Mayors caucus hopes Emanuel will carry on Daley’s legacy of collaboration

Nearly 15 years after its founding by then-Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, the Metropolitan Mayors’ Caucus has grown into a group helping Chicago and its suburbs function cohesively, working together to strengthen the region’s economy, transportation and schools.

Monday, as a new leader took the helm of the city of Chicago for the first time in 22 years, members of the 272-person group chaired by Addison Village President Larry Hartwig expressed hope for continued collaboration under Rahm Emanuel.

“We are very anxious to have a meeting with him,” Barrington Village President Karen Darch, the group’s executive board secretary, said.

“It’s a good forum for the suburban mayors to speak with each other and address issues together with the city.”

David Bennett, the group’s executive director, said that after Emanuel won election in February, Daley had been working to set up a “changing of the guard” meeting with him, Emanuel, and other mayors in the caucus.

But the health of Daley’s wife, Maggie, who is battling cancer, prevented that, Bennett said.

“It is something we want to do sometime in the near future,” Bennett said. “A number of mayors in the region have known Emanuel since his days in Congress. I think we’re very much looking forward to working with him.”

At the top of the group’s list of issues right now, Hartwig said, is potential state cuts to funding for local government, which members in recent weeks have dubbed a “stealth tax.”

In the weeks before he left office, Bennett said, Daley had been in contact with Emanuel over that specific issue, which was also being discussed by the conference.

“That is the huge issue, and we certainly expect that Mayor Emanuel will have the same position we do because he has a huge hole in his budget and I can’t imagine he could take another issue on revenue,” Hartwig said.

Despite that, Hartwig noted it will likely be awhile before Emanuel takes on Daley’s role in the caucus.

“He’s tied up with his transition, and I understand,” Hartwig said. “The first priority of any mayor is their own constituents. That’s what gets us elected, that’s who he needs to take care of. Obviously, we want him to participate, but make sure you’ve got things settled at home. The same is true for Mayor Emanuel as it is for any other mayor.”