This article is sponsored by Mercury Public Affairs

As Chicago’s City Council debates how to address a $1.15 billion budget shortfall, civic and business leaders are weighing revenue options, priorities for spending, and public safety perceptions during the busy holiday season.

This month’s Chicago Power Poll offers a snapshot of where influential insiders stand on the decisions shaping the city’s year-end and immediate future.

As the Chicago City Council considers how to close a $1.15 billion budget gap this week, do you favor raising revenue through a moderated corporate head tax on large employers, or through alternative measures such as liquor taxes, rideshare surcharges, and improved debt collection?

City leaders continue to debate how best to balance the budget. The poll found clear preferences about whether raising revenue or focusing on other tools resonates more with Chicago’s decision-makers.

• 57% – Oppose both approaches; prefer spending cuts and disciplined revenue management
• 18% – Strongly favor alternative measures (liquor taxes, rideshare surcharges, debt collection)
• 9% – Strongly favor a corporate head tax on large employers
• 7% – Somewhat favor alternative measures
• 4% – Somewhat favor a corporate head tax on large employers
• 4% – Favor a mix of both approaches
• 1% – Unsure / No opinion

With revenue and cuts top of mind, respondents were asked to identify which budget priorities should be protected most strongly if trade-offs are necessary.

When considering Chicago’s budget decisions, which priority should be protected most strongly, even if it requires trade-offs elsewhere?

Respondents were consistent in emphasizing fiscal restraint, with public safety and stability also factoring into priority rankings.

• 57% – Reducing overall spending to balance the budget
• 23% – Expanding resources for violence prevention and police support
• 9% – Ensuring fiscal stability through new revenue sources
• 6% – Maintaining youth employment programs
• 5% – Unsure / No opinion

Public safety perceptions remain a key part of how people experience the city, particularly during the busy holiday shopping season.

Shoplifting in Chicago saw a significant spike in 2024, with reported incidents jumping 46% compared to the same period in 2023 and rising 9% in the first half of 2023 compared to 2024. Downtown (Loop, Magnificent Mile) and the Near North Side (Lake View, Lincoln Park) remained major areas for theft. Reports indicate hot spots in downtown (Loop, Gold Coast) and the North Side (Lake View, Lincoln Park). While overall numbers rose, new State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke also increased felony charges significantly in late 2024 by adhering to the $300 threshold, contrasting with the previous $1,000 rule.

Have you felt unsafe at times during the holiday season when you’re out shopping in these areas of Chicago?

This question captures how respondents personally perceive safety while navigating commercial districts during the holidays.

• 30% – Not all the time but I keep a close eye out for trouble
• 28% – Yes, at times I am concerned about my safety
• 26% – No, I feel safe. No problems
• 11% – I do most if not all my shopping online now
• 5% – No opinion

High-profile national tragedies continue to influence policy conversations at every level of government, prompting respondents to weigh in on approaches to preventing future violence.

Following the tragic Brown University mass shooting that killed two and wounded nine, how should legislators prevent future tragedies?

Respondents offered a range of perspectives spanning enforcement, legislation, mental health, and education.

• 38% – Push for federal gun control legislation
• 28% – Focus on mental health and threat assessment programs
• 17% – Strengthen existing state gun laws with tougher enforcement
• 10% – Teach prevention, fostering empathy and reducing dehumanization narratives
• 7% – Undecided / Need more information

As the calendar turns, the poll concluded with a more personal, open-ended reflection on priorities and intentions for the year ahead.

What is your New Year’s resolution for 2026?

• Never miss a power poll
• Keep my business going to protect my staff members’ jobs
• Retire
• Spend far less time paying attention to national and local politics, more time focusing on how to be a better, caring, humanistic person each day
• To entertain more in my home
• Help everyone keep it copasetic
• Appreciate the gift of life and those that invest in you
• To be kinder to those in need, and focus less on terrible politicians and elected leaders and more on those who promote and embrace good
• Stop: dwelling on the past
• Start: focusing on fewer goals (no more than 4)
• Clean house and elect all new leaders!!!!
• Work towards Harmony in life
• Pause before reacting to stupidity
• Loose weight. Be nicer. Don’t gossip. Travel more. Drink more good red wines
• Increased respect for those in need
• Volunteer more
• Being present in every moment with daily gratitude and appreciation for the blessing of being alive and being free to choose joy, peace and tranquility
• To do the Power Poll every month
• I do not do resolutions; we should always try to be a better person regardless of what the calendar says

The Serafin Power Poll captures the perspectives of regional decision-makers and thought leaders in the Chicago metropolitan area. While not a scientific survey, it offers a clear and insightful gauge of prevailing sentiments, much like a reliable weathervane tracking the direction of Chicago’s winds.