Kane County Reporter

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker (D) criticized aspects of Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson's proposed tax plan, according to a Chicago Sun-Times article published on Friday.

As a part of his plan to stabilize Chicago's finances, Johnson, a Cook County commissioner and Chicago Teachers Union organizer, is calling for a tax of up to $2 per securities trading contract, a concept that has been proposed often in Springfield but has never received enough support to move forward.

Following an hourlong meeting with Johnson in the Governor's Chicago office, Pritzker told reporters during a joint news conference that he has "not stood for a transaction tax" due to his belief that financial services companies would relocate their operations or their computer servers if one were enacted.

“Obviously, what we all want is a thriving financial services economy in the state and the city, and it’s been that way,” Pritzker added.

Johnson, while not directly responding to Pritzker, said that “we did not have a full conversation about the entire budget plan".

“There’s certainly an urgency that the city of Chicago has, and we recognize that there is a process in order to get things done,” Johnson said. “Look, the bottom line is this: The governor and I are committed to uniting not just the city of Chicago but the state of Illinois. We both are committed to making sure that working people can live and thrive and grow in the city of Chicago.”

Pritzker, who remained officially neutral in the mayoral race, said that the progressive Johnson's victory over the conservative Democrat and former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas in the runoff would boost Chicago's chances of being the host city for the 2024 Democratic National Convention, which has been a major goal for Pritzker as he works to improve his national profile.

“He brings a real excitement to the job, I think, to the people of Chicago,” Pritzker said, “and I think that’s being felt in Washington, D.C.”