Junior, Daley play nice for schools

Junior, Daley play nice forMayor decided to join event, so Jackson does, too

October 7, 2006
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
If Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is really laying the groundwork to run for mayor, what's he doing sharing a podium with Mayor Daley?
That was the question Friday after Jackson Jr. crashed a news conference that Daley was holding with Jackson's father on the mayor's favorite subject: schools.

The purpose was to announce that the Rev. Jesse Jackson and his Operation PUSH would lead an Oct. 14 march to the Thompson Center in support of a fundamental change in the way education is funded in Illinois.

Friday's show at the Board of Education's South Loop headquarters was originally supposed to co-star Jackson Sr. and Chicago Public Schools CEO Arne Duncan. When Daley decided to join them -- and Jackson Jr. heard about it -- the podium got crowded.


"I don't think this is a political issue. Helping our children is something the mayor and I both agree on," said Jackson Jr., who was invited to speak.

After Daley left the room, Jackson Jr. was asked point-blank how reporters should read his joint appearance with the incumbent mayor.

"You should read it as, 'Congressman Jackson is concerned about education and he joined a mighty coalition that stands to challenge the governor and the Legislature to accomplish that."


Rich and poor gap
He added, "If I am mayor of the city of Chicago, should I choose to run, I plan to do it in less than 17 years."
For 17 years under four different governors, Daley has been lobbying for a tax swap that would shift the burden of education funding away from property owners and toward higher sales and income taxes. He views the swap as essential to close the gap between schools in rich and poor districts.

The revolutionary change has gone nowhere in the General Assemblyn with the promise of lower property taxes, lawmakers are afraid voters will view it as a net increase in taxes.

Gov. Blagojevich got elected in 2002 on a promise to hold the line on sales and income taxes. His re-election campaign is now built on a four-year renewal of that promise.

"There are some promises made that shouldn't be made. And there are some promises kept that ought be honored. While people flinch at this issue of raising taxes, there are some things taxes ought to be raised for," Jackson Sr. said.

Both candidates for governor have offered plans to increase education funding that do not rely on new or higher taxes.

Blagojevich wants to sell or lease the Illinois Lottery. Republican Judy Baar Topinka is proposing a land-based Chicago casino and increased gaming positions at the state's nine riverboat casinos.

On Friday, Daley praised Blagojevich for doing "more in four years than anyone else" for public education. But he said it's high time to bring a state that ranks 49th out of 50 in education funding "into this century."

"This is the fight. We're asking everyone to come forward after the election -- whether it's a special session, it doesn't matter. Let's get this done. It's incumbent on all of us to get the General Assembly, get the governor, everybody on board. We have all the plans. We know what the objections are," Daley said.

"It's unfair to keep increasing real estate taxes. It hurts the renters and homeowners. It hurts businesses. What we need is a common sense plan where growth can be there and the quality of education rises in every part of this state."


'Hole of a donut'

Both Jacksons refused to say whether their longtime ally, state Sen. James Meeks (D-Chicago), had made a mistake in dropping plans to challenge Blagojevich after the governor announced his lottery plan.
Jackson Sr. merely challenged Blagojevich, Topinka, House Speaker Mike Madigan and Senate President Emil Jones to "put forth a bill that results in equal opportunity for all children: Downstate, upstate, rural, suburban. Anything less than that is a promise without a moral foundation. It's the hole of a donut."

fspielman@suntimes.com