A Better Business Climate

The fundamentals of our city are bright. We are home to world-class universities, top researchers, exceptional talent, innovative entrepreneurs, and industries that lead globally. But we must not take these strengths for granted. City Hall must lead the way in transforming Chicago into the most business-friendly city in the world.

Economic growth is the foundation of a thriving city and should be the number one priority of City Hall. But growth must reach everyone in every neighborhood. The wealth generated by a growing economy should fuel public services, drive investments in the CTA and our schools, ease the property tax burden, and—most importantly—improve the lives of Chicago’s working families.

Yet, today, we hear the same message from businesses across the city: City Hall is indifferent about business, or worse, works against it. That must change. We must send a clear signal that Chicago is open for business. Our goal is ambitious: we want Chicago to become the fastest-growing big-city economy in the United States. And we have a plan to get there.

Making Business Easier

To achieve this, we will:

1. Cut Red Tape: Launch a full review of regulations and aim to cut unnecessary bureaucracy by 33% by 2030.

2. Faster Permits: Implement a 60-day permit guarantee—or offer a refund on fees if the deadline isn’t met. We want to waive all fees for new businesses in their first year to support startups further.

3. One-Stop-Shop for Businesses: Introduce a digital platform to streamline every step of doing business in Chicago.

4. Pro-Growth Zoning: Develop a unified, citywide zoning and development policy to promote growth and transit-oriented projects everywhere. The goal should be to extend investment across all neighborhoods and reduce disparities in quality of life between community areas.

5. Regulatory Sandboxes for Innovation: Create flexible, pro-growth environments for emerging industries like fintech, green tech, and AI.

6. Establish a Business-Education Partnership: Bring together CPS, local universities, and trade schools with the business community to create training programs for students and workers, giving them skills that align with growing industries and ensuring both workers and businesses thrive.

7. Support for Talent Mobility: Ban non-compete agreements to give workers more freedom and encourage talent growth across the city.

8. Expand International Trade: Double down on international trade missions, attract foreign direct investment, and connect Chicago’s businesses to global markets. We will establish new export trade offices to help companies grow, providing access to networking, trade financing, and export partnerships.

9. Ensure Clarity and Stability in Policymaking: Commit to clear, consistent, and stable policies that create certainty and confidence in our economic environment so that working people and businesses seek to invest, grow, and stay in Chicago.