Emanuel To Rauner: Stop 'Personalizing' Budget And Pension Fight With Madigan
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A day after Gov. Bruce Rauner told Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan to either fall in line with his agenda or pass a tax hike on his own, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is warning Rauner that doing so was a bad move.
The mayor was clearly uncomfortable even tackling the ongoing state budget and pension stalemates publicly, in response to reporters' questions.
Emanuel said Rauner's latest pension proposal makes sense for the most part, but said if his friend wants it to get a fair hearing, he should build consensus budget and pension issues, instead of "personalizing" differences with Madigan.
"I don't think it's a good idea to have your politics get in the way of your policy," he said. "What I mean by that is by personalizing somehow that the Speaker is the holdup doesn't help advance the proposal that at least deserves the merit of discussion, and a way of addressing a serious problem."
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Emanuel said everyone should be allowed to weigh in on both topics.
"I constantly want to urge to lower the personal temperature, keep the conversation going, and dialogue, and trust-building exercise, so serious issues like a pension proposal can be heard without the politics getting in the way of progress," he said.
For the record, Emanuel wants no part of the power to declare bankruptcy that is included in the 500-page draft pension bill, but likes much of the rest, including how it addresses Chicago police and fire pensions, city-downstate pension issues and a proposed city-owned casino for Chicago, saying it makes sense to address everyone's pension-related issues in one massive bill.
