Dan Rostenkowski - in Chicago

In Chicago

Throughout his career in Washington, Rostenkowski returned to Chicago almost every weekend. In his early days he would drive to and from Washington with two other young Illinois Congressmen, Republicans Harold Collier and future Republican leader Robert Michel. Upon his return every Friday, Rostenkowski met with Mayor Richard J. Daley at his City Hall office to discuss Chicago's agenda in Washington. Besides Daley, Rostenkowski worked with five other Chicago Mayors, Michael Bilandic, Jane Byrne, Harold Washington, Eugene Sawyer and Richard M. Daley. During the 1980s the Democratic power structure in Chicago splintered, “Council Wars” pitted the City Council against Mayor Washington, Chicago’s first Black mayor, reformers faced off against the machine Democrats and black politicians against white. The city was dubbed “Beirut on the Lake” by the Wall Street Journal. During this turbulent period Rostenkowski was a tower of stability. “He made sure the city got its fair share, no matter who was mayor,” said Bill Daley “Danny felt he had to help the pathetic armatures in the Mayor’s office because he had a love for the city. “He did more for the city than anybody else,” said Alderman Edward M. Burke, chairman of the City Council’s finance committee. “But he never asked for credit. He just went to the mayor. That’s the way it’s done in Chicago.” Local political scientist Paul Green said, “During a decade of chaos, he became an insurance policy for the city”.(Cohen 174)

Rostenkowski gave up his position as Democratic Committeeman of the 32nd Ward in 1984, but retained local influence as he was able to essential hand the position to his protege, Alderman Terry Gabinski.

An unbiased supporter of Chicago interests, Rostenkowski paid attention to the needs of Chicago based institutions –especially when they promised more jobs for Chicago area workers."I make no apology for my efforts to build a stronger Chicago." (Cohen) In the early 1980s Rostenkowski successfully fought off repeated attempts to impose a transaction tax on commodity traders at the Chicago Board of Trade, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and the Chicago Board of Options Exchange. Such a tax would have been fatal to the exchanges, driving business out of Chicago to overseas markets. (Merriner-186) Rostenkowski helped secure for the city of Chicago the right to tax passengers flying in and out of its airports. The tax, originally intended to raise money for the construction of a third airport, now yields $90 million annually for improvements at O'Hare and Midway Airport. But its passage was in big trouble before Rostenkowski stepped in to salvage it. According to Ways and Means lore, he threatened to hold up the entire federal budget at one point until he was sure the tax was in place. (Brown)

Rostenkowski was also considered a longtime leader of Chicago Polonia and was seen to represent its interests in Washington along with fellow Congressman Roman Pucinski.