Idealistic or Unrealistic

South Loop Second Warders know what they want

02/14/2011 2:15 PM

By Bonnie McGrath

The candidates on Saturday (photo by Stephen Reginald, www.southloopconnection.blogspot.com)

I learned something about my fellow South Loopers over the weekend: they’re demanding. And they have unreasonable expectations for their alderman.

At a forum sponsored Saturday by the Greater South Loop Association and South Loop Neighbors, six candidates--including incumbent Bob Fioretti--vied for votes at Columbia College's Ludington Building. Actually, five vied for votes. One candidate, James Bosco, who was particularly candid and honest (you can’t trust any politicians, he maintained), said he is dropping out--but if he wins, he would serve. (His name will be on the ballot--too late to get it off.)

Very hard questions were written on cards and given to a moderator from the League of Women Voters. The candidates answered the questions one at a time, and tried to tell us how they were different from the people sitting next to them.

Second Warders certainly expect a lot from their alderman: they want him or her to be everywhere. And tell them everything. And listen to all they have to say. On any and all subjects. And at all times. I wouldn’t be surprised if they expected a little babysitting on the side, too.

They want the alderman to improve the schools, do something about those pesky TIF funds and eliminate homelessness, to name a few of their wants and needs. In other words, they want their alderman to be a combination of Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt. With a dash of Dr. Oz and a pinch of Dr. Phil.

Exactly how an alderman is supposed to improve schools, I don’t know. Chicago Public Schools is supposed to do that. The only thing I can think of that an alderman can do--all the candidates are very smart in different ways, from a metallurgical engineer to a cab driver to a stay-at-home dad with a couple of lawyers in between--is to march over to one of our underperforming schools and teach 7^th Grade.

What can they do about TIF funds? Since even the most educated TIF watcher and avid local writer regarding TIFs, Reader writer Ben Joravsky, has admitted he doesn’t even understand them, what’s an alderman to do? Turn down the funds for our ward (our hard-earned tax dollars) because TIF baffles the brain? Yeah, right.

As far as smoothing the business licensing process, the attendees seemed to think the alderman could single-handedly set up one-stop shopping, flinging open new retail doors every few minutes from Congress to Cermak while singing “This Land is Your Land.” I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the ward residents think the alderman should make personal loans to those who want to start a 2^nd Ward business, as well. Who knows--maybe some would?

Listen up, folks: Business permits, zoning variances, liquor licensing and such is a cottage industry in Chicago. Some would even say it’s a racket. No one alderman is going to buck a system that provides a comfortable living to a bevy of lawyers, cops and politicians. So business owners better just relax--and be prepared to hand over a few bucks to one of the fixers instead of tearing one’s hair out--or expecting an alderman to change the deeply rooted status quo.

Leave plenty of time and treat the process just like any other business investment: like installing a phone, buying fixtures and printing advertising flyers. Then go to the Bahamas for several weeks while you are waiting for the games to begin. And your awning to be installed.

The one thing I wanted to know--but my card was not read at the forum--is which mayoral candidate the aldermanic candidates want to see win. A lot of people in the city are upset about votes cast for Mayor Daley’s pet projects by their aldermen: like selling our parking meters; and granting blessings to the Chicago Children’s Museum to build a new building in Grant Park, thereby defying the legacy of Montgomery Ward. Four years ago, the big issue was whether or not your alderman voted to let Walmart come to our fair city and put all the moms-and-pops out of business.

On Saturday, I thought if the aldermanic candidates were asked to commit to a preferred candidate for mayor, we might be able to detect the look of love and nip the rubber stamping in the bud. But now we will have to wait until the rubber stamping begins to demand that it end.

Oddly, absolutely nothing was mentioned at the forum about keeping the ward clean and tidy. As one alderman once said (I think it was former 42^nd Ward alderman Burton Natarus four years ago just before he lost his election), an alderman is a janitor. And he’s right. That’s one thing an alderman is supposed to do and can do and should do. And do it right. Keep a clean and tidy ward.

The only way to tell how well an aldermanic candidate challenging the incumbent would keep the ward more spic-and-span is to go to his or her home and see how their own personal housekeeping fares. I checked the outside of all their homes on Google Maps Street View, and they all seemed fine--but alas I have only been inside the home of one candidate: Genita Robinson. And I am happy to report she keeps a very neat and tidy home.

If any other candidate wants me to report on their housekeeping potential, invite me over. I’d be glad to get a gander and report what I see.

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By Grandma from Douglas
Posted: 02/19/2011 12:34 PM

I also want to mention that ChiArts is also a College Prep High School. If the school also had a component for students gifted only in academic as well, maybe it would not be moved so far away from the location at 3200 S. Calument. The staff and students do not want to move and an inquiry was made about NTA since it was built with $38,000,000 of the TIF from tax payers south of 25th street in both the 2nd & 3rd Ward. However Jose Alvarez at CPS said NTA was never an option on the table.

By Grandma from Douglas
Posted: 02/19/2011 12:16 PM

The PDNA references an additional school called ChiArts at 3200 S. Calumet. I went to the honor roll assembly and it appeared that most of the school was on it. This school is a mulicultural school for students gifted in music, visual arts, dance and theatre. It will be moving to Lafayette School in East Humboldt Park this Fall for lack of space. It needs 600 seats. Ramsey Lewis is on the Board and the school's partners include Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Joffrey Ballet, Lyric Opera, etc....

By Informed about the PDNA from South Loop
Posted: 02/19/2011 9:34 AM

Is \"Informed from the South Loop\" the same person that always pats the PDNA on the back under fake names? Why should we listen to the PDNA? Who are they and who do they represent? And why the odd order of candidates. Wouldn\'t alpha order appear to be fair and unbiased? And posting links to your own Web site is pretty lame.

By Informed from South Loop
Posted: 02/18/2011 5:08 PM

2nd Ward Candidate Questionnaire was very informative, check out the link: http://pdnachicago.com/page9.php

By Voter from South Loop
Posted: 02/18/2011 0:30 AM

I remembered this article: http://chicagojournal.com/News/In-The-Paper/12-16-2009/Protestors,_Fioretti_debate_housing_pitch This article was the last time I heard about the sweet home Chicago coalition. I didn't know that Fioretti changed his mind after the protest. Sigh. Its a bad idea anyone know if any of the other candidates are against it?

By Voter from 2nd Ward
Posted: 02/16/2011 0:09 AM

Fioretti is the last person I would vote for. Also trying to take credit for work that he didn't do. Spend more time campaigning for other offices than as our alderman. I fact check his claims.

By CTU Teacher from Local 1 and 2nd Ward
Posted: 02/15/2011 10:06 PM

Its simple friends: Re-elect Alderman Bob Fioretti. He has done a great job. He is endorsed by a number of independent groups including IVI IPO. Read his questionaire: http://www.iviipo.org/2011CandidateAnsw/Fioretti,%20Bob%202.pdf

By Don't Steal TIF money from 2nd Ward
Posted: 02/15/2011 7:14 PM

What the 2nd Ward needs is an Alderman support openly creating a community plan to use those funds effectively for education, parks, business creators, and neighborhood improvements to increase property values and make future tax revenues reliable. The fact that our Alderman wants to play Robin Hood with our TIF $ for things like Project Sunshine for affordable housing, paying for overloaded city pensions, and other freebies for other parts of the city dissapoint many.

By TIF for Real Things from 2nd Ward
Posted: 02/15/2011 7:06 PM

Bonnie, I can't believe how apologetic you are being for both the Candidates and Alderman. TIFS's are not hard to understand, and effective. What's hard to understand is 'their process' by which projects ranked, communicated, and approved but the City. Jorasky's article demonstrates the Alderman are in know on TIF plans but are not being transparent, or educating the masses.

By Rahm Understands TIFs? from South Loop
Posted: 02/15/2011 6:49 PM

You mean Rahm the guy who wants to steal TIF money for other uses than intended and made a boat load of money off of Fannie Mae and Freddie-Mac?

By Paul from wrigleyville1
Posted: 02/15/2011 2:23 PM

The points brought up some subtle matters that look towards the big picture: No one understands TIFs. Why not? because the present mayor wanted to keep it secret. Do we want that kind of leadershiop going forward? Nooo. Maybe Rahm, who gets a lot of undirected bashing, is just the guy to understand TIFs -- and explain it to the citizens and the aldermen. That's what they do in the free world.

By 1550 Indiana Resident from South Loop
Posted: 02/15/2011 12:02 PM

Bonnie, did you ask the Alderman why he is in support of taking away replacing designated park space with parking lots?

By Jim Bosco from West Side
Posted: 02/14/2011 9:17 PM

Although entertaining, I find the attitude expressed in the article rather defeatist. It is exactly the notion that one can't fight city hall that makes some folks leave. Machine politicians, and machine backed politicians (like Ms. Robinson) have saddled every person in this city with $10,000 in debt. Perhaps instead of concerning yourself with who's tidy you should consider who's willing to stand up to the folks who've brought you to the brink of collapse instead of taking their money.

By Stephen Reginald from South Loop
Posted: 02/14/2011 4:57 PM

Bonnie, you hit on some excellent points. How realistic is that an alderman can change the Chicago political machine and all it entails? Not much I suppose. Perhaps the best he/she can do is help us navigate a less-than-perfect system and try to make it work as best it can.