Lightfoot heading to Springfield
Monday, Apr 8, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Sun-Times…
Gov. J.B. Pritzker predicted Sunday he’ll have “a great relationship” with Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot — one that should certainly improve on the frosty four years endured by their predecessors.
Chicago’s incoming mayor dined with Illinois’ new governor late last week, days after Lightfoot’s landslide victory. Pritzker and First Lady M.K. Pritzker invited Lightfoot and her spouse, Amy Eshleman, to their Chicago home for dinner Friday, Lightfoot’s press secretary confirmed. […]
“The relationship is a good one,” Pritzker said Sunday at an unrelated news conference. “She, you know, is very much an advocate for so many things that I think we all care about for the city of Chicago. We’re going to have a great relationship.” […]
“We had four years where the mayor and the governor didn’t talk to one another,” Pritzker noted Sunday.
The governor also said Lightfoot is expected to visit Springfield on Wednesday. She’ll be staying until Thursday.
* From a Sun-Times article last week…
Illinois Senate President John Cullerton said fixing the funding of the Municipal and Laborers pension funds, as well as the city’s other financial problems, will remain a major issue. And he wants to talk to Lightfoot about whether there would be local taxation when it comes to legalizing marijuana or expanding gambling in Chicago.
As for the type of demeanor needed to work with Springfield’s leaders, Cullerton credited Emanuel’s ability to work behind-the-scenes with the four legislative leaders as well as rank-and-file lawmakers to push for legislation, including the school funding formula bill.
“He rarely came down here, but he had very good people, folks that represented him down here. The speaker and I would have frequent meetings at City Hall to kind of review legislation,” Cullerton said.
“When I meet with Lori I’ll urge her to do the same thing. The mayor is an important political figure in the state Legislature. … She has influence beyond the city borders,” Cullerton said. […]
“The speaker’s record of working with the mayors of Chicago who came over his tenure, at any shape or size, has been a good one and that will continue,” Madigan spokesman Steve Brown said.
* Amanda Vinicky asked her about Springfield leadership…
“I’m going to be mayor of the city, I’m not going to be part of the party apparatus. I’m obviously a Democrat. Been a lifelong Democrat. That’s where my political interests lie, in terms of the values and the issues that I hold dear. But I’m not going to be part of the broken machine. Ever. That’s not happening,” Lightfoot said.
In what would be another break from the past, Lightfoot also aims to distance herself from the state party, led by Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan.
She didn’t have a direct answer when asked whether Madigan should remain head of the Democratic Party of Illinois.
“I respect the speaker. But I believe in term limits,” Lightfoot said. “He is the leader and I’m going to do everything I can to have a good, productive working relationship with him. As with (Senate President John) Cullerton. But I’m sure there are going to be issues on which we disagree. But that too is part of the democratic process.”
* Related…
* Mayor Rahm Emanuel: “In our first meeting, as well as in subsequent conversations, I made it very clear to the Mayor-elect that I would not move forward on these projects if she wanted to delay the process. While I firmly believe in the value of these projects to the entire city, out of respect for her wishes and request, I will honor my commitment and delay the vote. I am hopeful that under the mayor-elect’s leadership of the new City Council these critical projects will move forward and bring the kind of investment and job creation that has been a hallmark of the past eight years.”
* Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot and Chicago aldermen beginning a beautiful friendship … or not
* Mayor-elect Lori Lightfoot asks for talks by Finance Committee on Lincoln Yards, The 78
* Lightfoot calls for tapping the brakes on Lincoln Yards, 78—but will Emanuel comply?
* If Chicago is a black political mecca, why are African-Americans leaving the city in droves?
* Lightfoot ‘impressed’ with CPS’ Jackson; at CPD, Johnson ‘encouraged’ after chat
* Chicago mayor-elect pledges to strengthen ties with China
- PJ - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 10:10 am:
The black political mecca article is interesting, if a bit facile. I’d first question the core concept, since Lightfoot is only the 2nd black mayor in history, and the other electeds she mentions are also quite recent in office. But the structural issues facing Chicago’s black community go well beyond anything the heads of the park district board of commissioners or the MWRD can fix.
A mayor might actually have some more direct impact. But she’s not even in office yet.
- Montrose - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 10:24 am:
Pulling back on those developments had to be hard for Rahm. I give him credit for doing it. It was the right thing to do, even if it messes up his bucket list.
- Practical Politics - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 10:27 am:
“He rarely came down here…”
I do not think that it was as critical for Harold Washington or the Daleys to visit Springfield too often as they all served in the General Assembly and were already well known in Springfield before serving as mayors. I never understood why Rahm Emanuel spent so little time in the capital.
- Bourbon Street - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 10:52 am:
I hate to nitpick, but why in this article is Madigan the “speaker”, the present mayor “Emanuel”, the Senate President “ Cullerton” but the mayor-elect “Lori”? Or maybe I do like to nitpick.
Substantively this looks like a great start.
- Rich Miller - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 10:55 am:
===why in this article===
What article?
- PublicServant - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 11:14 am:
Maybe she can say hi to Rep Halbrook, and give him the key to the city, or something like that./s
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 12:12 pm:
I’m skeptical of the Lincoln Yards development. If Sterling Bay does not have access to private capital, then no one in the world does. Why lock this TIF in for 20 years? It seems to me that the City can pay for infrastructure in Lincoln Yards as the development progresses. The problem with the TIF is that in 5-10 years if the development is successful, the future mayor is going to spend those TIF funds to subsidize private development and not on roads, bridges, and other infrastructure.
- Amalia - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 1:18 pm:
“what article?” lol
- Bourbon Street - Monday, Apr 8, 19 @ 2:08 pm:
The second S-T article. I see that the reporter is quoting Cullerton but the editor could have bracketed Lightfoot instead of using “Lori”. Perhaps the editor didn’t want to save Cullerton from a faux pas.