Each year, Chicago’s budget reflects the city’s moral priorities and gives us an opportunity to weigh in on which investments we think our neighborhoods need. Chicago needs a space for active campaigns on the left to unite and fight for revenue solutions that will make our transformative demands possible. That’s why in 2022, GC formed the 30+ organization People’s Unity Platform (PUP) coalition for grassroots organizations, campaigns, and labor unions to build alignment around strategy and vision in core areas including: affordable housing, immigration, community safety, environmental justice, public health and mental health. We put pressure on corporations, wealthy institutions, landlords, and banks to win new revenue in the city budget.

The Bargaining for the Common Good (BCG) approach brings together unions, community groups, racial justice organizations and student organizations to challenge the power of corporations and the wealthy. Within its organizing model, community organizations and unions work together across key moments —such as local elections, union contract expirations, or state budget fights—and leverage their collective power to make gains over multiple years. GC took on a leadership role in the BCG Network in 2021 and currently serves on the Advisory Committee.

Illinois has the 8th most regressive tax system in the country; our work to change this shameful reality has involved major campaigns such as the Fair Tax for IL to win a common-sense progressive income tax in the state. Lessons learned from Fair Tax have led us to our organizing today through the IL Revenue Alliance (ILRA), a coalition of community and labor organizations that recognize that the needs of their members won’t be met without progressive state revenue that taxes the wealthiest individuals and corporations and offers relief to poor and working people. Our current demands would generate $6B in revenue for the state by shifting the tax burden to wealthy corporations and billionaires.