With the city election looming in February, many aldermen seemed relieved that Mayor Richard M. Daley‘s final budget proposal for 2011 would not raise taxes, fees or fines.
“He presented the best possible budget we could get under the circumstances,” said Ald. Danny Solis (25th Ward), a longtime Daley ally, after the retiring mayor delivered his annual budget address to the City Council on Wednesday.
“The taxpayers cannot absorb any more,” added Ald. Anthony Beale (9th).
But some critics, who appeared to be in the minority of council members, said Daley and aldermen are poised to avoid the tough choices that should be made to deal with the city’s fiscal woes.
Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th) called the mayor’s budget “a quick fix” that will force his successor and the aldermen to deal with deficits again in the coming years. Daley announced last month that he is not seeking a seventh term next year.
“If you put a band-aid on a bullet wound, you’re going to bleed through it,” she said.
Ald. Robert Fioretti, who is giving up his 2nd Ward seat to run to for mayor, said the budget is “a punt for next year.”
But he predicted that most aldermen would vote for the budget proposal without substantial change.
Council hearings on the budget begin Monday and are scheduled to continue until Nov. 10. The council is expected to take a final vote on its taxing and spending plans for 2011 on Nov. 17.