CHICAGO (CBS) – Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is asking the City Council for an additional $70 million to support asylum seekers.
A council committee was debating Monday whether they would approve the funding. Some members asked why this may be taken from the city’s rainy day fund and questioned whether they should spend more on the mission at all.
The money request is part of the original spending plan Gov. JB Pritzker’s office said was discussed back in February when the governor and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced they would invest a combined $250 million to help fund the migrant mission, which they said, along with the Johnson administration, anticipated would cost $321 million for shelter and services this calendar year.
Johnson was asked about reports that he had committed an additional $70 million to complete that $321 million estimated cost, but he denied it at the time.
CBS 2 learned that the $70 million discussed by the City Council on Monday was in fact what Johnson discussed in February. Aldermen were split on the issue and asked if the Johnson administration planned on coming back to the council to ask for additional funds after the $70 million amount being requested might run out.
“No, we do not anticipate coming back to council for additional dollars,” said
The council also approved $48 million in grant money from the state and federal government, much of which will be used to pay outstanding debt the city owes for staffing and shelter costs.
Both revenue sources will need to be approved by the full City Council on Wednesday.
