SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Chicago’s mayor-elect on Wednesday attempted to dispel the often-contentious relationship between the nation’s third-largest city and the rest of the state, telling a joint session of the General Assembly, “There’s more than enough for everybody in the state of Illinois.”

Brandon Johnson, whose victory in the mayor’s race this month provided a welcome boost for progressives, played to his fellow Democrats, who hold supermajorities in both the House and Senate. He extolled the “Blue Wall” they’ve built and pledged to “be a partner in this incredible, progressive body that has delivered for people across the state.”

Pounded later by reporters’ questions about reducing crime in Chicago, he promised to be “smart” as well as “tough,” putting resources into youth employment and other preventive measures as well as enforcement. But his primary message was one of collaboration.

“They told us that if something is good for Chicago, that means we’re taking something away from Peoria,” Johnson told lawmakers. “They tell us that the challenges that we face in the city of Chicago … aren’t the same challenges shared by families from Rockford to Carbondale. … No one has to lose at the expense of someone else winning. There’s more than enough for everybody in the state of Illinois.”

Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford, a Democrat from the Chicago suburb of Maywood, said Johnson took a positive step by tabbing team members to keep connected to the Legislature, something that was wanting with current Mayor Lori Lightfoot.

“He wants to work with not only with the Chicago delegation of legislators, but he’s recognizing that … no matter where you are in the state, you have a role to play in the outcomes of the city of Chicago,” Lightford said. She added, “A lot of people lose sight of that. They just say Chicago has issues, not recognizing that it is the economic engine of the state. And you do want to make sure that there’s prosperity there so that it can also extend across the state.”

Johnson, 47, a two-term Cook County commissioner and former teacher who gained traction with the full-throated support of the powerful Chicago Teachers Union, promised to tackle the city’s financial trouble with the “same smart, responsible, bold approach” that Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker and lawmakers have taken in Springfield, reducing the state’s billions of dollars in debt and consequently receiving credit upgrades from Wall Street bonding houses.

But he also pledged investments in neighborhood schools, youth employment and health care — particularly mental health — and combating crime. Such initiatives will need an assist from Springfield, Johnson said. When addressing reporters later, he declined to talk specific figures, labeling that as “dictating” rather than “collaborating” with state partners.

On crime, he said, “Public safety is a prerequisite to the prosperity of Chicago and the voters have sent a clear message that they want to get smart, not just tough on crime.”

After weathering criticism from runoff rival Paul Vallas over previous statements to “defund” the police, a movement that arose after the 2020 murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, Johnson said Wednesday that he would add 200 detectives to the force. But he also said he would increase funding to battle “the root causes of violence” and provide mental health care for police officers.

“The smart way is investing in people,” Johnson said.

Johnson, who frequently mentions that he and his wife are raising three children in the westside Austin neighborhood, among the city’s most violent, took heat for comments he made following last weekend’s melee in downtown Chicago that left two teenagers wounded by gunfire. He said he didn’t condone the violence but said “it is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities.”

He rebuffed a reporter’s question about whether he sent a mixed message.

“It’s not a mixed message. … This is a false choice. You can make sure that we eradicate the root causes that lead to violence, and we also can make sure that there’s support on the front line to make sure that we’re preventing violence,” Johnson said. “No one takes it more seriously than a family that lives through it every single day.”

Following Johnson’s address to the Illinois General Assembly, State Senator Terri Bryant (R-Murphysboro) released the following statement.

“I truly hope to see the City of Chicago one day return to being the great and proud city it once was; however, we cannot get there by throwing money at the City’s problems. The Mayor-elect’s talking points were nothing more than progressive propaganda. There is no real plan to prevent the growing rampant violent crime in the streets or to bring and keep businesses within the city and state. Until the newly elected Mayor can prove that he can get his own house in order, the Illinois General Assembly should not be giving him an amplified platform to push his agenda, especially when others throughout the state haven’t been afforded that opportunity.”

State Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) said following Johnson’s address that he wishes him the best and he’s got tough work ahead of him.

Fowler says Johnson talked about the City of Chicago being an economic engine in the state of Illinois. It is an economic engine, according to Fowler, and there’s much more to the state of Illinois than Chicago.

“You know we have our agriculture industry, we have our tourism industry especially down in my district, the heartland of America, we’re thriving down there,” said Fowler. “So there needs to be an initiative for the whole state of Illinois, not just Chicago. And most importantly he did mention that he wants to support law enforcement. So I think that’s where he going to have to be accountable to see what measures he takes to support law enforcement because we all know law enforcement needs more support, more support than they’ve ever had before. So we need to hold him accountable for that. He mentioned that in his speech, and that’s going to be a top priority.”

When asked if it’s important for downstate Illinois that Chicago does well, Fowler said absolutely because we get a lot of revenue from Chicago.

“And you know that’s probably one reason why a lot of people from Chicago want to come down to areas such as my district. They want some peace and quiet, and they want some safety. And you know he has to a better job. He’s going to have a hard job keeping businesses in downtown Chicago,” said Fowler. “We see what’s happening in downtown Chicago. If he wants Chicago to continue to be one of our economic engines, he’s going to have to protect our businesses so they don’t continue to leave downtown Chicago because what happens when they leave? They leave with their tax dollars, they leave with their families, and they leave the state.”