Chicago's Mayor Lightfoot Takes Office as Fiscal Woes Loom
- ‘Hard choices’ need to be made amid financial hole: Lightfoot
- Lightfoot is first black woman to lead third-largest U.S. city
Lori Lightfoot
Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Chicago made history Monday as Lori Lightfoot was sworn in as its first black, female mayor after sweeping all 50 wards by promising to reform the third-biggest U.S city.
But her broad mandate will run headlong into the city’s harsh, fiscal reality. Next year’s budget deficit is expected to be more than $200 million larger than forecast, and Chicago’s $28-billion pension shortfall is deepening, even after her predecessor, Rahm Emanuel, boosted city payments and raised taxes to help cover the bills. Lightfoot didn’t shy away from addressing the city’s financial problems in her first remarks as mayor.