CHICAGO (CBS) – Wednesday featured two big political stories with President Biden in Chicago and Mayor Brandon Johnson in Springfield, both trying to drum up money.
Biden was doing so for his campaign, and Johnson for Chicago.
The president started his day just over the Wisconsin border trying to draw a sharp parallel between his predecessor’s promise of progress and what he said is an actual delivering for the people of Wisconsin, which is a crucial swing state and home to the Republican National Convention this summer.
Back in 2018, President Trump touted a $10 billion investment in southeast Wisconsin from Foxconn, a company promising 10,000 jobs. Trump came to the site with a golden shovel.
In the end, it never happened.
"They wasted hundreds of millions, your state and local tax dollars, to promise a project that never happened," Biden said on Wednesday. "Foxconn turned out to be just that, a con. Go figure."
On Wednesday, Biden was on the same site to announce a decision by Microsoft to build a $3.3 billion data operations center, that will come with 2,000 jobs.
"In fact, he came here with your senator, Ron Johnson, literally holding a golden shovel promising to build the eighth wonder of the world," Biden said. "Are you kidding me? Look what happened! They dug a hole with those golden shovels and then they fell into it."
Johnson seeks $1 billion for Chicago
Meanwhile, 200 miles to the south, Mayor Johnson was in Springfield meeting with Gov. JB Pritzker, Speaker of the Ilinois House Chris Welch, and Senate President Dan Harmon.
Johnson was trying to argue Chicago is owed $1 billion from the state for schools and other programs.
This all came on the same day the Illinois Senate was inching closer to extending a moratorium on closing Chicago schools until 2027. The Senate Executive Committee approved plans to extend that moratorium. It’s unclear when the full Senate will vote on the measure.
The Chicago Teachers Union, which had supported the plan, is now critical of the legislation despite that it appears to be on track to be approved.
Johnson and Pritzker were expected to meet Wednesday afternoon.
Region: Chicago,Local,City: Chicago
via Syndicated Local – CBS Chicago https://ift.tt/SCpIcy9
May 8, 2024 at 04:29PM
