Republicans Favor Less Government Except in Distressed Cities
- Governors in Illinois, New Jersey push state takeovers
- "What's the exit strategy?" needs to be answered of managers
Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner declares victory on Nov. 4, 2014, in Chicago, Illinois.
Photographer: John Gress/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
The Republican refrain is that the best government is a small government, and that it shouldn’t meddle in local affairs. Except when cities in Republican-ruled states are in trouble.
Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is pushing for a takeover of the Chicago school system, which is hemorrhaging cash, and his counterpart in New Jersey, Chris Christie, just reached a deal with a top-ranking Democratic legislator to give Trenton more control over Atlantic City, which could be out of money as soon as April.