Emanuel considering taxes on rich, downtown businesses to fund CPS

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

Ald. Edward Burke (14th), chairman of the City Council’s Finance Committee, said the last time he checked with Chief Financial Officer Carole Brown, he got the sense that the mayor’s approach to a local rescue was “changing by the day.”

Burke was asked whether the mayor would face resistance if he tried to raise local taxes again to save CPS from aldermen who have already walked the tax plank three times to solve the city’s $30 billion pension crisis.

“Was there not a sentiment when we raised the taxes in the last go-around to go for a larger amount and get it over with and not come back piecemeal?” Burke said.

“I’m sure there’ll be some discussions about that. But frankly, we can’t look back. We have to look forward. … There’s what, about 16 days left? It might be foolhardy to delay any longer, given the track record down in Springfield.”

The struggles of Blue America.