Bipartisan group opposes Chicago Public Schools' proposed tax hike

CHICAGO - A bi-partisan group opposes Chicago Public Schools' plan to raise taxes. The board was scheduled to vote on a five-percent property tax hike on Wednesday.

The CPS budget is $9.4 billion. Taxpayers want to know where all the money is going and why a raise is necessary. The proposed increase of five percent amounts to approximately $131 million, the highest allowed increase.

Property taxes serve as the school system's largest revenue source. The district's 2023-2024 budget proposal aims to increase funding for the majority of public schools, with a specific focus on special education.

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However, a conservative advocacy group expresses concern that raising property taxes may burden middle-class families and force them out of the district.

"The problem is parents aren't putting up with this. People are fleeing CPS. It's too expensive, the teaching is not working, and in less than 20 years, it's gone down 116,000 students. We're down 27 percent," said Ted Dabrowski, president of Wirepoints.

Currently, there has been no final decision yet on the property tax hike.