Emanuel goes off on Rauner… again
Friday, Jun 23, 2017 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday accused Gov. Bruce Rauner of government by anger for opposing a 28.2 percent telephone tax hike that will free up money the city hopes to use to shore up the Laborers Pension Fund “well into the next decade.”
The mayor noted that the tax was tucked into a statewide telecommunications bill that got 51 votes in the Illinois Senate and 81 votes in the House.
“It affects downstate communities [and] the whole state. That’s why it received overwhelming, bi-partisan votes across urban, suburban [and] rural areas,” the mayor said.
“Somebody needs to give the governor crib notes on how that works. But he clearly, as a rookie governor, doesn’t get it….Even when something that is essential for downstate, for every community as it relates to public safety and an overwhelming bi-partisan vote, he’s gonna veto it.” […]
“This is a person [who] has to understand that you do not negotiate with people who agree with you, as Shimon Peres used to say. You negotiate and work with people who don’t agree with you. And he has to understand, as a leader, he should actually start governing on building and pushing Illinois forward—not through his anger at everybody else….It’s hard to make somebody happy who will never take ‘yes’ for an answer.”
- Deft Wing - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:40 pm:
The Governor has rented a bunch of space in the Mayor’s head … for free. #MayorUnhinged
- Not Rich - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:46 pm:
this is getting worse by the day…
- Responsa - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 2:48 pm:
==Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Friday accused Gov. Bruce Rauner of government by anger for opposing a 28.2 percent telephone tax hike that will free up money the city hopes to use to shore up the Laborers Pension Fund “well into the next decade.”
The mayor noted that the tax was tucked into a statewide telecommunications bill…==
Didn’t anybody in Rahm’s advisory circle see how the regular taxpaying voting public would absorb and processes the information in this particular quote?
- Excessively Rabid - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:05 pm:
Well there goes a flying pig. It’s an issue where I agree with Rauner. Telecommunications taxes are excessive as it is, and what connection do they have with the Laborers Pension Fund? No. Figure out something else.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:15 pm:
==what connection do they have with the Laborers Pension Fund?==
That’s a good question. Are they even allowed to use these fees for non-emergency related expenses?
- fdrdemocrat - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
State law expressly allows Chicago to use 911 funds for things like antiterrorism.
- MacombMike - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:18 pm:
These taxes are deposited into the general fund and can be used for anything. When the mayor increased this tax in 2014, they specifically said that the taxes would free up general funds to help pay for the pensions (though he also claimed it was for upgrades to the 911 system).
It’s all about the pensions…at least the mayor was honest about that in this quote.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:21 pm:
==State law expressly allows Chicago to use 911 funds for things like antiterrorism.==
So not pensions, then
- MacombMike - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:26 pm:
My bad on the previous post as I wrapped up the telecom tax with the 911 tax.
911 taxes are an enterprise fund. However, the 911 center gets some money from the general fund. So, by raising the tax (that goes into the enterprise fund) it frees up general funds to be spent on the pensions.
So, technically, this will help pay for the pensions.
- Excessively Rabid - Friday, Jun 23, 17 @ 3:46 pm:
Thanks for the reminders about fungibility. Like the lottery funding education.