CHICAGO (WLS) — The Chicago City Council will hold a special meeting next week and could vote on Mayor Brandon Johnson’s proposed property tax increase.

The mayor said the tax increase was necessary to close a budget deficit of nearly $1 billion.

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But 31 aldermen called the special meeting to try to derail the proposal and present a new budget before the end of the year.

SEE MORE: Johnson’s CPD budget could threaten progress on reforms required by court-ordered consent decree

Alderman Ray Lopez is one of them.

“If two-thirds of the city council says no to a property tax increase, we have no excuse for doing this two-week exercise until December, only to have to do it again simply because we couldn’t adopt the budget,” López said.

Budget hearings are underway at City Hall and council members are reviewing the mayor’s proposed spending plans for various city services.

But the biggest concern is Johnson’s call to raise property taxes.

“I stand with my community. My community has reached out to me via email and phone, asking me not to support a $300 million property tax increase,” said 30th Ward Ald. » said Ruth Cruz.

Alderwoman Emma Mitts met with the mayor on Thursday.

“I think it really shook them up. I can tell you that. I saw some upheaval before I even left City Hall yesterday when the letter was sent,” Mitts said.

Mitts said many of his residents are still recovering from flooding two years ago and can’t afford a tax increase.

She added that the mayor had expressed his desire to return to his initial plan.

“I guess it wasn’t going to be, it’s not going to be that number, probably not the $300 million, maybe we’re looking at ways to reduce that,” Mitts said.

But the mayor had not shared this news with the president of his budget committee.

“The Council has the ability to amend this. However, we have to amend both sides. We simply cannot amend, reduce revenues and not reduce expenses, because that puts us in an unbalanced situation,” 28th Ward Ald. Jason Ervin said.

Council members are almost in revolt over the increase in property taxes.

“And so now we’re the ones organized to figure out where we get their money from? It’s $55 million in rainy day funds. It’s a hurricane right now. And so, I mean, we have a tsunami going on,” 20th Ward Ald. » said Jeanette Taylor.

“And I think we need to do more to seek efficiencies and reductions before we go back to the taxpayers,” said 19th Ward Ald. » Matt O’Shea said.

The meeting scheduled for Wednesday may not resolve the property tax impasse, but it put City Hall on notice that more than half of aldermen are calling for changes to the budget.