![]() Neither side would detail how Chicago should generate revenue. Emanuel has received backing from establishment Democrats and business leaders who have praised his financial acumen, including attracting new businesses and budget tightening to attempt to close a roughly $300m operating deficit. “Chuy, you laid out a commission, not a plan.”Ĭhicago’s fiscal problems include pension payments that could balloon next year by half a billion dollars annually and upcoming contract negotiations with teachers. “There’s a real difference,” Emanuel said of García’s call for experts to study the city’s financial problems. In recent weeks, Emanuel has criticized García’s perceived lack of business acumen, saying such expertise is needed at a critical time. A poll published last week in the Chicago Tribune showed Emanuel with the support of 51% of registered voters to García’s 37%. Still, Emanuel appears to have an advantage for the runoff. “I’m going to be collaborative and engaging.” “There isn’t any gravy to be given out when I’m elected mayor,” García said. He has said that Emanuel’s focus on downtown, luring businesses and special funds, has left the city’s neighborhoods behind. Chicago voters supported the idea with a nonbinding referendum last month. García has also pushed for an elected school board. Minorities – in particular black voters – make up most of Chicago’s population and will be crucial to the outcome. García’s campaign – built on his contacts from years as a community organizer and local politician – has backing from the Chicago Teachers Union and top African American leaders, including the Rev Jesse Jackson. The vast majority of Chicago public school students are black and Latino. Tense contract negotiations in 2012 led to the city’s first teachers’ strike in 25 years, and the following year he pushed to close nearly 50 neighborhood schools. During the debate, Emanuel didn’t counter a charge from García – who has enjoyed support from unions and minority voters – that Emanuel had once worked against immigration reform.Įmanuel has worked hard to appeal to voters in minority neighborhoods, particularly around the schools issue. In a commercial, he said he should listen more and admitted the day after the February election that he had lost about six pounds while campaigning. The mayor, who has a hard-charging reputation, has tried to soften his image. Despite a massive fundraising advantage and an endorsement from President Barack Obama, Emanuel was unable to capture an outright majority in last month’s election with five candidates on the ballot, leading to the 7 April runoff with García. The debate was hosted by Chicago’s WMAQ-TV, Telemundo and the University of Chicago’s Institute of Politics and Harris School of Public Policy.Įmanuel has been intensely campaigning for a second term. “The mayor is out of touch,” said García, a former alderman and legislator better known by his nickname, “Chuy”. ![]() García accused Emanuel of focusing on benefiting companies and campaign donors. While crime overall has dropped, there was spike in homicides during part of Emanuel’s first term. ![]() When you’re mayor, you have to pay the bills,” said Emanuel, a former congressman.īut García said Emanuel hasn’t done enough to address crime. ![]() “The difference between being a legislator, and I was one, in that period of time, you pass a bill. Several times he criticized García’s plan to call for a full review of city spending before committing to new taxes or budget cuts. Emanuel said García’s plans – including calling for 1,000 more police officers – aren’t realistic because of the strain on the budget. ![]()
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