CEO Statement: 7 Ideas for Chicago’s New Mayor

Illinois Policy Institute CEO John Tillman offers seven ideas for Rahm Emanuel.

Statement from Illinois Policy Institute CEO John Tillman on the Chicago mayoral race:

Rahm Emanuel has the opportunity to turn Chicago into an entrepreneurial haven that is growing and vibrant for all its citizens, not just those with access to city hall and the political class. From the struggles in the Chicago Public Schools to the fraying neighborhoods and infrastructure, Chicago is a city in transition. The city either will follow the failing strategies of Detroit and other midwest cities, or it will adopt a new path focused on championing entrepreneurship in the private sector ? which funds all good works in Chicago. A growing, vibrant, open private sector ? in which success is based on merit, not political connections ? will lead to a rebirth of Chicago for the 21st century. This great city will once again be a destination for opportunity, growth, and prosperity for all its citizens.

To begin this rebirth, Emanuel must address the core issues. Chicago?s population is declining while spending per capita is rising. Massive infusions of money have been put into Chicago Public Schools, yet performance lags. Blue chip companies come to the Loop, but jobs are scarce in the neighborhoods on the south and west sides, where they are needed most.

Proposals for consideration include:

1. Spending Rollback ? Reduce spending to the level it was five years ago. Population has decreased while spending has increased. Spending reform is necessary to put the fiscal house in order and that begins with public employee wage, benefit and pension reform. Without those reforms, Chicago?s structural spending imbalance cannot be fixed.

   

    

2. Transparency Project ? Chicago?s reputation for corruption is long and deep; rehabilitating that reputation begins with total transparency and openness. Transparency and openness are needed to begin a process of political accountability that must be implemented for corruption to be stamped out. Every expense, every job, every bid, and every contract needs to become part of the transparent process of running the city.
3. Online Reverse Auctions ? Mayor Emanuel should implement reverse auctions for all possible procurements in the city of Chicago. This should be done transparently and anonymously.
4. Open and Fair Bidding ? A complete and open competitive bidding process for all services must be implemented. Private sector firms must be able to compete with public employee union members openly and transparently ? low bidder wins.
5. Elimination of Tax Increment Financing, or TIF, districts ? TIF dollars must be allocated to current spending to close budget shortfalls and then shut down the current TIF program. Emanuel needs to open up discussion and encourage public debate about how to the city does investments.
6. Removal of Obstacles to Entrepreneurs ? Emanuel should evaluate every tax and fee that creates friction to entrepreneurs, their investors, and the workers who want to partner with them to serve customers.
7. Parent Empowerment in Education ? After more than 15 years of mayoral control, Chicago Public School graduation rates still are unacceptably low and test scores are stagnant. There are pockets of success within the public school system that should be expanded, principally charter schools. At present fewer than one-in-ten Chicago students are able to attend charter schools; compare that to cities like Washington, D.C. where almost forty percent of students attend such innovative schools. Emanuel should get behind other strategies that have proven successful in urban districts: ?A through F? school accountability, online learning initiatives and choice programs that include private schools.