During his mayoral campaign, Brandon Johnson differentiated himself from Paul Vallas in meaningful ways. On everything from public safety to public education, Johnson offered a progressive vision, while Vallas advanced a more conservative perspective. Another key difference between the two involved fiscal policy.
Vallas insisted his wizardry at managing budgets, in and of itself, would get the city’s fiscal house in order. Johnson argued Chicago couldn’t meet its current fiscal obligations-and invest more in services like mental health, youth employment programs, and affordable housing — without generating new, recurring revenue.
