Johnson Renews Push for Chicago Corporate Head Tax
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is renewing his effort to implement a corporate head tax, proposing a rate of $25 per employee per month for larger businesses, as part of his upcoming budget. This proposal, along with increases to taxes on…
Chicago, IL, October 20, 2026 —
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is renewing his effort to establish a corporate head tax, proposing that larger businesses pay $25 per employee each month as part of his upcoming budget.
The proposal is among several tax increases in the budget plan. Johnson is also proposing increases to taxes on equipment rentals, cloud computing and sports betting. The measures face significant opposition from some members of the City Council, according to the information provided.
The available details do not identify the council members opposing the proposals or explain their objections. They also do not specify which businesses would qualify as larger businesses, how the employee count would be calculated, or when the proposed tax would take effect.
No revenue estimate or other financial details were provided for the corporate head tax or the other proposed increases. The information does not say whether the proposals have been formally introduced for a council vote, or whether any of them have enough support to pass.
Johnson is advancing the proposals as part of an upcoming budget, but no budget release date, approval timeline or next steps were provided. The proposal remains subject to opposition from some City Council members; the available information does not indicate how that opposition may affect the budget process.
Story summarized from the original created by Fran Spielman on chicago.suntimes.com, see more information here.
