We're lurching towards a run-off election here in Chi-city on April 17th. The amount I care about these things is probably somewhat disproportionate to how much I should, but I do have a couple of "dogs" in some races. The continuing labor vs. Mayor Daley's machine battle, a continuation of the summer's big box wage ordinance fight is the most exciting development in local politics since the Harold Washington administration. The 3rd Ward race, with former New Yorker turned SSA field coordinator Pat Dowell running against Dorothy "the Hat" Tillman is even more important now that the 20th Ward is represented by Willie "Bishop Brazier/TWO/Leon Finney" Cochran. If Tillman wins, then the neighborhood like most affected by the Washington Park will be represented by a front for the 63rd Street machine (closely connected to mayor daley through donations and city development aid) and crazy Dorothy. Bad news for the community, good news for those who want to construct a giant white elephant in Washington Park without resistance.
I'll let these excellent posts from Richard Carnahan and Chicagoist speak for me. Happy Holy Week
Don't Let the Games Begin, Richard Carnahan, Gapers Block
Making a New Deal, Chicagoist
Peace
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3 comments:
Wow. Bad news for the community??? How? Woodlawn has suffered 30 years of decay--going from 90,000 residents to 27,000 at best. This is from the slow suicide brought on by supposed icnonaclasts and anti-establishment "leaders" who have lined their pockets by creating urban boogey men out of any hint of possible outside money.
If you have an idea for actually bringing money into the waste land that woodlawn has become what is it? Apparently sitting on your ass and occasionally saying "No we're fine" while the community continues to hemorrhage residents doesn't work to well.
So, since you signed in anonymously, I don't know what your part in Woodlawn work is, but the issue is a bit more complicated than stadium=good for the community no stadium=status quo. Sure, I have ideas for bringing money in: how about a community benefits agreement for the stadium that is enforceable, broad, and actually filters down to Woodlawn/Washington Park residents? How about better low wage jobs that pay decent wages, have somewhat predictable hours/schedules and offer "steps up" rather than "dead ends?" Anyhow, anon, you're probably not coming back here to read this, so I'll stop, but if your interested in continuing, post again. Hope to talk to you soon!
Good for people to know.
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