committee of Finance meeting was devoted to the Chicago Rideshare Living Wage and Safety Ordinance, or the “The FairShare Ordinance.” The measure aims to improve conditions for ride-share drivers in Chicago by establishing a living wage, ensuring safety protections, and increasing transparency in fares and deactivation processes. The ordinance would also create a public assistance fund and an appeals process for drivers facing suspensions.

Joseph Negrau, ride-share driver with 10 years of experience and 27,000 rides, said there have been several discrepancies with Uber overcharging passengers and underpaying drivers. “Passengers have become the newest victim of a defective, glitchy algorithm that charged a surge tax when it shouldn't have,” Negrau said. 

Ald. Michael Rodriguez (22nd Ward) introduced the ordinance in 2023. He and advocates including the Chicago Gig Alliance have continued to push City Council to pass the legislation, while drivers have organized cross country and staged a one-day strike in 2024 to continue protesting work conditions. The City Council Workforce Development Committee, chaired by Rodriguez, is set to discuss and vote on the ordinance on Thursday.

What you can do:

Catch up on the headlines:

  • ‘Most drivers aren’t making money:’ App-based gig work promised freedom and flexibility. Workers feel exploited and unsafe. | Illinois Answers Project

  • Uber wrongfully charged riders downtown congestion fee for months | Block Club Chicago

  • Chicago rideshare drivers holding rally calling for investigation into Uber's "congestion fee" | CBS Chicago

Send a letter to your alder:Want your alder to support the FairShare ordinance? Click here to send them a letter.

A version of this story was first published in the June 11, 2025 issue of the Newswire, an email newsletter that is your weekly guide to Chicago government, civic action and what we can do to make our city great. You can sign up for the weekly newsletter here.

Have thoughts on what you'd like to see in this feature? Email Civic Editor Dawn Rhodes at dawn@citybureau.org.