CHICAGO – As a December budget deadline looms, Mayor Brandon Johnson is going in depth on Chicago’s debt collection efforts and relief for those who can’t pay their bills
The backstory:
City Comptroller Michael Belsky explained that a large chunk of vehicle debt dates back to 2021 , and what he called a more compassionate approach to fines and fees collection during COVID. Now, in 2026, he says they’ve collected 75 percent of the debt over the last 3 years.
Belsky went in depth with Fox Chicago on the Finance Department strategy, with 13 new tax auditors brought on to find delinquent entities, like large corporations, and bringing that missing revenue back into the city. It’s ramped up by 15 percent year over year since…