COAL Commentary – Who the hell does Governor Pritzker think he is? Ward Boss?

Governor Pritzker just issued a slate of endorsements for the majority of Chicago aldermanic races. He may be the first Illinois governor to do this. Who does he think he is? Ward boss? Party boss? Billionaire? It is said that money has its privileges, perhaps this is the case…so, we’ll strike the last question.

But seriously,

Let us stop for a moment, and take as an example, the 6^th Ward, a majority Black ward on the southside of Chicago. Does Pritzker think that he knows the issues important to the residents of the 6^th ward, better than the residents of the 6^th? Does he know what services the residents require, the state of the schools, the concerns of its elderly, the type of local leader they want, better than its residents, such that he can determine the best candidate to address those concerns and improve the lives of the residents of the 6^th Ward?

And then let’s take, for example, the 10^th Ward, a majority Hispanic ward on the southside of Chicago for which he did not make an endorsement. Should we infer that he then is not aware of the issues of import to the residents of the 10^th? Does he have less concern? Or is it that he has no one to ‘push’ in that race? Or what? It is anyone’s guess.

Well, COAL proffers that his endorsements were not born of a concern for the residents of either the 6^th or the 10^th, the Black or Hispanic or other residents of those two wards. ‘Cause if he really cared about those residents, he would do what a Governor can to improve their lives. He would, as a specific example, complete the Southland Airport, an investment in a true economic generator that would spur economic revitalization, business opportunities and good paying jobs from the south suburbs of Cook up through Chicago southside wards such as the 6^th and the 10^th. (Over the years, many have documented FAA support, the regional need, and significant economic benefits to be realized by making this investment and completing the airport – see COAL Committee Report, COAL Commentary, PublicityWorks Press Release, CMAP-Community/Mobility Benefits.)

Billionaire Governor Pritzker, talk is cheap, those endorsements are for whatever political gains you’ve determined you can accrue from them, but they were not made out of concern for the residents of the 6^th or 10^th wards. By the way, did you even bother to ask the residents of the 6^th and 10^th what are the issues of major concern specific to their neighborhoods, prior to making or not making an endorsement? Did you solicit input from state representatives or senators elected to represent Chicago wards? Did you task your Lieutenant Governor or Deputy Governors with querying Chicago residents?

Governor Pritzker, put your actions where a Governor can and should, and demonstrate a real interest in the futures of these residents, an interest beyond mere politics, by investing in a real and substantive economic generator for the 6^th and 10^th wards, the completion of the Southland Airport.

Use your influence to make measurable progress in diversity and inclusion across all areas under your responsibility, equity and parity of opportunity for all communities, across all parts of the State. These would also benefit the 6^th and 10^th wards.

Focus on completing the Airport, and on actions you can take toward creating a State with equal opportunity for all, and leave the election of local representation, to the residents of each ward in Chicago, minus your thumb on the scale.

Governor, what say you?