Former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel yesterday officially announced his candidacy for the post of Chicago mayor. Emanuel promised that he would fight any tax increase for city residents, if elected to office. "We cannot ask taxpayers for more when families are struggling to stay afloat in this economy. We cannot price Chicagoans out of their homes, their schools and their communities," he told supporters.
Emanuel made some other pledges as well like: to fight crime, create jobs, improve education and make government accessible to residents. The former White House aide said that he would make three speeches before the February 22 election outlining specific ideas in education, crime and gangs, and the finances in the city.
State Sen. James Meeks and U.S. Rep. Danny Davis are expected to announce their candidacy today and former Senator Carol Moseley Braun is expected make an official announcement in this regard in the next week or so. Former city schools President Gery Chico and City Clerk Miguel del Valle have already announced that they would run for the post.
Emanuel said that he is not an outsider as claimed by opponents. He added that though his grandfather came to Chicago from Europe, he was born and raised in Chicago and his family lives in Chicago as well. "Only the opportunity to help President Obama as his chief of staff could have pried me away from here. And only the opportunity to lead this city could have pried me away from the president's side," remarked Emanuel, who represented the city's North Side in Congress before becoming the White House chief of staff.
