As the campaigns make their final appeals, I’ve been trying to decide which of Mayor Emanuel’s commercials and mailings is the most misleading piece of propaganda of the city election season.
The caucus is that band of eight aldermen—including Scott Waguespack (32nd) and John Arena (45th)—who occasionally vote against some of the mayor’s more repellent legislation. But eight aldermen are not enough to block mayoral initiatives, no matter how unsavory they may be.
As bad as that is, it’s probably not even the worst part of the mayor’s preschool deal. In order to get their money, the bankers have to prove that the students in their pre-K program outscore kids who are not included. In other words, for 2,600 or so poor kids to get preschool, the city must guarantee that around the same number of kids don’t get it.
“Arena voted to close half of Chicago’s mental health clinics, leaving our most vulnerable residents without care,” the 45th Ward flyer says. “Thanks to John Arena, patients now have longer waits, unfamiliar doctors and are at risk of slipping through the cracks, ending up on the streets—or worse.”
It’s one more reason to vote for anyone but Mayor Rahm in this round.
“Our focus is to unseat Arena, who has to be one of the most anti-education reform alderman in the City Council,” Kilmer said. “We’ll use every issue at our disposal.”
