Dispatches from Chicago's south side.
By advancing to the runoff, Lori Lightfoot and Toni Preckwinkle assure Chicago will have its first African-American female mayor in city history. https://t.co/SmB131cDlv— WBEZ (@WBEZ) February 27, 2019
The glitz of downtown, the influx of tech jobs, the tourist dollars pouring into city coffers: None of those things are keeping many in Chicago’s black neighborhoods from loading their belongings into car trunks and moving vans and seeking better lives someplace else.Also:
As Chicagoans go to the polls on Tuesday to choose a new mayor in one of the most wide-open elections the nation’s third-largest city has experienced in generations, many African-Americans have cast their votes another way. They have moved out.
Downtown Chicago is booming, its skyline dotted with construction cranes. Yet residents only a few miles to the south and west still wrestle with entrenched gang violence, miserable job prospects and shuttered schools — some of the still-being-identified forces, experts say, that are pushing black Chicagoans to pack up and get out.
Of the nation’s largest five cities, only Chicago saw its population decline in 2017, the third year in a row. Over all, the drops in this city of 2.7 million residents are only slight. But the trend is alarming to city leaders, and demographers say it reveals a larger truth: Black residents are leaving by the thousands each year even as new white residents flow in.
Chicago stands at a pivotal crossroads, and with Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s decision not to seek a third term, its next leader must contend with a longstanding sense of division between a prosperous economic core and forgotten neighborhoods.An important election for sure that hopefully will conclude if not today, in April as well!
“People are frustrated and they’re saying, ‘We’ve just had enough. No more mayors for the 1 percent. This city belongs to all of us, not just the people who live in the Gold Coast,’” Sharon Fairley, a former federal prosecutor who also led an agency that oversees Chicago police, said of the hurdles facing the next mayor. “The biggest challenge that anyone coming into this position now is facing is generating a feeling of inclusiveness.”
At the same time, other challenges loom large. Residents say they are weary from years of tax hikes and fee increases, but the new mayor will need to come up with another $1 billion in the next four years to continue pulling the city out of a pension crisis, a process for which Mr. Emanuel has been credited with shepherding.
February inaction is no grand conspiracy https://t.co/rsFLgF6dt8— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 25, 2019
At 11:17 p.m., a group of people who were “possibly teenagers” started fighting at the cinema in the 200 block of West 87th Street, according to Chicago police.A similar short article about this was found at the Chicago Tribune also. What's interesting is there's really only one movie theater in West Chatham or even in the few block west of the Dan Ryan expressway. No one mentions that it's the Studio Movie Grill at 210 W. 87th Street neither the Sun-Times nor the Tribune. I found that interesting.
Part of the crowd, likely three males, sprinted out the entrance, police said. At least one of them turned around to fire gunshots at the theater, striking the doors.
No one was shot or injured during the altercation, police said. As of Thursday morning, no arrests were made.
The city’s middle class, once the backbone of Chicago, is declining so swiftly that it’s almost gone https://t.co/re8FwcZnT9 pic.twitter.com/1NB5kt8n6z— WBEZ (@WBEZ) February 19, 2019
Chicago has long been defined by its stubborn racial segregation, but income segregation is “more extreme now” than in the past, Smith said.
Many of the neighborhoods that were middle income in 1970 are now lower income.
“But what's been more striking is a significant increase in high-income people moving into the city,” Smith said.
Just 8 percent of Chicago's census tracts were considered high or very high income in 1970. Today, more than one-fifth of the city’s census tracts are higher income.
Press release - Dr. Willie Wilson recommended for Chicago Mayor - https://t.co/y7Jpov8HV0 pic.twitter.com/Qqv756oW3X— Chicago YRs (@CYRs) February 2, 2019
Today the Chicago Young Republicans are announcing a strong recommendation for all Chicago-based Republicans to vote for Dr. Willie Wilson for Chicago Mayor on Tuesday, February 26th, 2019. While there are no true Republican candidates in this Mayoral election, Dr. Wilson has the most values that align with our beliefs of free enterprise, limited taxes, school choice and funds to support our police.And today from Illinois Review the Chicago GOP endorses Paul Vallas:
In making this recommendation, Chicago Young Republican President Chris Myers said “Dr. Wilson is the best shot we have to inject some conservative principles into the Mayor’s office. He understands that keeping taxes low is the best thing to encourage business and has deep community relationships to work on that many challenges that face our city.”
Dr. Wilson is a self-made business man is who is pro-business, supports a property tax cap and supports school choice for our youth. To help solve violence in Chicago, Dr. Wilson would welcome a meeting with anyone from Congress or the President to get Federal funding to support our Police Department.
According to a statement issued by the Chicago Republicans, Paul Vallas was supported by 16 committeemen, Willie Wilson by nine committeemen, Garry McCarthy by two, Jerry Joyce by one. Three committeemen declined to endorse.I suppose now, is whether or not city Republicans truly have the small heft Chris Cleveland wants to claim!
Committeemen voting for Vallas cited his strong knowledge of city government, personal honesty, willingness to take on corruption, and ability to tackle difficult budget problems.
Committeemen voting for Wilson cited his compelling personal story, success in business, outsider status, and ability to appeal to a broad swath of the city.
Republicans currently get approximately 20% of the vote in the City of Chicago in any competitive statewide race. The Republican vote in a Chicago municipal election is untested, the group says, because it has been decades since a strong Republican candidate has run for mayor. This year, however, Republicans are likely to have a significant impact, the group says, because there are 14 candidates in the race, with no single candidate polling over 15%. Top candidates are separated by only a few points. Republican voters could single-handedly get a candidate into the runoff.
"Candidates for mayor need to listen to us," said Chris Cleveland, chairman of the Chicago GOP. "In any election in which there are multiple competitive Democrats, we decide which one wins."
What's something simple you can do to improve your community? After I shop, I always take my cart back to the coral. This small habit helps me build muscle to take on bigger challenges. But when something is easy to do, it's just as easy not to do it.BTW, we should be doing random acts of kindness everyday. Great message by Mr. Cole.
It's just as easy not to greet your neighbor.
It's just as easy not to pick up trash.
It's just as easy not to shovel your neighbor’s snow.
Thank you Jewel-Osco for partnering to spread this message on Random Acts of Kindness Day.
Visit formyblock.org for more.
Therefore neighborhood advocates involved with peacekeeping activities are calling for all area residents, businesses and faith based organizations to be aware and cautious when using, or crossing, Cottage Grove Ave between 115th street & 67th (Marquette road) between the hours of 1pm until 3pm 2 hours), where a procession leaving the "House of Hope" will travel to Oakwoods cemetery.From what I'm seeing as far as comments this might involve the funeral of Lawrence "Big Law" Loggins who was murdered earlier this month. Police fear retaliation in his murder.
The black exodus https://t.co/RhYAIKsI5H— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 13, 2019
Because… Burke! https://t.co/qESVNqIhcB— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 11, 2019
But even if Burke wins reelection he’ll be a shell of his former self. And there’s nobody in the city council who can easily fill those shoes.Agreed!
Chicago operates under a strong mayor-council system, meaning that more power is concentrated in the hands of the mayor rather than in the City Council.Technically speaking Chicago has a weak mayor system where the Chicago City Council largely prevails, however, starting with Mayor Richard J. Daley and through some of the later mayors such as Harold Washington, Richard M. Daley and even Rahm Emanuel. Mayors in recent times have wielded some significant power which has led to this Tribune Editorial.
But that’s not how it works. The little mayors strut about town but turn docile when they enter City Hall. Too many of them are accustomed to taking orders on how to vote — and pleading for favors in return — from the mayor’s office. A report this month from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s political science department that analyzes aldermanic voting behavior found that Mayor Rahm Emanuel has enjoyed a more rubber-stamp City Council than Mayor Richard J. Daley and Mayor Richard M. Daley had. That’s right, the current council is even more rubbery — more pliable — than under the Daleys. Keep reading for the names of Chicago’s most obedient aldermen.As far as Chicago by city charter having a strong council/weak mayor system:
It sounds like a punchline, but Chicago, by charter, actually has a “weak-mayor” system. That means that most of the power is vested in the city council — or, you know, is supposed to be.Finally two articles that argue that the next mayor of Chicago could be a "weak mayor"
In reality, however, everyone knows that Chicago’s mayor is anything but weak, and traditionally is considered one of — if not the most — powerful municipal chief executives in the nation. A big reason for that? Unlike most other cities with weak-mayor systems, Chicago’s boss has the power to draw up the budget.
It’s about to evolve a lot faster. The optimistic take on the shift to a weak mayor is that it means less power for the monied interests who dominated the meeting schedule at Emanuel’s City Hall, more power for neighborhood organizations and unions, and an opportunity for coalition building across the city’s major aldermanic caucuses. Fifty years of the status quo yielded one of the nation’s most infamously corrupt local governments, so why not shake things up?And then Chicago mag:
The pessimistic take is that the loss of a strong mayor will render the city incapable of confronting the elephant in the room: debt. Despite Emanuel’s best efforts to cut costs and raise revenue, the city and the school district both have serious fiscal problems. (The Chicago Public Schools credit is so bad that it issued bonds in 2016 with an insane 8.5 percent interest rate.) Other, overlapping entities—such as Cook County and the Chicago Parks District—also aren’t in great shape. (To say nothing of the state of Illinois, whose problems are notorious.) Not all of those interests are under mayoral control, of course. Still, all of them need to raise money from the same group of 2.7 million people. Coordinating between them was a tough balancing act for a strong mayor. It will be even harder for a weak one.
Dick Simpson, a political science professor at the University of Illinois-Chicago, was an independent alderman during Richard J. Daley’s reign. Last week, Simpson wrote in an op-ed for the Tribune: “[W]ith a new mayor, it is especially important that the City Council no longer operate as a rubber stamp to the mayor’s wishes. It is time for the council to be a legitimate legislature, initiating its own proposals and holding the new mayor accountable.”The coming election with many mayoral candidates will be very interesting. No one has emerged in my opinion however time will tell who might either win outright on February 26, 2019 or who might draw the run-off that would be contested in April 2019
We may get a City Council that demands that kind of authority — or at least, more of a Council than we now have. The body’s Progressive Caucus, a group of independent aldermen which now numbers about a dozen members and includes Scott Waguespack and Carlos Ramirez-Rosa, is certain to grow after the next election.
At the same time, old machine warhorses such as Margaret Laurino, Pat O’Connor, and Ed Burke are retiring or facing serious challenges. And voters radicalized by the Trump presidency are looking for candidates who share their anger and passions.
The City Council “can take as much [power] as they’ve got the votes to take,” Simpson told Chicago. “They’re already starting to get a better handle on finances and the budget, although there are still fewer than 10 aldermen who can read the budget.”
The relationship will also depend on the next mayor, Simpson said. “If the mayor was weak, they’d be able to bargain with the mayor.”
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| Pic via Chicago Historical Society |
It’s just a bill https://t.co/OwJ0IjgiNu— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 8, 2019
'I feel cheated': For some South Side Chicago residents, losing 2 Target stores isn't just an economic blow https://t.co/aODu76qVv9 pic.twitter.com/py9a1OKcZy— ChicagoBreaking (@ChicagoBreaking) February 7, 2019
Store closings aren’t unusual. But for neighborhoods served by the Targets that have left — among them Chatham, South Shore, Avalon Park, Grand Crossing, Morgan Park, Calumet Park — it is a particular blow because of the lack of big-box, nationally recognizable shopping options. The community’s emotional response reveals just how the disparity is taken personally and its impact on the morale of a neighborhood.
As Target is closing its South Side locations, it plans to open at least one new store on Chicago’s North Side, deepening the emotional blow to residents south of downtown.
“Target filled a gap in terms of the quality of life for these communities,” said U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush of Chicago, who staged public protests and demonstrations to try persuade the retailer to stay. “Abruptly, that gap has been reopened, without any consideration, commentary or collaboration with the community at all.”
It’s no wonder that residents feel so upset that some are vowing never to shop at the stores again, Rush said.
“The emotional reaction stems from, here you have a community that has been underserved for decades, finally getting a small respect, some sense of quality of life for consumers and they felt they had options to buy and purchase goods,” he said. “They were kicked to the curb, so to speak. When will it stop? We befriended Target. We supported Target. And now we’re left without many options. (Residents) are mad, they are angry.”
Nedra Sims Fears, executive director of the Greater Chatham Initiative, said Target’s pullout “just feels like a deliberate disinvestment.”
“Target wouldn’t tell us how many people the stores served, the revenue,” she said. “We wanted to work with them. But we can’t work with an organization that is impenetrable. It feels like a betrayal.”
Target called the decision to close the stores difficult but one based on their performance. A company spokeswoman said at the time that the move was “not about a neighborhood or geography,” though she said the proximity of other stores was a consideration. She also said Target remains committed to Chicago.
A Target spokeswoman declined further comment Thursday.
But in the two South Side areas affected, the closings remain a sore topic raised on email discussion groups and social media, and at community meetings. When people talk to Fears about it, she reminds them of the many small businesses and locally owned stores that could use their support.
“We are not defined by one store,” Fears said she tells them. “Target gave our community some cachet. … It had an appeal. I believe we have some lovely boutiques in the area, and we will all come together and figure out what a replacement option will look like.”
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| West Chesterfield Club House |
Patience, please https://t.co/OZIAWlYeUw— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 4, 2019
“How about anything, Danny?” https://t.co/5XL8hgYksj— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 4, 2019
Mayoral race odd couples https://t.co/k4pctvtjGR— Rich Miller (@capitolfax) February 1, 2019
