John strongly believes that there are honest and creative ways to solve our city’s budget crisis. Solving that crisis should not involve depending on already stressed homeowners and the communities that rely on their stability. Solving that crisis should not be dependent on selling off profitable city assets to make a quick buck, while bankrupting future generations of the public trust Chicago has built over the decades. Solving that crisis should not involve gouging tourists or relying on regressive sales tax increases, which hit the most modest households hardest.

The question of taxation is a difficult one to answer because we don’t know all the facts. A recent investigation by the Chicago Reader revealed that even the aldermen currently serving in City Hall don’t know how much money is in the secretive TIF budget, nor how the city plans on spending those siphoned tax dollars. Nevertheless, solving this city’s budget crisis starts with an open, transparent and fair review of the city’s finances.

Because of the city's dire fiscal situation, John is willing to consider any reasonable budget cut. He endorses most of the budget cuts recommended by the Chicago Inspector General in a report issued last October.

Here are some of the specific cuts John has endorsed:

• Eliminate the Condo Refuse Rebate Program ($6 million)
• Cut $30 million from the CPS Central Management
• Switch to a grid-based system of garbage collection ($30 million)
• Reduce the number of workers on garbage trucks to 1 ($10 million)
• Eliminate subsidized water and sewer for non-profit organizations ($15 million)
• Eliminate the failed Chicago Career Academy ($8 million)
• Reduce spending on janitorial contracts ($5 million)
• Eliminate the regular use of Traffic Control Aides in the Loop, who have not been shown to improve traffic
  flow or safety and who should be reserved for special occasions ($5 million)

John Arena also supports cutting pension benefits for current
city employees who are non-vested and increasing employee
contributions as needed.