Quigley Launches Mayoral Bid, Vows to "Fix a City in Crisis"
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley announced Wednesday that he will run for Chicago's mayoral seat, promising to tackle the city's myriad problems head-on and make tough decisions that have been avoided by current Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Quigley, a longtime politician who has flirted with running for mayor in previous cycles, described himself as the "tough love leader" the city needs. He outlined his plan to address key issues such as closing underutilized public schools, right-sizing city government, and confronting Chicago's massive pension crisis.
The congressman emphasized the need for honest leadership, citing the problem of politicians who don't want to offend and avoid making tough choices. "For decades now, mayors have kicked the can," he said. "We sold assets, made stupid mistakes because leaders were worried about just getting elected and reelected."
Quigley vowed to demand union concessions to prevent bankruptcy at four city employee pension funds and reduce a workforce that has expanded due to pandemic relief funding. He also offered to work with community leaders and the school board to close underpopulated public schools.
The plan includes privatizing some of these schools, which Quigley believes would be more efficient and productive. "When you're talking about a high school with only 100 students, it's cheaper to have them attend private school," he said.
Quigley also acknowledged that his approach may ruffle some feathers, but emphasized the need for leadership that makes tough decisions. "This is a mayor who's frankly been afraid to lead and doesn't want to make choices," he said.
As Quigley launches his campaign, it remains to be seen how he will stack up against other potential candidates, including Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and retiring state Comptroller Susana Mendoza. However, Quigley is confident in his ability to win, citing his track record as a candidate who has won elections despite being outspent.
The mayor's office declined to comment on the race for now, with Johnson instead focusing on community issues.
U.S. Representative Mike Quigley announced Wednesday that he will run for Chicago's mayoral seat, promising to tackle the city's myriad problems head-on and make tough decisions that have been avoided by current Mayor Brandon Johnson.
Quigley, a longtime politician who has flirted with running for mayor in previous cycles, described himself as the "tough love leader" the city needs. He outlined his plan to address key issues such as closing underutilized public schools, right-sizing city government, and confronting Chicago's massive pension crisis.
The congressman emphasized the need for honest leadership, citing the problem of politicians who don't want to offend and avoid making tough choices. "For decades now, mayors have kicked the can," he said. "We sold assets, made stupid mistakes because leaders were worried about just getting elected and reelected."
Quigley vowed to demand union concessions to prevent bankruptcy at four city employee pension funds and reduce a workforce that has expanded due to pandemic relief funding. He also offered to work with community leaders and the school board to close underpopulated public schools.
The plan includes privatizing some of these schools, which Quigley believes would be more efficient and productive. "When you're talking about a high school with only 100 students, it's cheaper to have them attend private school," he said.
Quigley also acknowledged that his approach may ruffle some feathers, but emphasized the need for leadership that makes tough decisions. "This is a mayor who's frankly been afraid to lead and doesn't want to make choices," he said.
As Quigley launches his campaign, it remains to be seen how he will stack up against other potential candidates, including Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias and retiring state Comptroller Susana Mendoza. However, Quigley is confident in his ability to win, citing his track record as a candidate who has won elections despite being outspent.
The mayor's office declined to comment on the race for now, with Johnson instead focusing on community issues.
. I mean, he's been in politics for ages and we've seen what that gets you - cronyism and a whole lot of gridlock 
. Privatizing underpopulated public schools? Come on, that's just gonna leave more kids without access to quality education 
. And don't even get me started on the pension crisis... Quigley thinks he can fix it with some union concessions? Please 
. I'm all for tough love leadership, but this guy sounds like a typical politician who only cares about getting elected 
. We need someone with real ideas and a willingness to shake things up, not just the same old tired solutions 
I gotta say, Mike Quigley seems like a straight shooter, you know? He's not afraid to ruffle some feathers and make some tough decisions. I mean, who wants to deal with all that pension stuff head-on? It takes guts, right? 
The thing is, we've seen politicians back out of these kinds of commitments before. Fingers crossed Quigley can actually follow through on his promises. And privatizing underpopulated public schools? That's definitely a bold move... not sure if it'll sit well with everyone, but hey, at least he's thinking outside the box 
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. Quigley seems like he's got some tough love energy going on, which is just what this city needs right now 
. I'm all for privatizing some of those schools - it might not be my personal cup of tea, but if it makes things more efficient... 
. I mean, someone's gotta do it, and if it's not him, who will? 
Still, I'm a little skeptical about some of his plans... like, privatizing schools with only 100 students? That sounds like a recipe for disaster 
. Only time'll tell if Quigley's got what it takes to fix this city in crisis 
Quigley sounds like he's gonna be super tough on Chicago but also kinda ruthless? Like, privatizing schools is a whole thing and I'm not sure that's the answer 
. The privatization part of his plan is also a hot topic – it'll be interesting to see how that plays out with the community 
. Can he bring some much-needed change to the city or will he just get caught in the same old politics? Only time (and the voters) will tell 
he's been in office since 2019 and what has he really accomplished? 
We need a more solid plan than just " privatizing some schools" and "demanding concessions"... that seems too simplistic to me 
I mean, politicians don't often show that kind of bravery. And he's been in politics long enough to know how things work, so maybe that gives him an edge? 
But on the other hand, maybe it's exactly what the city needs to shake things up. And can we really trust him not to get swayed by special interests or corporate money 
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. but i guess its all about makin tough decisions and stuff. fingers crossed he can make it happen tho 
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. We'll see how this whole thing plays out, but I'm keepin' an eye on it 
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. We need leaders who are willing to listen and work with community leaders, not just swoop in and try to 'fix' things without a plan. And what about the impact on low-income families who rely on those schools? It's all about being reelected, I guess 
, I mean, privatizing schools because they're underpopulated? That sounds like a recipe for disaster 
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. I'm all for making tough choices, but you gotta do it in a way that doesn't harm people's livelihoods or well-being.
. We'll have to wait and see how this all plays out