Question of the day
Wednesday, May 25, 2016 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel was asked yesterday whether he planned to travel to Springfield to lobby legislators for help with his schools system’s budget…
For the mayor, deciding whether to insert himself into the delicate situation at a stalemated Capitol carries some risk. Though he could claim some measure of credit if a funding bill that helps CPS passes following an eleventh-hour visit, Emanuel could get stuck with an even bigger share of the political blame if he goes there and the legislature then doesn’t act on education funding, or passes a bill that doesn’t help Chicago the way he wants.
The mayor’s record on in-person appeals to lawmakers is mixed. In May 2012 he made a much-ballyhooed speech to a House pension panel, calling for an overhaul of city government worker pensions and saying the “day of reckoning has arrived.”
The General Assembly did not act on the plan Emanuel proposed at the time, and it would be another two years before they passed a different pension reform bill, which the Illinois Supreme Court ultimately threw out in March.
The mayor didn’t rule out heading down there in the next few days, however. “I didn’t say — leaving that open,” he said. “What I said to you is, don’t assume it’s just the last 24 hours or the last 48 hours. I’ve been at this for over a year.”
* The Question: Should Mayor Emanuel travel to Springfield and lobby legislators? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.
find bike trails
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:00 pm:
Lobby? Who is he going to sway? With what? Save the taxpayers the gas money.
- Norseman - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:01 pm:
When you’re radioactive, you don’t get near other people.
- Annonin' - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:03 pm:
Ald. Reilly already here and has everything all locked up
- Honeybear - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:09 pm:
C’mon, I think the Rubicon was crossed a while back. Pieces are in motion now that have been determined for a long time. Advocacy only works during compromise. I think it only looks like compromise. The sausage factory is open from the outside but the line is down inside.
- 47th Ward - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:10 pm:
It depends. Is he bringing the giant with him or not?
- VanillaMan - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:14 pm:
Go down swinging.
- One of the 35 - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:17 pm:
My opinion is that Mayors are supposed to lobby the State Legislature. It is one of many duties they should perform for their local community.
- Chungas revenge - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:25 pm:
He is useless unless he holds the higher cards and can force his decision. If he doesn’t hold a higher position of power he’s just a Winnetka wimp. So no.
- Anon - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:28 pm:
===Go down swinging.===
Agreed. It’s the man’s job. At the very least, he can show up and kowtow a little bit.
- One to the Dome - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:29 pm:
Its already a touchy sitituation with legislators (south of I80) feeling that Chicago will be the big winner. Afterall, The Mayor has the Chicago area legislators supportive…so he will he be able to convince? Someone from Peoria? East St Louis? Danville? Harvard? Carbondale? As I see it, his visit will do more harm than good.
- Enviro - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:31 pm:
He won’t get help from an Illinois government without a state budget. He should stay in Chicago and find a way to increase city revenue.
- Last Bull Moose - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:31 pm:
I don’t see how his presence helps. His only strength is with Democrats, and they are not the drivers in this contest.
If anything, it might make it harder for Republican legislators to act in opposition to Rauner.
- Regular democrat - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:36 pm:
It will change the narrative away from the code of silence
- Excessively Rabid - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:36 pm:
Travel to Springfield, no. Lobby legislators, yes. This is Rahm, but it would still be malpractice to not be in regular contact with each legislator that represents the city, regardless of personal feelings.
- Thoughts Matter - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:38 pm:
Why bother? The Republican ones don’t listen to their voters. The Democrats aren’t whom he needs to persuade.
- burbanite - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:41 pm:
voted yes, Chicagoans need to believe he is doing everything he can.
- LINK - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:42 pm:
Maybe a little naive, and I’m darn sure not well versed in this situation, but a thought crossed my mind. Rahm ought to reach out to several downstate mayors with similar issues or needs, and see if they could at least agree to show up and “go down fighting” together for a change. There has to be some with similar interests, maybe even some in a Republican district..
- Not It - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 1:57 pm:
It never hurts to ask in person, no matter who or what you are.
- Carhartt Representative - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:25 pm:
I would much rather he get his house in order in Chicago. Today, the Board of Education passed nearly $500,000,000 in privatization. Rahm wants to create a new TIF to expand the red line when that would be even more property tax money taken from the schools. Rahm needs to work like everything depends on him and then appeal to downstate like everything depends on the legislature. Rahm will move Heaven and Earth to get the Lucas Museum built, but as for doing his part to help CPS, not so much.
- Bogey Golfer - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 2:28 pm:
47th Ward +1.
- Langhorne - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:08 pm:
He could go to saputos for chicken and peppers w the man at the table in the corner
- Ghost - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:14 pm:
Jim Thompson lobbied legislatures, and was probably our most effective govenor. no press press teleases and snide comments, just showed up at your door, or jogging spot in the park, to talk you into what he wanted.
- Illinois is capsized - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 3:23 pm:
Absolutely. Leaving this legislative outreach to staffers doesn’t cut it. If you care deeply about issues, you need to play the game in the Capital.
- Ravid - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 4:58 pm:
Take the train, stump at every stop,head right to the govenor with your whine, then go fishing
- Rod - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:20 pm:
Currently CPS is supporting SB231 and it is going no where in the House. The Mayor is wasting his time going to Springfield. He would have more of an impact by releasing some TIF funds and going to the City Council for a property tax rate increase using the City’s home rule powered and passing that on to CPS. At that point at least he can go to the Assembly and say the City did its part now the Assembly needs to do their part.
Even then it’s doubtful CPS will get much unless there is movement on taxes and that seems frozen.
- AlfondoGonz - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 5:23 pm:
Different question of the day, courtesy of Rep. Davidsmeyer:
Are women, in fact, smart?
Discuss.
(Tongue planted firmly in cheek)
- a girl - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 6:49 pm:
Other mayors have come down to lobby. He needs to also.
- Arthur Andersen - Wednesday, May 25, 16 @ 7:05 pm:
Rahm ain’t no Big Jim by any measure.