That's an economic development program in the metropolitan area. If they don't see that, and you don't get these things done, then you're competing with Texas and California and Atlanta; then you really have problems.

In the summer of 2007 in reaction to ongoing indictments and convictions of aldermen Daley and Huels Richard M. Daleypherded a package of ethics reforms through City Council. " While other midwest Rust Belt cities such as Detroit and Cleveland shrank Chicago avoided this and managed to grow.

His budgets ran up the largest deficits in Chicago history. Mayor Daley expanded benefits to same-sex domestic partners of City employees and advocated for gun control. Mayor Daley was criticised when family personal friends and political allies seemed to disproportionately benefit from city contracting.