Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is being blasted for putting a photo of himself and his wife in an airport’s free children’s coloring book – while the city is facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
As millions of people traveled through the Windy City’s airports for the Thanksgiving holiday, travelers were quick to notice the man dubbed America’s ‘most hated mayor’ inserted himself into a kid’s activity book.
Chicago is on the brink of a shutdown with its state-mandated budget deadline just one month away and the mayor and city council members unable to find common ground, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Johnson’s $17.3 billion 2025 budget has a $982 million gap which he as proposed filling through increase property taxes and cutting city jobs.
His initial $300 million property tax hike was struck down by every city council member in a 50-0 vote in November.
The city must agree on a budget by December 31 or they could experience credit downgrade and service shutdowns.
Travelers were outraged to see Johnson prioritized getting himself and his wife in the Chicago airport’s free coloring book while there is a looming budget deadline.
The book is available at the visitor information booths in both O’Hare and Midway airports. There are three different books – Chicago Airports, A is for Airport and Welcome to Chicago – as well as a Spanish version of Chicago Airports.
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson is being blasted for putting a photo of himself and his wife in the airport’s free children’s coloring book
Johnson and his wife introduce themselves on the first page of Welcome to Chicago and include their picture in a Spot the Difference game
Johnson and his wife introduce themselves on the first page of Welcome to Chicago and include their picture in a Spot the Difference game.
Furious flyers took to social media to call out Johnson – who has a 14 percent approval rating – for inserting himself into the book.
‘Brandon Johnson is now using tax dollars and/or airport fees to publish his own personality cult books for kids. The city clearly has TOO MUCH money to spend,’ one person said.
‘My sister just flew into midway and got this “free” coloring book. I’m wondering if the difference between the pictures are that one has a balanced budget and the other doesn’t,’ said another.
A third person said, ‘That is so painful to see. The city is imploding and this is what they waste our money on?’
‘Ridiculous!!!!! Wasteful ! Shouldn’t be allowed!!! We want our money back,’ said a fourth.
The Chicago Airports Activity & Coloring Book is free to pick up and is paid for by Flychicago, the city’s Department of Aviation.
According to the Department of Aviation website, City of Chicago taxes do not fund the airports.
Johnson’s $17.3 billion 2025 budget has a $982 million gap which he as proposed filling through increase property taxes and cutting city jobs
The airports are funded through a variety of sources such as passenger facility charges, non-airline funding sources and airline rates and charges.
Johnson initially proposed the $300 million property tax hike as a way to cover costs of dealing with migrants that have flooded the city over the past year.
A heated city council meeting culminated in a unanimous rejection of the plan after locals expressed their fury in vicious outbursts at the mayor in .
The furious residents accused Johnson, who has been branded the country’s ‘most hated mayor,’ of prioritizing undocumented immigrants over the city’s own citizens and resent paying more in property taxes.