A day after Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker delivered strong criticism of Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson's relationships in Springfield, Johnson is defending his administration.
During a Tuesday press conference, Pritzker said that Johnson’s administration doesn’t “have good relationships in Springfield,” and said that repeated overtures during the city’s recent budget battle were left unanswered.
“They don't reach out very often. And it seems like they don't have good relationships in Springfield, in part because they don't do the outreach that's necessary,” Pritzker said. “I've always taken calls from the mayor….(and) he has my direct number.”
Pritzker told reporters he had only received a handful of calls from Johnson during the mayor’s 20 months in office.
During an event in the Roseland neighborhood Wednesday, Johnson pushed back on the idea that he doesn’t communicate enough with legislators in the state capital.
“This idea of my relationships in Springfield, I will just say that they predate my time as mayor,” he said. “And yes, we’re going to continue to work hard to ensure that the people of Chicago and our interests are protected.”
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Johnson also defended his relationship with the governor’s administration, pointing to last summer’s Democratic National Convention as an example of how the two administrations have coordinated.
He also extended an invitation to Pritzker to visit him at his West Side home.
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“I probably do owe him an invitation to my home,” he said. “He invited me to his home. My wife and I went there and you know, the governor of course is always welcome to the west side of Chicago.”
The dust-up was sparked by disagreements between Johnson and Pritzker over a proposed bill that would have regulated products that contain hemp, which is used in products like delta-8 and delta-10 THC. Both Pritzker and Johnson support such regulations, but the mayor was pushing for more local involvement in the crafting of the legislation to avoid potentially rough consequences for businesses in the city.
"There's no conflict," he told NBC Chicago’s Mary Ann Ahern. "We both agree that we have to have strict regulations. In fact, during the budget process, we put forth and led the way on stricter regulations that were not particularly in this legislation.
While the measure to regulate the substances could be brought back to the floor when the new session of the General Assembly begins, Johnson is going to face other fights that could further test his relationships with Pritzker and lawmakers. Tops on that list are funding for the Chicago Transit Authority as the so-called “fiscal cliff,” when monies related to COVID-19 relief are scheduled to run out in 2026. Officials have warned of massive service cuts of up to 40% to deal with the funding shortfall.
