Quinn endorses Vallas in runoff
Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Wednesday endorsed Paul Vallas over Brandon Johnson in the April 4 mayoral runoff after Vallas agreed to pursue mayoral term limits, property tax relief and a new ComEd franchise agreement that includes refunds to compensate consumers for the utility’s bribery scheme.
In Round One of the mayoral sweepstakes, Quinn had picked U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia over Vallas.
Garcia is a “progressive, and I am too,” Quinn said then, calling Garcia a “man of integrity and character” and a “committed reformer over 40 years.”
But his support couldn’t save Garcia, who finished fourth with 13.8%. Garcia has since endorsed Johnson.
Quinn has now chosen a different path. He reunited with Vallas, the man he chose as his 2014 running mate for lieutenant governor.
Quinn endorsed Vallas for mayor after extracting a promise to renegotiate the proposed franchise agreement with Commonwealth Edison that Lightfoot failed to ram through the Council in the waning weeks of her administration.
Quinn called the ComEd bribery scandal surrounding Mike Madigan — showcased by the ongoing federal corruption trial of the so-called “ComEd four” — the “biggest utility scandal in American history.”
“People in Chicago and all over the ComEd service territory were bilked out of millions of dollars by a bribery scheme that went on for nearly a decade. We need a mayor of Chicago who’s gonna be tough on that kind of corporate crime just like street crime. Paul is the best person to do that. I know Paul 40 years. He’s not a shrinking violet,” Quinn, driving force behind the Citizens Utility Board, told the Sun-Times on Wednesday.
Four years ago, Quinn supported Lori Lightfoot over County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in the mayoral runoff. He lost faith in Lightfoot after she reneged on her campaign promise to fight for and abide by a two-term limit for Chicago’s mayor. Vallas, 69, has agreed to limit himself to two terms.
“Paul signed our petition last time for term limits on the mayor. We finally have somebody who not only supports term limits. He has vowed to put it on the ballot next year. The only way you can get term limits on the mayor of Chicago is voters have to approve it in a referendum,” Quinn said.
The third issue near and dear to Quinn is property tax relief and consumer advocacy.
On that front, Vallas made another commitment to secure Quinn’s endorsement. He’s promised to “cap the levy” in Chicago and reestablish the Office of Taxpayer Advocate created by former Mayor Harold Washington and abolished by Rahm Emanuel.
“Paul is committed to returning the Taxpayer Advocate office to City Hall to make sure we have a driving force for property tax relief and reform. Not just in Chicago, but going to Springfield and getting this unfair property tax system reformed,” Quinn said.
Quinn lives in the same Austin district Johnson represents on the Cook County Board.
The former governor said he likes Johnson and considers him a “person of character.” What he doesn’t like is Johnson’s history of supporting the concept of defunding the police and Johnson’s plan to raise taxes by $800 million to bankroll an array of social programs.