It's jobs vs. jobs in Chicago.
Gov. Pat Quinn made a "major" announcement at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday about an "Illinois Jobs Now!" capital construction project. The project is expected to improve regional transportation and, importantly, create jobs in Chicago.
Meanwhile, Mayor Rahm Emanuel made his own announcement, also at 10:30 a.m., about bringing jobs to the city. Joseph M. Tucci, chairman and CEO of EMC Corporation, a Fortune 500 company specializing in information technology, will join him.
Also in the mix was Cook County Board President, updating the public at 11 a.m. on her administration's economic accomplishments, including creating more than 1,600 new jobs.
Quinn and Emanuel were at odds last week over a casino bill that would expand gambling in Illinois and open a casino in Chicago. The latter is most important to Emanuel, and the mayor hopes it will help solve part of the city's debt crunch.
But Quinn told Emanuel to slow down.
“What I have to do is carefully analyze this particular piece of legislation that has not arrived on my desk," Quinn said, "so the notion that we’re spending the money before the law is passed is putting the cart before the horse."
Emanuel countered by saying Quinn will eventually agree that the jobs he plans to create will become the trump card.
“I told him beforehand that this was how I was gonna use the money, and he asked me to lay it out specifically, and this is what I’ve done,” the mayor said.
