Advocates against domestic violence are applauding a move Friday by Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to reverse course on what they said would have been devastating budget cuts included in his 2026 spending plan.
Johnson, who is in the throes of an intense budget season as he aims to close a nearly $1.2 billion gap, is restoring funding in a package of several other concessions aimed at appeasing his City Council critics.
Johnson’s initial budget plan would have allowed money to fight domestic violence to plummet 43%, as federal funding dries up and available revenue from a surcharge on home-share rentals dwindles.
Johnson’s spokesperson confirmed Friday the mayor will draw $9 million in additional funding from the city’s discretionary budget, known as the corporate fund, to make up the difference.
That would hold funding for domestic violence at $21 million, on par with 2025, after Johnson had initially earmarked only $12 million for services next year. About $4.5 million of the overall funding still relies on the passage of a controversial corporate head tax, which Johnson is also tweaking as part of his compromise plan.
In a letter written to Johnson Friday, the city’s mayoral-appointed gender-based violence task force — which had previously slammed the mayor for allowing funds to drop — had a 180-degree change of tune.
“We are writing to express our sincere gratitude for your administration’s renewed commitment to fully funding gender-based violence services at 2025 levels in 2026,” the letter reads. “As the budget process continues, we urge the Chicago City Council to similarly pledge to fully fund gender-based violence services.”
The funding restoration came after WBEZ reported on the sharp criticism and existential concerns from domestic violence organizations, which sounded the alarm the reduction was proposed as domestic violence continues to be one of the only violent crime categories on the rise in Chicago amid a precipitous drop elsewhere.
While homicides overall have fallen 29% this year to last, domestic homicides have climbed by 23%, as of Nov. 14, according to police data.
The programs the city funds are run by a network of nonprofit organizations. Chicago Public Schools prevention education teaches children how to identify things like “unwanted touch.” Another program helps pay for hotel stays for victims in an immediate crisis. Others offer counseling and advocacy services, or legal help. A “survivor fund” doles out one-time payments of $1,000 to victims in need.
Johnson’s spokesperson said the boost in funding is made possible by another tenet in his new budget compromise: a plan to boost the city’s tax on cloud storage, in part to make Johnson’s corporate head tax more palatable.
Additional cloud storage revenue will allow Johnson to restore domestic violence funding and change the corporate head tax to affect companies with 200-plus employees, instead of companies with 100 or more.
“This investment is going to go toward ensuring that survivors and victims of domestic and gender-based violence have the support and the resources that they need,” Johnson said at a news conference Friday in response to a question about the head tax’s opponents.
The initial head tax was quickly slammed by many businesses and some Council members, even those who simultaneously called on Johnson to restore domestic violence funding. It remains to be seen whether the change will sway enough Council members.
Johnson is maintaining the funding at a time when domestic violence organizations face significant federal funding cuts, too, on top of limited local resources.