Emanuel promises more economic development if reelected

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Rahm Emanuel promised more economic development in more Chicago neighborhoods if he's re-elected.

Mayor Emanuel's election opponents have claimed he does too much for downtown and not enough for the neighborhoods.

Wednesday, the mayor fought back. He went to the Pullman neighborhood where a new Wal-Mart anchors a large shopping center and a green factory has sprouted up next door.

The mayor appeared at the Method Cleaning Products' new green manufacturing facility on the far south side.

"It's the first manufacturing center built by the company in the United States and the very first new factory in Pullman in 30 years," Emanuel said.

Time and time again Mayor Emanuel has shown no ribbon cutting is too insignificant for him to wield the ceremonial scissors.

Method's factory won't be fully functioning until April but it will create 100 jobs.

The mayor was at the Pullman plant to talk up his first term economic accomplishments, including new grocery stores, re-imagined community colleges and business-friendly policies.

"We used to have an employee head tax," he said. "A company like Method would be taxed for creating those jobs. We eliminated that. They don't pay that tax. It made it more attractive for them to pick Chicago over Michigan."

"Bringing all strengths to bear is why more companies, factories like this, more families than ever before are calling Chicago home and moving back into the city," Emanuel added.

$8.8 million in city incentives paved the way for that new plant in Pullman.

The mayor's opponents, like Chuy Garcia and Bob Fioretti, said today it's an example of Emanuel putting businesses before residents.

The mayor says those businesses employ people from every neighborhood in Chicago.