Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn endorses Garcia for mayor

Former Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday endorsed U.S. Rep. Jesus “Chuy” Garcia in the crowded race for mayor of Chicago over Mayor Lori Lightfoot, whom he supported four years ago and Paul Vallas, whom he chose in 2014 as his running mate for lieutenant governor.

Lightfoot has been blanketing the airwaves with commercials attempting to link Garcia to two indicted political powerhouses: former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and former crypto-currency kingpin Sam Bankman-Fried.

Quinn was undaunted by those attacks.

“Congressman Garcia — from the time I met him in the 1980s to the present — is a man of integrity and character. There are people in politics you may not particularly like. But they have a position and you have to deal with them,” Quinn said.

“I was governor of Illinois for six years. I had to deal almost daily with Speaker Madigan. I strongly disagreed with him on many issues. But we had to pass a budget through the state legislature to help the people. So I really feel that the integrity of Congressman Chuy Garcia is unquestionably positive. He’s a man of honesty. Everything I’ve dealt with him — he’s been honest and accountable to the voters.”

Over the years, Quinn has enjoyed his greatest successes as a political gadfly. He led petition drives that reduced the size of the Illinois House and created the Citizens Utility Board.

Those populist successes catapulted Quinn into a political career that included stints as as state treasurer, commissioner of the Board of Review and lieutenant governor. That’s how he become the “accidental governor,” taking office after Gov. Rod Blagojevich was impeached. Quinn was re-elected to a four-year term of his own in 2010, but was denied a second term in 2014 by Republican Bruce Rauner.

In that election, Quinn chose Vallas to be his running mate.

Asked Thursday why he is not endorsing Vallas for mayor, Quinn said Garcia is a better choice.

“He’s a progressive and I am, too,” Quinn said. “He is a committed reformer over 40 years.”

Quinn specifically cited Garcia’s “unique abilities to unite people and advocate for everyday people in the neighborhoods, particularly when it comes to property tax relief.”

“Chicago cannot have a strong middle class unless we fundamentally overhaul our property tax system. If you’re gonna have a strong city, you must reform a property tax system that is out of control. Chuy has the best ability to do something about that, has a commitment to hold the line on property taxes,” said Quinn, 73, who circulated nomination petitions for mayor himself before deciding not to run.

Quinn, 73, supported Lightfoot over County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in the 2019 mayoral runoff. He spoke at a Lightfoot campaign rally. He gave her a campaign contribution. He put a Lightfoot sign on the front lawn of his Galewood home.

But that was before Lightfoot reneged on her campaign promise to fight for and abide by a two-term limit for the mayor of Chicago and proposed selling corporate naming rights to Soldier Field to bankroll a $2 billion renovation.

Now, Quinn calls Lightfoot a disappointment because she broke the “solemn promise” to limit herself and future mayors to two terms and convinced the City Council to approve an automatic escalator locking in annual property tax increases to match the rate of inflation.

“That’s a bad ordinance. To be accountable to taxpayers, the mayor and City Council should address that issue every year. In fact, they should reduce the property tax levy wherever possible,” Quinn said.

“The incumbent pushed for this automatic property tax increase, which I strongly disagree with. If we’re gonna help families and businesses be able to afford to live in Chicago, that ordinance needs to be repealed.”

With inflation rising, Lightfoot initially cut the 2023 property tax increase in half before cancelling the increase altogether. But she made it a point to say the break is for one year only, and the automatic increases remain essential to chip away at the city’s $33 billion pension crisis.

Candidate routinely try to line up as many endorsements as possible from present and former elected officials, but the value of those endorsements has been questionable. Popularity can seldom be transferred to someone else.

Asked Thursday what his endorsement means, Quinn would only say:

“I’ve run for treasurer and lieutenant governor, then governor. Every time I’ve run, I’ve done well. Very well in the city of Chicago with everybody. With all different groups.”