Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel says he plans to be very involved with the legislative passage of marriage equality in Illinois and at a news conference today called pushing for it one of his top priorities.
Said Emanuel: "I've been in touch with leaders, including State Representative Greg Harris, State Representative Deb Mell and leaders in both chambers, so Illinois will now take the next step in making sure that our values are reflected in our laws."
Emanuel said it was near the top of his list of legislative priorities he'd like to see happen in Springfield:
"One is retirement security and pension reform so we can give taxpayers and the public employees retirement security, which is something we can't say today," Emanuel told reporters during a visit to Austin Polytechnical Academy High School to announce an investment in the school's manufacturing program. "Two, I was advocating, as have other people for 25 years, a casino for the city of Chicago, but one in which I've committed [that] all the resources will go into school modernization and building new schools and modernizing our schools so our kids will have the best facilities to learn in. Third, I will continue to advocate, as I have since a congressman, that we also pass marriage equality and end the discrimination on the books."
Watch ABC7's report on Emanuel's marriage equality statement, AFTER THE JUMP…
