Chicago Mayor Decides Against Budget Veto, Though Will Not Sign

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson will not sign nor veto a city council backed budget for 2026, he said on Tuesday, meaning the spending plan will go into effect without his endorsement. The decision comes about one week before the deadline to avoid a possible government shutdown.

“There are some elements of the budget that quite frankly I don’t want to give a signal to the people of Chicago that I support,” Johnson said in a press conference. “In this moment, I will not add the risk and speculation of a government shutdown to the profound worries Chicagoans face.”