Good day all. Chicago first under Lori Lightfoot and now under Brandon Johnson, is essentially bankrupt. Johnson’s incompetence is so bad that the city is rapidly descending to one you find in the Third World. One of the “Bright spots” has been tourism.
Now Johnson, with the able assistance of the City Council, has decided to wreck the tourism market. Here are the details from Fox News:
The Chicago City Council has agreed to raise its tourist tax in an effort to grow traveler marketing programs.
Excuse me? How does raising taxes on tourists improve things?
The vote on Ordinance 2026-0022544 will raise the tax on hotel rooms within that district to 19% from the rate of 17.5% — which includes a combined city, county and state tax, according to the Chicago Sun Times. The increase will be applied to hotel stays at properties in the downtown and surrounding areas that contain over 100 rooms.
Well, there’s another reason never to go to Chicago. The primary one is getting shot. I know, this can’t be possible since the 2nd Amendment has been abolished in Chicago and the State of Illinois. It’s just that none of the criminals are paying any attention to the gun ban laws that the honest people are forced to obey.
The city council also passed the formation of the Tourism Improvement District (TID) — which will fund Choose Chicago, the city’s official destination marketing organization. Revenue will be used for city marketing campaigns and to cover bid fees for conventions and major events.
I wonder just how much of that money will actually go to what they claim it’s for? I fully expect that most of it will be spent on things like consultants, seminars held in places like Hawaii, Paris, etc and really well padded expense accounts.
Chicago is already targeting the Democratic National Convention, which requires a $1 million bid. The Windy City previously hosted the DNC in August 2024.
I remember that disaster. Now as to why they have to bribe pay the DNC to come to Chicago? I can’t say. However, considering just how expensive everything is going to be, plus the 20% tax, and whatever else the Democrats can come up with, I have serious doubts on the DNC choosing Chicago again, or anytime in the next 30 years.
Mayor Brandon Johnson issued a press release after the City Council’s vote, praising the decision.
“Chicago is a premier city for tourism, business travelers, conventions and large-scale events,” said Johnson.
“My administration will continue our collaboration with Choose Chicago, as we continue to build up Chicago’s tourism and hospitality industry while leveraging economic growth and development to continue building safe and affordable communities across our city,” he added.
Economic growth? What economic growth? Businesses are either leaving the city, and the state or they are closing down. And building safe and affordable communities?
Reacting on social media to the news about the tax hike, one person wrote, “19% tax on a hotel room, making it the highest in the nation. Vacations can get pricey, especially for a family. How would this help tourism?”
It doesn’t. There comes a point when you raise prices, or in this case, taxes so high that people simply can’t afford to go and so they don’t. We’re seeing this with the Disney parks in Florida and Kalifornistan. They have jacked the prices so high that people almost have to take out a second mortgage to go. Now they are going to the Universal parks instead. (Better value and experience I understand)
Another X user wrote, “Democrats in Chicago will even dream up a breath tax. It’s not far away.”
Shhh! Don’t give them any ideas! They’d probably say it was to fight climate change or man caused global warming or something.
I don’t think this is going to work out the way Johnson and the Democrats think it will. The tourist season is coming up in a few months and I won’t be at all surprised of the hotels have many. Many vacancies. Of course, being Democrats, they will do three things. Blame President Trump, blame the Republican party and then raise taxes again.
Thatisall
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