Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has reversed his stance on funding for domestic violence programs in his 2026 budget plan, restoring $9 million in city funds to keep them at pre-reduction levels. The move comes after intense criticism from domestic violence organizations and advocacy groups, who had voiced concerns that the initial proposal would have left key services severely underfunded.
The original plan would have reduced funding for these programs by 43%, exacerbating a critical shortage of resources in an area where domestic violence is on the rise. While overall homicides in Chicago have decreased by 29% this year compared to last, domestic homicides have increased by 23%. This data has highlighted the urgent need for support services that can provide assistance to victims.
Johnson's administration has committed to restoring $21 million in funding, which is equivalent to the level of support provided in 2025. However, some funding remains contingent on the passage of a corporate head tax, which has been criticized by many businesses and some city council members. To address this, Johnson plans to adjust the tax rate, making it applicable only to companies with over 200 employees.
The move has been welcomed by domestic violence organizations, including the city's mayoral-appointed gender-based violence task force. A letter written to Johnson expresses gratitude for his administration's renewed commitment to funding these services and calls on the city council to follow suit.
The original plan would have reduced funding for these programs by 43%, exacerbating a critical shortage of resources in an area where domestic violence is on the rise. While overall homicides in Chicago have decreased by 29% this year compared to last, domestic homicides have increased by 23%. This data has highlighted the urgent need for support services that can provide assistance to victims.
Johnson's administration has committed to restoring $21 million in funding, which is equivalent to the level of support provided in 2025. However, some funding remains contingent on the passage of a corporate head tax, which has been criticized by many businesses and some city council members. To address this, Johnson plans to adjust the tax rate, making it applicable only to companies with over 200 employees.
The move has been welcomed by domestic violence organizations, including the city's mayoral-appointed gender-based violence task force. A letter written to Johnson expresses gratitude for his administration's renewed commitment to funding these services and calls on the city council to follow suit.
They managed to snap out of it before the whole city imploded from domestic violence 
. Like, $9 million is a drop in the bucket, but I guess it's better than nothing 
. And, yay, corporate head tax adjustment - because who doesn't love paying more taxes on their overpriced CEO salaries 
. Seriously though, 23% increase in domestic homicides? That's not exactly a cause for celebration 
. Glad the city is finally taking this seriously and committing to support services, but we'll see how long that lasts 
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I'm so relieved to hear that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has changed his mind about cutting funding for domestic violence programs! The original plan would've been a disaster, leaving victims with even less support during this already tough time 
. Now that the mayor is restoring $9 million in city funds, I hope the rest of the funding will follow suit too! 
i was really worried when i heard the initial proposal would've cut funding by 43% it's a recipe for disaster, especially with domestic violence on the rise in chicago. 23% increase in domestic homicides is just staggering 
THANKFULLY JOHNSON'S ADMINISTRATION IS LISTENING AND COMMITTED TO RESTORING FUNDING TO PREVIOUS LEVELS. IT'S ALL ABOUT SUPPORTING THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST 
. Domestic violence organizations have been vocal for years, and it's about time someone listened. The data on domestic homicides is seriously worrying - 23% increase? That's no joke 
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. Domestic violence organizations are going to have to keep pushing for change, but this is a solid step in the right direction 
domestic homicides in chicago have actually increased by 23% this year which is crazy... but at least the city is committed to supporting victims now 
gotta keep fingers crossed for these services to get the funding they need!
! they were gonna cut funding for domestic violence programs by 43% and that would've been a huge step back. glad they reversed course & restored some of those funds 
. the fact that jhonson is trying to find ways to get that funding without scaring off businesses is a good sign too 
. let's hope the city council follows suit and gets behind this initiative 
. seriously though, domestic violence is a huge issue in chicago, and $9 million might not seem like a lot but it's better than cutting services altogether 
. now let's see if the corporate head tax works out - don't wanna be tied to a tax that affects small businesses or entrepreneurs 
. Restoring funding will definitely help the victims of domestic violence get the support they need. It's great that his team is working on adjusting the corporate head tax to ensure everyone contributes fairly 
... I mean, who needs transparency in budget plans when you can just change your mind later? It's not like domestic violence victims have been counting on these reduced funds or anything... 23% increase in domestic homicides is all that matters, right? Anyway, kudos to the mayoral-appointed task force for speaking up - it's about time someone around here cared about actual human lives 
. Adjusting the corporate head tax rate might be a good start, but let's see if it sticks... after all, we don't want any more last-minute U-turns 
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