>> mr. chicois this a distraction to the campaign? >> no. i am not challenged anyone in my career, including rahm. i am had been privileged to serve as chief of staff for the mayor, president of the school board where we brought our schools but from the brink, parks chairman where we built parks for our children. i will not do what ron emanuel has done which is proposed the single largest sales tax -- >> do you think politics was at play in the appellate court decision? >> the good news is now that we have the supreme court decision, it is final. a flea this will be the last question for all of us about it. that decision is -- i have always said that the voters will make the decision on who will be the next mayor. i think that what is facing the city is a real debate not about my presidency but about what the residents of the city of chicago care about which is our schools, our streets, and our economic finances so we can attract businesses rather than seeing companies leave. we can keep those cor

mr. -- >> was to put more officers on the -- mr. chicoants to put more officers onhe street. >> i think the number one issue on the minds of people is public safety, without a doubt. yesterday i proposed a crime and safety plan. standing with me s a woman by the name of gloria patron. she had lost her 13-year-old son to gang fire. she was struck six years later. i promised her i would do everything in my power to bring the right amount ofolice to our city so per side -- so her son or any other child would not have to get through that again. in 1993 we brought 1000 police officers onto the force. i think i am the only person who brought officerto the force. >> you cannot take credit for what mayor daley did. >> i recommended it. we let our manpower drop down to a point that is dangerously l right now. we have ravaged our caps program. we are usi one-man cars. we are not able to have the righamount of foot-patrols. we can hire 2000 police officers i get a budget of $6.50 billion. that amounts to about 2.5% to 3%. anyone who cannot modify a

[laughter] >> mr. chico? >> i have a question for rahm.cern me ever since you propod it. that is the single largest sales tax we have ever seen. i am very concerned abo that because i care very deeply about the working men and women throughout this city. i cannot see handing another 9% on common services -- barbershops, child care, pet clippings. i do not know how you can do that. >> what i propose is that the wttw -- a 20% cut in sales tax is a 20% cut in sales tax. i believe a burnley says we are talking about wking families that a mother who is buying school products or clothes for key is to art school is paying the highest sales tax of any city in the country where people who rent and shorter private jets, limousines -- are not paying anything. i do not think that is fair. for a working family, it is a cut of about $200. ford motor co. is thinking of a third shift. they put it as the number-one reason they are at a disadvantage. i propose another change i reform of taxes. as the price goes up, you pay more. it forces energy efficiency.

. -- >> was to put more officers on the -- mr. chico wants to put more officers on the street. >> i think the number one issue on the minds of people is public safety, without a doubt. yesterday i proposed a crime and safety plan. standing with me was a woman by the name of gloria patron. she had lost her 13-year-old son to gang fire. she was struck six years later. i promised her i would do everything in my power to bring the right amount of police to our city so per side -- so her son or any other child would not have to get through that again. in 1993 we brought 1000 police officers onto the force. i think i am the only person who brought officers to the force. >> you cannot take credit for what mayor daley did. >> i recommended it. we let our manpower drop down to a point that is dangerously low right now. we have ravaged our caps program. we are using one-man cars. we are not able to have the right amount of foot-patrols. we can hire 2000 police officers i get a budget of $6.50 billion. that amounts to about 2.5% to 3%. anyone who