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Mayor Emanuel Refuses To Discuss Alternatives If State Supreme Court Shoots Down City Pension Deal

(CBS) -- Mayor Rahm Emanuel is refusing to discuss alternate plans if the city's pension agreement continues to be shot down by the courts, reports WBBM Political Editor Craig Dellimore.

What happens if the Illinois Supreme Court says a Cook County judge was right to find Chicago's pension deal with its unions unconstitutional?

Don't ask Mayor Emanuel. He insists the reforms will be upheld on appeal, unlike the state's.

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"I support the substance of our argument in front of the [Illinois] Supreme Court that this meets the standard," Emanuel said. "Second, I firmly believe in the approach."

The approach of working with the unions. But the city and school system have been borrowing to balance the budget and a reporter asked, "Why not raise taxes?"

"You assume the only answer is to raise taxes," Emanuel said. "I have always approached things that you have to make sure you find every quarter under every pillow every dime and you make the cuts, the reforms and efficiencies."

The mayor says savings can still be found despite all of the previous cost-cutting.

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