Rauner may wear $18 watch, but has $100,000 parking spot downtown

Sneed Exclusive . . .

Running with Rauner . . .

Let’s put it in park for a moment, shall we.

Sneed hears uber wealthy GOP gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner, who is putting his campaign throttle in full gear, also paid piles of cash for a parking space.

How about $100,000 for one parking space!

◆ Translation: Sneed has learned rich man Rauner spent $100,000 on an extra parking space and storage space at 340 E. Randolph St., where he owns a $4 million penthouse and a $1.2 million condo purchased in 2008 — which already include three parking spots.

◆ Backshot: Rauner, who claims to wear an $18 watch, drink beer, smoke cigars, use guns and ride a Harley, had no difficulty coughing up beaucoup bucks for a secured parking space located in the condo garage under the building.

◆ Buckshot: Rauner, who actually owns nine residences, maintains a primary family residence in Winnetka. He caught flak for reportedly buying the East Randolph Street penthouse to establish residence for his daughter so she could attend Walter Payton College Prep, an elite city high school.

◆ Romney shot: Rauner, who eschews comparison to former GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney, apparently has one thing in common with him besides money. Romney drew brickbats during the last presidential campaign for spending $55,000 on a car elevator in his La Jolla, California, home.

◆ Potshot: Didn’t Team Rauner recently pooh-pooh the $100,000 in savings Gov. Pat Quinn secured from cutting out 80 downtown state parking spots?

Rauner campaign spokesman Mike Schrimpf said he’d get back to us.

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