Emanuel touts work in first 100 days

Emanuel touts work in first 100 days
WBEZ/Bill Healy
Emanuel touts work in first 100 days
WBEZ/Bill Healy

Emanuel touts work in first 100 days

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Updated at 4:33 a.m. on Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Monday boasted about things he’s done since taking office almost 100 days ago. This includes a list of ethics measures, budget cuts and long-term city planning.

Emanuel stood at City Hall beside two poster boards, lists of his accomplishments. Many of them had been listed in his transition plan, with the goal of completing them by his 100th day in office, which happens this week. Every item had a checkmark next to it.

“By no means do I call this perfection,” Emanuel said at a City Hall press conference. “And I don’t spike the ball on the 20 yard line. I am here to give a report to the public, so they know that their mayor will be held accountable to achieving what he pledged.”

But for some of Emanuel’s 100-day goals, the public is being asked to take his word that they’re completed.

For example, a report on the controversial TIF economic development program is apparently done, but has not been released.

Same goes for another 100-day goal: completing a facilities plan for the Chicago Public Schools. Emanuel himself sounded confused about whether this had been done, noting Monday that CPS “just hired” someone to conduct a “full study” of its facilities.

But Emanuel’s staff claims a facilities plan was completed more than a month ago. That plan has not been made public. A spokesperson for the mayor says the administration is “reviewing it.”