Rauner, Emanuel spar on budget, dead fish

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner publicly criticized each other's work at separate events Friday.

Mayor Emanuel helped open New City Development on Friday, just two days after the Chicago City Council approved his highest-on-record property tax increase.

"We met all our obligations as demanded by Springfield to police and fire pensions and did it in a way that's fair for everybody," he said.

Gov. Rauner criticized the mayor's approach while shopping at a North Side meat market.

"He's put a massive tax hike on the people of the city of Chicago without significant structural reform and I think that's a mistake," Rauner said.

Mayor Emanuel had a reply for the governor.

"You're 120 days behind budget, $6 billion and counting and not paying bills. Stop name calling and just do your job," Emanuel said.

Governor Rauner then attempted humor recall when Emanuel sent a fish to a political pollster with whom he disagreed.

"I bought some fish. I'm going to send some dead fish to the mayor," he said. "I think he will deeply appreciate that as only he can."

Jokes aside, the mayor reminded the governor there are vulnerable state residents suffering because spring field still has no budget.

"Six thousand-plus kids have been thrown out of day care. The job to get done is to actually go back to the negotiating table and pass a budget," Emanuel said.

The governor said he is talking on a regular basis to the mayor, the speaker of the House and Illinois Senate president. He said he is looking forward to a public budget negotiating session that is tentatively scheduled for mid-November.