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State building's fate is latest feud between Emanuel, Rauner

Posted May 05, 2017 7:00 am

The Associated Press

CHICAGO (AP) - The future of a state building housing about 2,200 employees is sparking the latest disagreement between Gov. Bruce Rauner and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel.

Republicans pitched plans Friday earmarking future property tax receipts of a possible James Thompson Center sale for Chicago schools. The Republican governor has criticized the 16-story Helmut Jahn-designed building with roughly $326 million in deferred maintenance as a waste of taxpayer money.

However, Emanuel says Rauner's estimates about benefits to schools are inaccurate and unanswered questions remain about the fate of a train station under the center.

Rauner accused Emanuel's office of devising "artificial road blocks" during a Friday news conference by the building's heating and cooling system.

Emanuel's spokesman calls Rauner's push to sell a "pathetic display of misplaced priorities" with Illinois' two-year budget impasse.

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