The campaign for Rahm Emanuel released the following statement and facts about Chuy Garcia’s misleading attack ad.
“It’s sad that Chuy chose to go negative in his first commercial. Instead of offering Chicagoans a concrete plan to keep creating jobs, improving our graduation rates and reducing violence, Chuy resorted to the same failed politics that drove Chicago to the brink.”
Garcia’s attack ad has numerous problems, especially his claim that Rahm gave away $100 million in corporate tax breaks – which is both untrue and unsupported – and Garcia’s refusal to acknowledge the fact that Chicago taxpayers are still paying the $80 million in higher property taxes that he voted for as alderman, imposing the largest property tax increase in Chicago history. In addition, Garcia didn’t answer Mayor Emanuel’s question at last night’s debate about why he collected an illegal property tax break for eight years.
Maybe Chuy should explain his vision instead of attacking.
Here are the facts:
FACT: Rahm ended more than $45 million in corporate tax giveaways.
Since taking office, Rahm has closed tax loopholes for cable companies, luxury skyboxes at sporting events, and airlines and other companies that used to get tax breaks for buying gasoline and other items in the suburbs.
FACT: Chicago does not provide tax credits to corporations.
Garcia is simply wrong on the facts. The City does not provide tax credits to companies.
FACT: Garcia voted for to give Motorola $5 million in tax credits and $30 million in infrastructure improvements.
When Motorola was considering moving, Garcia voted for a package to give Motorola a “special tax break” worth $5 million in tax credits and $30 million in infrastructure.
Package to Keep Motorola in IL Included Tens of Millions: “In the end, this is the financial package to which state and Motorola officials agreed: $30 million in infrastructure improvements, $5 million in tax credits and exemptions and $1 million in job training assistance in the form of a grant. State agency officials are unsure exactly how those funds will be used.” [Chicago Tribune, 04/20/1994]
Senate President Philip Described the Package as a “special tax break” on the floor. “May I have your attention, please. I — with leave, I’d like to go to 3rd Reading to pick up — to pass two bills today. The first bill is 1191, which deals with a special tax break for Motorola we need to do, so that hopefully we’ll keep Motorola in Illinois.” [Illinois State Senate Floor Transcript 3/30/94, Pg. 4]
Garcia voted in favor of Senate Bill no. 1191. [Senate Journal 1994, vol 1, 3/30/94, page 432]
FACT: Chicago taxpayers are still paying the $80 million in higher property taxes that Chuy voted for as alderman, imposing the largest property tax increase in Chicago history.
Garcia Voted for the Largest Property Tax Hike in Chicago History: Garcia voted for the Evans motion, which increased property taxes $79,928,811. [Chicago City Council Journal of Proceedings, 9/24/86, Pg. 34106, Passed 26-24]
In 2014 dollars, that is a $173 million property tax hike. [BLS Inflation Calculator]
FACT: Rahm has gone toe-to-toe with the NRA and worked on commonsense gun control for decades, earning him the support of local and national gun control advocates.
When the local Gun Prevention PAC endorsed Rahm this week, the group’s Executive Director Kathleen Sances said: “Rahm is the only candidate with a 20-year record of taking on the NRA, passing meaningful gun legislation and putting together a plan to reduce gun violence in all our neighborhoods. It was an easy decision for us – Rahm has worked for his entire career to reduce gun violence, and he’s been at the forefront of some of our biggest victories, a steadfast ally as we to push for change, and an innovator who overcomes obstacles.”
FACT: Crime rates in Little Village have fallen.
In his ad, Garcia implies that crime in Little Village has gotten worse. Garcia’s claim is at odds with his public remarks that crime in Little Village has fallen. Though much work remains to be done, crime has dropped in Little Village over the past four years. In 2014 compared to 2010, Little Village experienced a 25 percent drop in overall crime and a 23 percent drop in serious index crimes that include offenses like assault, battery and rape. Rahm will continue his focus on community policing and expanding summer jobs and after school opportunities in Little Village and neighborhoods across the city.
FACT: The Emanuel administration led a return to community policing, put more officers in high crime areas, increased investments in prevention programming and built trust with community leaders and residents.
Developing higher levels of trust between communities and police has been a major priority for this administration. Soon after taking office, Rahm moved community policing staff and resources from the headquarters to police districts – where they belong. CPD created and implemented training for police officers to teach fairness and respect – also called “procedural justice.” To date, more than 10,000 Chicago police personnel have completed this training. By the summer of 2015, CPD will double the size of its bike patrols from 200 to 400, allowing for a more direct connection between officers and the communities they serve. And this year CPD will launch a body camera pilot that will start in the 14th police district. In other cities, patrol officers’ use of body cameras has been associated with a nearly 60 percent reduction in use of force and an 80 percent reduction in complaints filed against officers. These efforts in Chicago build upon a life of supporting community policing, starting with his successful push on behalf of President Clinton to pass the COPS initiative in 1994, which put 100,000 additional cops on the street to engage in community policing.
FACT: Garcia has no plan to pay for additional police officers and even opposed hiring additional police officers as alderman.
First, Garcia has been widely criticized for failing to offer a realistic plan to pay for adding additional patrol officers on the street. Additionally, when Garcia was on the City Council, he actually claimed that “knee-jerk” calls to add more police officers won’t solve the problem of gang violence.
In Endorsing Rahm, Chicago Tribune Questioned How Opponents Would Make the ‘Math Work’: “Yet all four challengers are talking about making these holes deeper. How would they make the math work? […] The not-Rahm candidates are reluctant to offer genuine answers for all of that.” [Chicago Tribune, 2/6/15]
Garcia Blasts “Knee-jerk” Call for “More Police”: “The city agency created to steer youngsters away from street gang violence should be abolished and its $5 million budget spent on putting more police officers into neighborhoods plagued by gang crime, Ald. Juan Soliz (25th) said Thursday. In calling for the elimination of the Chicago Intervention Network, Soliz said, ‘They’re totally invisible, and they’re not part of a constructive effort to solve gang crime in Chicago. We need gang specialists who can go in with arrest power.’ Chicago Intervention Network director Robert Martin, Police Supt. LeRoy Martin, and Ald. Jesus Garcia (22d), immediately challenged Soliz’s remarks. Garcia dismissed the idea as “a knee-jerk” reaction to gang violence.” [Chicago Tribune, 9/9/88]
Garcia Voted to Close 209 Vacant Police Jobs:
Garcia voted for the 1993 Budget [Chicago City Council Journal of Proceedings, 12/15/92, 26808, Passed 33-9]
“Chicagoans face a $ 28.7 million property tax increase next year and higher taxes on soda pop and tickets to entertainment events under a budget compromise approved Tuesday that also eliminates 209 vacant police jobs.” [Chicago Sun Times, 12/16/92]
FACT: The vast majority of TIF funds – almost 75 percent – are used for schools, libraries, parks, transportation and neighborhood improvements.
The City has rejected TIF proposals from nearly every big corporation that has asked for public support and have instead used TIF to bring companies like Method to Pullman, Coyote Logistics to Logan Square and Whole Foods to Englewood. Rahm has used TIF to support public projects including new libraries in Chinatown, Albany Park, and at Back of the Yards High School, a new El station near McCormick Place on Cermak, and at our schools including new classrooms at Coonley Elementary school, new pre-K classrooms and a parent resource center at Burke Elementary, and a new athletic field at Benito Juarez Academy.
