The city of Chicago is facing a massive budget shortfall of nearly one billion dollars for 2025.
In an effort to limit the shortfall, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson told reporters “everything is on the table,” including the potential layoff of city workers — although he hopes to avoid that.
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However, invoices and receipts — collected through several Freedom of Information Act requests by NBC 5 Investigates — are sparking questions about how the city has spent funds in recent months.
For example, the paper trail shows that the city spent more than $80,000 renovating and redecorating an office for Chicago First Lady Stacie Johnson.
The electricians, carpenters, and painters on the city’s payroll for this project accrued more than 350 hours of labor at more than $25,000.
This has raised eyebrows from many who question the need for such lavish renovations during a time of financial crisis in the Windy City.