Mayor Richard Daley gave state Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch’s Democratic gubernatorial candidacy a lift Thursday when he embraced her plan to raise the state income tax in exchange for property-tax relief and dedicated school funding.
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Daley, however, shied away from endorsing Netsch in the March 15 primary.
But as a major Democratic figure who quickly applauded Netsch’s ideas, Daley lent a large amount of credibility to her once-stumbling campaign.
Meanwhile, the outgoing state schools superintendent accused gubernatorial candidates of treating education as “a whipping post.”
Although he would not single out specific politicians, Robert Leininger criticized candidates who have called for better results and greater accountability before advocating a tax increase or increased funding for schools.
Democratic Cook County Board President Richard Phelan and Republican Gov. Jim Edgar have said schools should use their current resources more wisely instead of resorting to a tax increase.
And taking a shot at Democratic Atty. Gen. Roland Burris, though not by name, Leininger criticized candidates who say they want to cut government waste to find money for education.
“Well, the check’s in the mail. I’ve heard that one before too,” Leininger said. “I think it’s not appropriate that we let education become the whipping post in politics.”
But Leininger, who for years has called for an income-tax increase to finance schools, declined to take a position on Netsch’s education funding plan.
Netsch has portrayed herself as the only straight-talking candidate offering sound solutions for the education funding issue, which polls show is a priority among voters.
Specifically, she would increase the state income tax rate on individuals to 4.25 percent from 3 percent and the corporate rate to 6.8 percent from 4.8 percent, generating $2.5 billion.
That would allow a $1 billion reduction of property tax levies for school districts and a diversion of $1 billion directly into public school spending, she said. As a result, the state’s share of education funding would rise to 48 percent from the current 34 percent, Netsch said.
“I’ve been talking about that. Some way, you have to answer the state problem of education,” Daley said during a stop at the police academy. “It’s my concept in there, my ideas have been thrown in there.”
Edgar, Burris and Phelan have dismissed or declined to comment on Netsch’s plan, with both Democrats promising to outline their education spending plans soon.
Although she acknowledged that advocating an income tax increase had political risks, Netsch challenged her opponents to come up with a credible alternative.
Endorsing Netsch’s plan is not so much of a risk for Daley, whose re-election campaign is a year away. For months, he has been advocating some type of tax increase coupled with property tax reductions for education.
And a state tax increase would help Daley solve perennial problems in funding Chicago’s public schools.
Daley contended that state officials must provide some kind of education funding reform “now or after the election.”
“I haven’t seen her specifics, but if you don’t reduce real estate taxes, you’ll never, ever pass it (an income tax increase),” he added.
Although the mayor liked Netsch’s tax increase idea, he backed away from questions on whether he would endorse her candidacy.