Mayor Richard Daley, who has been talking in circles about the events in the state Capitol, left the circle unbroken again Thursday, ducking specific comments on the state budget agreement and adopting a ”wait and see”
attitude.
At one point, during two confrontations with the media at public events Thursday, Daley seemed to be ruling out a future property-tax increase to make up for the $15 million the city apparently lost in the new state budget.
”We`ll rule it out,” said Daley, when asked directly whether property taxes loom in his 1992 budget to be unveiled in October. ”Real estate taxes put an exit sign on my city.”
But when pressed further for an explanation of his apparently unequivocal no-tax-increase vow, Daley said he had to study the state budget package more completely.
”We`ll have to see,” the mayor said.
On the whole, Daley said he was satisfied with the budget plan ironed out in overtime sessions of the legislature.
And the Democratic mayor singled out Republican Gov. Jim Edgar and the legislature`s four partisan leaders for praise in finally reaching a compromise.
”Anytime there`s a compromise in 17 days, no one`s happy,” Daley said.
”Sure, it`s not perfect. Nothing is perfect in legislation.”
The question mark about Daley`s relationship with powerful House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago) remained an enigma Thursday, with Daley including him in a laundry list of people worthy of praise for a compromise.
But Daley topped that list repeatedly with the name of Edgar.
”I have to praise Gov. Edgar for strong leadership,” said Daley, who then added the name of Madigan and other legislative leaders.
Daley said his financial staff had been anticipating possible revenue losses and had been preparing for them.
”There are good contingency plans,” said Daley, who refused to elaborate on how the city could make up any losses in state funding.
The mayor also took offense when some reporters suggested that a possible $15 million hole in city revenues would not be a major factor in his annual $3.2 billion city budget.
”Fifteen million means a lot to the people of Chicago. Fifteen million is still a lot of money,” said Daley, who hastened to add that the $15 million gap was only an estimate that would have to be verified after the legislative smoke clears and the final budget numbers are crunched.
Although the fate of city property taxes remained uncertain, CTA officials said they do not believe state budget cuts will result in a fare increase.
The state budget agreement includes a $6 million cut in money from mass transit funds for the CTA that enable senior citizens, students and disabled people to ride for less than half the price of regular riders. But that is considerably less than the elimination of the $31 million subsidy, as had been proposed by Edgar.
”I feel reasonably confident that we can service 1991 without adjustments of fares, assuming we pull out of the recession and the subsidies are restored,” CTA Chairman Clark Burrus said at a board meeting Thursday morning.
