State Rep. John Fritchey (D-Chicago) has added his name to the list of politicians who say they are considering challenging Mayor Richard M. Daley in the Feb. 22 election — but have not yet decided whether to run.
Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) and Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) also are increasingly critical of Daley and have stopped short of saying they will actually be candidates for mayor. And Fritchey said last week he would only run “if I felt there was a broad core of support out there.”
“I think the public right now wants to have a viable option for mayor,” Fritchey told the Chicago News Cooperative on Friday. “Whether I’m that option, I don’t know.”
Fritchey has gained notoriety for his recent proposal to invite the National Guard to help stem violence in Chicago and for criticizing Daley’s use of tax-increment financing. Under TIF, the city gets to spend money that otherwise would go to schools, parks and other local taxing bodies.
Fritchey recently held a news conference to call on the city to stop diverting TIF funds away from schools. Without naming Fritchey, Daley said last week he would ignore fiscal advice from state or federal lawmakers. But on Thursday, Daley said he is considering a using TIF funds to help offset the city’s record budget deficit of more than $650 million.
“The mayor took offense, but days later, he said this is something he has been reviewing,” said Fritchey, who also called for an audit of city TIF accounts.
Fritchey also defended his call for help from the National Guard in April.
“The mayor said we didn’t need them, his police superintendent said we didn’t need them, but in the meantime, nothing has changed,” he said, noting the high crime rate in many parts of Chicago.
Fritchey represents a largely affluent section of the North Side in Springfield but is the Democratic nominee in the November general election for a Cook County board seat. He lost to Mike Quigley last year in the special election to replace Rahm Emanuel in Congress, despite having the support of many Democratic ward organizations.
Daley has been mayor since 1989, winning every re-election run easily. He has not yet announced whether he intends to seek another term, although his brother told the CNC that he expects him to run.
Asked if he thinks Daley could be defeated next year, Fritchey replied, “There is greater public interest in having a choice than there has been in decades. It’s anybody’s guess what the public would do with that choice. But it’s clear the political landscape has changed.”
Fritchey suggested that Daley’s testy reactions to his recent remarks about city finances and crime reflect an inflexible, imperial management style.
“People want intelligent debate on decent proposals,” Fritchey said. “They are tired of being told, ‘This is what we are doing, here is the deal, take it or leave it.’ It’s healthy to offer competing alternatives and ideas. Not every proposed idea has to be seen as a challenge to his authority, but that has been the case.”
Fritchey might have a good idea there in getting help from the National Guard, Daley should set pride or anything preventing him from applying the suggestion aside and give it a try. Anything that gets a bite out of crime should be welcome, even as extreme as the National Guard. The people might have ideas for a new Mayor.