When city clerk hopeful Susana Mendoza* heard Tuesday about mayoral candidate Rahm Emanuel‘s recent announcement, she said she was stunned and exclaimed: “Hey, that’s my idea.”Barely two weeks after Mendoza proposed raising money for the cash-strapped city by selling ads on city vehicle stickers, Emanuel announced Tuesday he would raise money for after-school programs with “new ads on the city’s vehicle stickers, on garbage trucks and an other public venues, like farmers’ markets.”
Asked if she felt that Emanuel had stolen her idea, Mendoza replied, “That’s maybe how some folks would see it. I was surprised to see it in the paper as his idea.”
Mendoza said Emanuel had never spoken to her about the concept, which he put forward at a news conference Tuesday morning.
Told of Mendoza’s reaction, Emanuel spokesman Ben LaBolt said. “We’re not saying this is a source of revenue that nobody has proposed.”
Mendoza also took a jibe at Emanuel on her campaign’s Facebook page, saying, “Nice to see Rahm Emanuel likes my idea for creating revenue through ads on city stickers. He must have read the previous news articles on my idea.”
One of her supporters replied, “I love YOUR idea!”
Mendoza has suggested spending the revenue for hiring more police officers and cutting sticker fees.
“I am glad he hopped on the idea, but I do disagree on how to spend the revenue,” Mendoza said.
Mendoza’s campaign is backed by powerful Ald. Edward Burke — whose 14th Ward Democrats have aided Emanuel’s mayoral rival Gery Chico.
* Read the January 4 press statement, regarding this topic, from Susana Mendoza about Rahm Emaunel's plan.
* Contribute $250, $100, $50 or $25 to Susana Mendoza's campaign to ensure that her proven experience, and ideas such as ads on city stickers, will benefit all of Chicago.
* Click here to view all the articles about the Susana Mendoza proposal for ads on city stickers.
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