In need of 80 additional employees to keep up with the city's pothole repair deficit, Mayor Rah Emanuel is proposing that the city raise taxes parking.
"Mayor Rahm Emanuel wants to raise Chicago’s parking tax again — this time by 2 full percentage points — to raise the $10 million needed to double the year-round army assigned to patch potholes and repair crumbling streets," reports Fran Spielman.
Spielman provides additional details of the current parking tas scheme: "The parking tax currently stands at 20 percent weekdays and 18 percent on weekends, with 87 percent of the revenue generated by garages in the downtown area and at O’Hare Airport." As for what the increased tax rate would get the city: "By raising the tax to 22 percent on weekdays and 20 percent on weekends, Emanuel hopes to generate the $10 million needed to hire the 80 employees needed to staff 18 additional crews."
Spielman's coverage also details some of the other changes to taxes and tax breaks proposed in Mayor Rahm Emanuel's proposed budget. The article also covers Mayor Emanuel's past tinkering with the parking tax as well as the presenting the side of the opposition to any additional increases for the tax rate (i.e., tourism interests).
FULL STORY: Emanuel eyes raising parking tax to pay for pothole patches

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

In Urban Planning, AI Prompting Could be the New Design Thinking
Creativity has long been key to great urban design. What if we see AI as our new creative partner?

Cal Fire Chatbot Fails to Answer Basic Questions
An AI chatbot designed to provide information about wildfires can’t answer questions about evacuation orders, among other problems.

What Happens if Trump Kills Section 8?
The Trump admin aims to slash federal rental aid by nearly half and shift distribution to states. Experts warn this could spike homelessness and destabilize communities nationwide.

Sean Duffy Targets Rainbow Crosswalks in Road Safety Efforts
Despite evidence that colorful crosswalks actually improve intersection safety — and the lack of almost any crosswalks at all on the nation’s most dangerous arterial roads — U.S. Transportation Secretary Duffy is calling on states to remove them.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Gallatin County Department of Planning & Community Development
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie