Hocus Pocus and The Mayor Isn't The Boss

Today’s forum included Ward 49 candidates and those from Ward 50, Greg Brewer, Salman Aftab and Naisy Dolar with the exception of Ald. Stone who didn’t appear. And, there was a significant amount of Stone bashing from all three in attendance.

The event was hosted and moderated by RPCAN. The questions were lengthy and sometimes complex but in a nutshell the topics were:

Protecting Tenant Rights TIF Use – Or abuse, Stabilizing neighborhoods economically, Property Tax Reform and Protecting the Lakefront and environment.

Since I’ve covered three of three, I hope you enjoy and see through the volleys and jabs on certain issues. Other topics and responses were repetitive from the two previous forums, so let’s move on toward election day.

On Protecting Tenant Rights – it was stated that 75% of the population in Wards 49 & 50 are renters.

Adams 49 - Reverted to his moratorium on condo conversions until he and the community can evaluate what has gone on and where the community is going. He’s open to raising the percentage on set asides on condos.

Aftab 50 - Claimed there is no transparency in Ward 50, there is uncontrolled development and outrageous developer contributions. The percent on set asides should be raised as high as 15%.

Jim 49 - Stated Ward 49 has lost 4000 rentals in the past 4 years – would like to see more co-ops created for the lower income or transient neighbors, such as students, young couples and artists. He repeated his statement on no contributions from developers.

Dolar 50 - She would work with a committee on Human Relations, work on regulating zoning laws and create a fair rent commission and possibly establish tax credit for renters.

Brewer 50 - Stated it’s a citywide dilemma and we need to maintain the existing housing stock while creating new rules on stealth condos. He recently worked with a woman who was being forced out of her apartment. She had no utilities, no heat, water etc. She contacted Ald Stone who told her to come see him ‘next week’. An alderman should be both involved and concerned with such inhuman issues.

Don 49 - Spoke of growing up in near poverty and his first hand understanding of the problem of tenant uncertainties. He stated the funding should be made available to assist buyers to upgrade and keep as affordable rentals by providing incentives and the current law doesn’t work to maintaining a community for all income levels.

Joe 49 - Stated he was the leader in creating and enforcing the Tenant/Landlord Ordinance. He states that overall it’s a good, fair ordinance. More affordable housing needs to be created and he promoted his living wage ideals.

TIFS are a hotly discussed issue. Many have expressed concerns on the 23 year duration and possible damage to communities. What will you do to diminish TIFS? (not vertabim)

Aftab 50 - See Stones record on TIFS and stated he {Stone} is a large part of Chicago’s corruption. He told a story of a cab driver buying a parking lot for $1.00 from the city and feels an audit is long overdue in Ward 50.

Jim 49 – Originally he thought all TIFS were a bad idea and has since re-thought the process. He referred to the Loyola TIF board that was composed of white property owners only, and DevCorps involvement which resulted in a lot of resentments. Going forward is a concern and he feels there should be no more TIFs in Ward 49 unless all cultural/economic groups are represented and agree to a TIF. He further stated now that Loyola has been the recipient of TIF dollars they should return something to the community at large in the form of mentoring and health care.

Dolar 50 – TIFs misdirect dollars from schools to slush funds for aldermen. Stone approved TIFS without looking at the impact on the community services funds being diminished. She would establish an oversight board.

Brewer 50 – TIFS are not used as intended when money goes to private interests, i.e. a mall or a bank but there’s no Alderman Stone present to respond on his slush fund.

Don 49 – A moratorium stopping TIFs should be established in Chicago until we ‘can get our arms around the need’ for them. By ‘getting arms around’ means that we need accountability and communication to the community on all TIFS and referred to the 16 years of the current alderman in terms of revitalizing the ward. He asked the audience how many were made aware early on of the Loyola TIF. He asked if anyone in the audience was on the advisory panel. No response from the audience.

Joe 49 – Stated a TIF is like a hammer, a tool to build or destroy. He referred to the Gateway Mall, to the vacant synagogue, to the eminent domain issue of Terzakis Lerner property on Ashland/Howard. He did vote NO on the LaSalle TIF. He was one of three nay voters.

Chris 49 – TIFS are a good tool but were designed to help distressed areas, not Block 37, the financial Loop areas etc. We need to establish a method on what accountability is i.e. an annual audit for transparency in government. Lastly, Chris stated schools should be the first in line to get TIF funding. He added that Dominick’s has a watch list and the one in the Gateway Mall has been added. Joe begged to differ – (out of line/order too)

On Jobs Stabilizing a Neighborhood Give three points

Jim 49 - Made reference to his work on apprenticeships and working with Howard Area Center. Stated he approved of Big Box if only as applicable to Ward 49 but should not be limited to square footage of a business but to any business regardless of size.

Dolar 50 – Referred to the agenda of living wages, that businesses get tax breaks while the neighborhood pays.

Brewer 50 – Need to maintain Chicago as a home for the working class and stop pushing people out. Would support a living wage ordinance, made reference to the closing of Dominicks on Ridge. Stated it’s the alderman’s job to attract business not sit and hope and it {new business} will just appear.

Don 49 – Stated that most people don’t work in a Big Box setting but in businesses of 100 employees or less. Small businesses need living wages that are not covered in the Big Box and the living wage needs to be expanded to be sensitive to small businesses. Inclusive in the package should be assistance from any level of government to provide healthcare for employees as an incentive to maintain the small business base.

The Chamber of Commerce needs to create an environment that welcomes new business to the ward. He asked how many had been to a Trader Joe’s and received an affirmative response. He then stated he would lobby for businesses like Trader Joe’s as a daily job of an alderman working with a proactive Chamber of Commerce.

Joe 49 – Joe claimed he wasn’t the author of the Big Box but it was drafted by organized labor, ACORN and brought to him as the progressive who would stand up and fight for the issue.

Chris 49 – Stated he supported raising the minimum wage in Illinois and the use of the Chamber of Commerce to bring business here. Joe’s administration managed to lose 800 jobs in the last 4-6 years and the average income dropped from $33k to $25k. He stated not enough homework was done on the Big Box as written. He cited the study of Santa Fe which was the example given to the city council and of the facts not made transparent at the presentation. Unemployment rose AFTER Big Box laws were installed.

Affeb 50 - chanted ‘hocus pocus dominocus’ and that for $98k a year an alderman’s job should not be ‘part time’ or else cut the salary to match time spent working! He stated Stone wants his raise to $120k so he can retire and bring his daughter in for another 100 years!

On Property Tax Reform

Dolar 50 – Stated she is not rich, her husband is a policeman and they were able to purchase her parents home. Currently property taxes fund schools and there need to be measures to CAP the property tax. We need Tax Reform.

Brewer 50 – People are being priced out of their homes by the city. The property CAPS are a mess and wants to know where the money went. The TIF slush funds are not serving taxpayers but public patronage. We need a fair hiring assessment process and a transparent reform to school funding.

Don 49 – Referred to Brewers statement and stated there are two sides to the issue. Property taxes have become punitive in Cook County and yes, people are being priced out not due to the cost of the property itself and are not being encouraged to stay. For long time residents there should be a CAP on property taxes and the monies need to be spent properly. We need to hold the county to a higher level of accountability. Higher property taxes means higher rents in the long run.

Joe 49 - Stated he was disappointed at the current governor (and Democrats) for not doing anything about property taxes. He also had to get a jab at Don about Thursday’s forum at the Loyola Field House where Don stated it’s not wise to grandstand with one’s boss. Joe claimed that Mayor Daley is not his boss but the mayor and the council are a team.

(Blog question: If that’s the case, why does a mayor exist and especially one with Veto Power?)

Chris 49 – Stated we needed ‘Spending Reform’ i.e. ‘who do you want spending your money’? He managed a $19 million budget as a newspaper editor. He was the boss in the private sector. Here in government, ‘we the people are the boss’ yet are not recognized as such.

Aftab 50 – We don’t need horror stories. It should be a simple plan of Cut, Cap and decrease Cap on assessments. Nothing so difficult just more hocus pocus, dominocus!

Jim 49 – Stated he approved the 7% solution and went back to Joe’s stab at the Big Box including Rogers Park and the sums of money paid to Genie Kastrup.Here’s the Scoop

Final question – Lakefront Protection and the Environment

Brewer 50 – All topics discussed in the forum come back to creating livable neighborhoods. The alderman should play a critical role as an advocate for people of all income levels, quality of life issues and to promote fair government.

Don 49- Spoke of his longtime advocacy for lakefront protection and preserving and creating parks and green spaces. He will oppose any marina, land fill and extension of Lake Shore Drive. “We don’t need another poll – the message is out.” We need to increase green space, improve park district programming for youth and restore the lifeguard program at Leone Park.

Joe 49- Joe jabbed Jim on proper usage of words - especially in politics - when Jim spoke to Big Box applying to Rogers Park. Joe went on to state/suggest that Don’s reference to marinas, landfills and the extension of Lake Shore Drive is just ‘scary talk’ to instill fear; he insinuated it is all a lie. He went so far as to proclaim Anne Sullivan as the true organizer of the Lakefront Protection and that’s why she joined his campaign!

(Blog note: Reference to Anne Sullivan was really classless and in poor taste. I’ve heard variations of the issue and the Lakefront is not the reason for her tenure with Moore.)

Chris 49 – Embraced the spirit of the Lakefront Protection ordinance and again stated that the alderman’s office should be a center of information for lifestyle issues. He also stated that the EPA has now extended it’s definition of environmental safety to include safety on the streets. Do we feel safe on our streets especially after dark?

Aftab 50 – Told the audience we are lucky that Stone is not our alderman. The streets of Devon are filthy, unattended to by city services garbage pick up and the general demeanor toward small business. He stated there should be tax incentives for green roofs and work for the betterment of Chicago like his new friend, Joe.

Jim 49 – quoted the ‘Hocus Pocus” and noted that Joe has a new fan! Noted that Joe was the chief sponsor of the Big Box ordinance so why not claim it now?

Stated that he was the only one in attendance at a marina meeting held at the South Shore Park District to plan a marina at Loyola. He stated their planning was not well done considering in light of 9/11 terrorist fears, why then would a marina utilizing key cards for entrance be placed next to a water purification plant? He stated Joe didn’t communicate this meeting or plans until he {Jim} brought it to the community. No doubt the plans would eventually be conveyed by the alderman.

Dolar 50 – Would pursue obtaining recycling bins for Devon to work with the SSA there. She further stated with the vast diversity of the neighborhood, many cultures need to be educated on the impact of recycling and being conscious of the environment.

Blog Observations:

Joe was somewhat spunky today. He tried to attack everyone! His stabs and jabs were not very effective - if at all. If anything, his attacks worked against him by showing what a not so classy debater he is. The attacks showed us an alderman who takes criticism of his record far too personally. When taxpayers/constituents are ignored, excluded, overruled or are allowed to fall through the cracks, we take it rather personally too. We have that right.

Most disgruntled Ward 49 voters know the track record, and know the litany of accomplishments (and unfinished projects) and boasts by heart. What we don’t know is the truth on where all the TIF and SSA money really goes, or what’s really being planned for our lives here in Rogers Park. And, it seems Ward 50 voters share many of the same sentiments.

And, Mayor Daley, the word is out – You Are Not The Boss.