Blagojevich, Ryan first joint appearance at Metropolitan Planning Council June 25 Annual Meeting Luncheon
In their first ever joint appearance, the two major party candidates for Illinois Governor, Congressman Rod Blagojevich and Attorney General Jim Ryan, discussed issues unique to the Chicago metropolitan area before a crowd of 850 business, government and civic leaders at the Metropolitan Planning Council's (MPC) Annual Meeting Luncheon on Tuesday June 25, 2002 at the Hilton Chicago and Towers.
"There are complex and interrelated challenges facing our region," says MPC President MarySue Barrett. "Coordinated transportation and development, fair funding for education, and expanded housing options, are all pressing issues that require attention and are vital to the long-term economic health of the region and state. Communities in northeastern Illinois have moved beyond 'us vs. them' because they realize traffic gridlock and educational performance, for example, are problems the region can only solve together. MPC's annual meeting was an excellent opportunity to compare each candidate's vision for the future. "
MPC provided the candidates with an overview of regional challenges and posed four questions in areas that the Council is active and state government plays an key role: education; sensible growth; transportation; and housing. MPC supports a sensible growth plan for the region that reduces traffic congestion, preserves open space, promotes reinvestment and redevelopment, enhances quality of life and values local government partnership. Both Atty. Gen. Ryan and Congressman Blagojevich detailed specific commitments in their remarks to MPC's Annual Meeting Luncheon. "We were impressed with the depth of the candidates' remarks and see this forum as the first signal that the next governor understands his role as 'CEO of Chicagoland,'" said Barrett.
Ryan, who spoke first, stressed the need for a comprehensive plan that addresses all components of growth. "The issues we are talking about today ... are interrelated and intersect at many points. We have to usher in a new era of cooperation and collaboration." His education plan will "raise the foundation level for each child" and will "make sure we have multi-year funding for our schools." Additionally, he will listen to recommendations from the Education Funding Advisory Board, and is open to "some kind of tax swap" to ensure adequate and fair funding for education in Illinois.
Ryan promised to create a cabinet-level position to address sensible growth issues and will "push legislation and funding for a grant program to local governments as incentives for planning."
On transportation Ryan said: "I think we need to be very outspoken on the new (federal) transportation legislation and to make sure Illinois gets our share of that money." He wants to see the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority develop "a 20-year plan before any toll hikes are approved." And he stressed the point that the public must have "a meaningful role in all these decisions."
On housing Ryan said: "It's important that we have affordable housing that's either accessible to mass transit or close to a person's place of employment .... We should look at using tax credits to encourage businesses that help employees afford a home."
Congressman Blagojevich talked about the need for a "new way of thinking, a new approach to some of these old problems that have bedeviled us." He wants to "direct more of our resources to education" so that, by law, "51 cents of new revenue is directed to schools." "We have to go back to basics," said Blagojevich, "nothing is more important than smaller class size, good teachers and focus on reading."
On sensible growth Blagojevich said: "The old model is unplanned development" which results in "unintended consequences" like more time spent stuck in traffic. "Inefficient development drains public funds." He wants to "update Illinois' 1920s planning statute" and said that HB 4023, which promotes planning for affordable housing needs, open space and natural resource protection, and for all modes of transportation, is "a good start and a blueprint for the future. We ought to make the Open Lands Trust Fund permanent...because it allows local communities to acquire forests and prairies and wetlands and protect them from unfettered development." He stressed that his "new model is different. Developers [need to] work with communities — and the state can lead here — to expand choices and open new markets."
On transportation Blagojevich said: "The governor needs to become more involved and be a leader on whether or not we need the roads and bridges." The current system has "separate divisions organized to benefit bureaucrats .... We need to bring new people in with new ideas."
On housing Blagojevich said: "Economic development near affordable housing is very important ... Illinois should increase resources for affordable housing ... affordable rental housing, preservation of old housing and rehabilitation." Local communities can be "steered in that direction through rewards and incentives."
"MPC is extremely encouraged by the candidates' knowledge of and engagement in regional issues and looks forward to working closely with their teams to build on the commitments made at our Annual Meeting Luncheon," said Barrett.
Founded in 1934, MPC is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of business and civic leaders committed to serving the public interest through the promotion and implementation of sensible planning and development policies necessary for a world-class Chicago region.
For more of the candidates' remarks, click here.