“This is going to be the last time I am in town while Mayor Daley is still mayor,” President Obama said. “Thank you. You have done an extraordinary job and this city has been transformed because of your leadership.”

Daley was in the front row during the taping and was joined by his children, Patrick, Elizabeth, and Nora, as well as his brother Bill, who serves as Obama’s chief of staff.

Obama presented Daley with a note that read, “Mayor Richard Daley, Thank you for making a great American city a great world city.” The president also gave him a framed surveyor’s map of Chicago from 1834.

Daley had welcomed the Obamas at O’Hare International and rode on their private helicopter into the city. The president said that Daley was still brimming with new ideas for the city, even though his term was coming to a close.

“On the helicopter ride over here, he was still generating about 30 ideas for everything from how to get rid of rats, to how to start beehives, to making sure that we have bikes for every kid in the schools,” said Obama. The president doubts Daley will be taking much time off.

Rahm Emanuel, Obama’s former chief of staff, will be sworn in as the city’s new mayor on May 16.

“Make sure if Rahm starts messing up, you give him some tips,” Obama said to Daley.

Obama commends Daley’s years as mayor | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

“This bill must be defeated. Allowing concealed handguns in Illinois can turn the simplest everyday activities into dangerous situations,” Daley said in a news conference held at the Austin Town Hall Cultural Center, 5610 W. Lake St.

Daley said that he and Mayor-Elect Rahm Emanuel have sent a joint letter to the General Assembly members in opposition to the proposal.

“In the letter, Mayor–Elect Emanuel and I urge the members not to compromise their leadership and their legacy on gun issues to please individuals who would have us believe that more guns will reduce violence,” he said.

Daley said the United States is flooded with guns. There are more than 280 million privately owned firearms in the country — almost one per person. In an average year, those guns shoot or kill almost 100,000 people in America and more than 3,000 children and teen-agers die from gun violence.

The Mayor said the pro-gun lobby has been more aggressive than ever this year in its efforts to weaken Illinois’ gun laws, but he said the people support common sense limitations on weapons,

For example, a poll commissioned last month by the Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence shows overwhelming opposition to the concealed carry proposal. The poll showed that:

• 56 percent of Illinois voters oppose the proposal and just 34 percent favor a concealed carry law.
• When respondents were told that the proposed law would allow the carrying of “concealed, loaded handguns” (rather than simply “concealed handguns”), opposition jumps to nearly two-thirds, with just 29 percent in favor.

Daley said new research from the Violence Policy Center shows that in the past four years alone, nearly 300 people — including 11 law enforcement officers — have been killed in shootings by people who were legally allowed to carry concealed handguns.

“And there is no compelling evidence – despite what the gun advocates say — to show that more guns make people safer,” he said.

The Mayor said that some people argue that Illinois should have a concealed carry law because most other states do. But, he said, rates of gun violence in other states are generally the same as in Illinois and last year Chicago had its lowest number of homicides since 1965.

“This proposal won’t help those numbers. It will hurt them,” he said.

Daley also said that the more handguns there are on the streets, the greater the challenge presented to law enforcement and public safety.

“Every day, police officers are confronted with offenders who are increasingly brazen and fearless in their actions. But at least now, police officers know that it’s illegal for a person to have a gun in a public place. If this bill passes, anyone waving around a gun on the street could be a legally-armed citizen of Illinois,” the Mayor said.

Daley asked if Illinoisans:

• Want to go to a big sporting event or a little league game thinking half the people in the stadium are armed?
• Want guns at neighborhood festivals or block parties, in parks and on the CTA?
• Want students with concealed weapons walking around every college campus in the state?

“Passing this bill would send a clear message that the people of Illinois should resolve their disputes with violence,” Daley said.

We need responsible legislation that focuses on reducing the number of handguns in our communities, not laws that encourage residents to carry dangerous weapons into parks and playgrounds, restaurants and movie theaters,” he said.

Other opponents of the bill include:

• Cook County State’s Attorney
• Cook County Sheriff
• Governor’s anti-violence commission
• Illinois Municipal League
• Institute of Medicine of Chicago
• Illinois Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
• Purpose over Pain
• Brady Campaign
• Citizen Action
• Federation of Independent Illinois Colleges and Universities
• Illinois Restaurant Association
• Cook County
• Illinois Council Against Handgun Violence

Mayor Daley, Community Leaders Urge Defeat of Proposed Concealed Carry Legislation | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Altogether, since Mayor Daley assumed responsibility for CPS in 1995, CPS has opened 47 new schools.

“Modern Schools Across Chicago” is funded with City redevelopment funds from Tax Increment Financing districts — no state or federal funds are received.

“No other city in the nation has taken such a major step to assure that our children learn in modern, up-to-date environments, and last year the City Council approved funding for the second phase of the program, so the financing of modern public schools continues to be a top priority of the TIF program,” Daley said.

The Mayor said opening a new school gives students and staff a fresh start, greater hope and an improved learning environment.

Results are already being seen at Powell, where the ISAT composite score has gone up almost 25 per cent since 2008 and the school has a 96 per cent attendance rate.

“In the competition for the jobs of the tomorrow, which are the key to Chicago’s future, nothing is more important than continuing to improve our schools. And we must pay special attention to improving our neighborhood elementary and high schools, as we are here with this beautiful new facility,” Daley said.

The school dedication also represented another stop on the “Neighborhood Appreciation Tour” the Mayor will make in communities all over the city before he leaves office in May to thank Chicagoans for their collaboration in helping the City move forward.

“Today I want to thank the residents of the 7th ward for their hard work and dedication.  Working together, we’ve brought Chicago into the 21st century, and given it a bright future,” he said.

The Mayor said the TIF money that helped build the school is just one of the tools the City has used to make the South Shore and South Chicago communities a better place.

He identified a number of those initiatives:

• The City has committed $96 million in TIF funding to a project that Daley said has the potential to re-make South Chicago and the entire South Side — the U.S. Steel South Works Plant redevelopment.

“Some day, a new neighborhood will rise on the 87-acre parcel of land, with new streets, new retail and commercial properties and new rental and for sale housing,” he said.

The first phase pf the project will include over 840,000 square feet of retail space and 250 units of housing. When the total project is complete, it is expected to create almost 1,000 permanent jobs. It will create some 1,500 temporary construction jobs.

The City’s Department of Transportation is already carrying out the U.S. 41 relocation project, which will accommodate the South Works development and result in a new alignment for U.S. 41 from 79^th Street to Ewing Avenue.

• Both the Chicago Public Schools and the Public Building Commission have carried out numerous projects in this community in recent years.

In addition to the new Powell School, improvements or renovations have been carried at nine schools in the 7^th Ward, with the work ranging from new playlots at Bradwell and Anthony Branch to major mechanical upgrades at EPIC Academy High School to the renovation of Eckersall Stadium.

• The PBC also built a new field house at Rainbow Beach and a new building at the South Water Plant to house new chlorine processing equipment.
• Through the Plan for Transformation, the Chicago Housing Authority has rehabilitated 283 units at the Mahalia Jackson Apartments and 63 other units at locations around the ward.
• The Chicago Park District has carried out 20 separate improvement projects at five parks or beaches in the ward: Bessemer, Luella, Russell Square, Ashe Beach and Rainbow Beach.
• The City Department of transportation marked almost 4 miles of bike routes in the ward.

“So I’m here today to thank every resident, every community organization, every business, every not-for-profit for their advice, support and cooperation on all these projects,” Daley said.

“Thank you for participating in the process. Thank you for your ideas, your input and your time. That’s what our system of government is based on – the people.

“It’s been a joy and an honor to be your Mayor,” he said.

Mayor Daley, School Officials Dedicate New Adam Clayton Powell Elementary School In South Shore | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The 3,750 square foot playground expansion was funded largely in part by a TIF grant in the amount of $350,000. It now features play equipment with rubber surface for children ages 5-12, ornamental fencing, a new bench and a new addition to the existing swing set. It has soft surfacing and complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act to be accessible to children with disabilities. Construction on the playground was managed by the Public Building Commission.

“We are excited about this new playground because it offers amenities for an enjoyable visit to the park for families in the Edgewater community,” Mayor Daley said. “We recognize how important it is for Chicago residents to have recreational space in all areas of the city. By increasing open space throughout our neighborhoods we are continually improving this city’s quality of life.”

“We are happy to provide this playground to this very active community,” said Timothy J. Mitchell, Chicago Park District General Superintendent and CEO. “More than just a colorful play area, this playground will contribute to the growth and development of those who use it.”

The Chicago Park District purchased the property in 1974. At that time, the Edgewater community population was steadily increasing and the Park District wanted to help fulfill the neighborhood’s recreational needs with the addition of this new park. The park was named in 1978 after a life-long Edgewater resident named Charles H. Bromann.

The playlot dedication also represented another stop on the “Neighborhood Appreciation Tour” the Mayor will make in communities all over the city before he leaves office in May to thank Chicagoans for their collaboration in helping the City move forward.

“Today I want to thank the residents of the 48th ward for their hard work and dedication. Working together, we’ve brought Chicago into the 21st century, and given it a bright future,” he said.

The Mayor said the TIF money that helped build the playlot is just one of the tools the City has used to make North Side communities a better place.

He identified a number of those initiatives:

• Last year, we opened The Edgewater Senior Center at the Broadway Armory.  This Senior Center provides seniors of the Edgewater community with a safe, accessible place where they can enjoy meals with friends, express their talents, learn new skills and continue to stay active.”

• The City has committed $1.2 million in TIF funding for new Edgewater Branch Library whiich will be a two-story, 16,250 square-foot structure. The project will be designed to achieve “Silver” level certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

• Both the Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Park District have carried out numerous projects in this community in recent years.

• Since 1995, the Chicago Park District acquired three parks and expanded two in the 48^th ward.

• In addition to two new Campus parks , improvements or renovations have been carried at four schools in the 48^th Ward, with the work ranging from new playlot to major upgrades at Senn High School to the renovation of George B. Swift Specialty School.

• The PBC also built a new Beach House at Kathy Osterman Beachand did interior renovations to the Hull House Association Head Start facility.

• $36 million in TIF-funded public-private redevelopment agreements, including:

• • Affordable housing improvements to the Bryn Mawr, Belle Shore, and Hollywood House apartment buildings.
  • 1990 creation of the Edgewater-Broadway Shopping Plaza
  • About 15 smaller, SBIF-funded projects involving small businesses

• Through the Plan for Transformation, the Chicago Housing Authority has rehabilitated 201 units at the Castleman Apartments and 470 other units at locations around the ward.

• The City Department of transportation marked almost 3 miles of bike routes in the ward.

• $1.9 million was used to create the Bryn Mawr Streetscape from Lake Shore Drive to Broadway designed to boost neighborhood commercial district through infrastructure improvements, aesthetic improvements and community identifiers. The project included banners and signage reflecting the Bryn Mawr Historic District

• The 48th Ward has also one of the city’s heaviest concentrations of traffic calming infrastructure, including traffic circles, speed humps and curb bumpouts.

• In 2004, repairs to the concrete viaduct at Granville were made.  Deteriorated concrete on the decking and abutments were replaced, the bridge deck was waterproofed and resealed, and the trackbed and trackwork over the bridge replaced.

“So I’m here today to thank every resident, every community organization, every business, every not-for-profit for their advice, support and cooperation on all these projects,” Daley said.

“Thank you for participating in the process. Thank you for your ideas, your input and your time. That’s what our system of government is based on – the people.

“It’s been a joy and an honor to be your Mayor,” he said.

Mayor, City Officials and Community Members Dedicate Expanded Bromann Playlot Park | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Chicago Park District unveiled a remarkably ambitious new plan earlier this month to remake Northerly Island into a park that contains everything from manmade reef islands and lagoons to a brand new concert venue.

The so-called framework plan could further bolster the legacy of retiring Richard Daley as a green mayor Daley controversially tore down the Meigs Field airport in 2003 to create the Northerly Island Park.

But implementation of the framework plan will take decades and there is a chance that it could not be implemented at all. This is a guiding document not a final plan, says Zves Kubat, spokesman for the park district. It is what well be looking to 20-30 years down the road.

Moreover, the cash-strapped city doesnt know how much the plan will cost. Until we begin the actual construction and get the contractor bids out we cant guess on the actual price, Kubat said.

The park district rolled out a Northerly Island plan Dec. 3 and it aspires to maximize the ecological possibilities of the 91-acre manmade peninsula. Completed in 1925 as part of Daniel Burnhams lakefront plan, Northerly Island now sits between Soldier Field and the Adler Planetarium.

The park district will engineer reef islands and lagoons on the southeast side of the island while cultivating forests and wetlands on the southwest side. Meanwhile, the northeast side will continue to be used as a beach and the northwest side will be both a harbor and a new concert space.

In fact, the city stopped taking bids Monday, Dec. 20 for a contractor to build a new concert amphitheatre to replace Charter One Pavilion, a temporary venue built in 2005. More than 100 organizations acquired application materials for the bid.

Kubat says the city will soon establish a short list of qualified firms for the concert site. As with the overall project, Kubat has no idea at this point how much the amphitheater will cost.

According to the framework plan, the juxtaposition between commerce on the northern part of the island and nature on the southern part Will attract diverse people, fish, and birds.

The plan is full of such lofty pronouncements: Imagine canoeing through calm lake water to quiet offshore islands, hiking an island oasis provided by a thriving woodland canopy, or discovering a rocky beach with breathtaking views. Imagine all of this within walking distance of Chicagos bustling urban center.

But the retirement of Daley in May throws the whole project into question. The park district doesnt need the approval of City Council to move forward on specific new projects, but they do need the approval from the mayor, who oversees the city agency. Well cross that bridge when we get there, Kubat says on the transition from Daley.

One reason that the new mayor may change course on Northerly Island is that, like the rest of the city, the park districts finances are in peril. According to the Chicago Civic Federation, the park district recently closed a $22 million dollar deficit by using one-time revenues like $3 million from its Corporate Fund Balance and $12 million in surplus Tax Increment Finance, or TIF, distribution.

Another reason is that Daleys midnight destruction of the Meigs Field runway on March 31, 2003 is widely seen as one of the most dictatorial moves of the mayors 21-year tenure. Daley destroyed the runway after reaching an impasse with both the state and federal government over converting the airport into a green space. Seven years later, Steve Whitney, who runs the Friends of Meigs Field, a group that advocates bringing the airport back.

Its a pretty plan but theres nothing to pay for it, Whitney says of the framework plan. Weve put together one possible proposal that would generate $100 million and do a park and airport combination.

Despite the potential revenue advantages of an airport, Whitney claims that the city has consulted no one in the aviation community about what to do with Northerly Island. We hope the next mayor will be willing to listen to all sides instead of just one side, he said.

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Originally reported by Chicago Journal. Read the original story here.

Manmade nature | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The City Council decided last week to send the Sweet Home Chicago affordable housing ordinance back to a joint Housing and Finance committee almost a month after the ordinance was voted out of the same joint committee against the wishes of Mayor Richard M. Daley.

There are now three versions of legislation that would set aside revenue earmarked for tax increment finance, or TIF districts, for affordable housing, including a new ordinance introduced at the council meeting by Ald. Walter Burnett (27th).

Burnett, sponsor of the original Sweet Home Chicago ordinance, hopes to have the City Council approve his latest measure in the councils next full meeting, in mid-January.

Burnett says that the negotiations have progressed and that the impasse is mainly about one sticking point whether there is a goal or mandate that 20 percent of TIF money goes to affordable housing.

In response, the latest version of the ordinance splits the difference 10 percent of all TIF money is mandated for affordable housing and it should be a goal that another 10 percent go to affordable units.

We have introduced a new ordinance that took in everything that the administration asked for except we kept the mandate, Burnett said.

South Loop Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd), a central negotiator on behalf of Burnetts ordinance, is optimistic.

I think that for once we are seeing some serious progress for this ordinance to pass, Fioretti said.

Susan Massell, spokesman for the citys Department of Community Development, says that the Daley administration is still reviewing Burnetts latest ordinance.

Vociferously supported by a coalition of nine community groups and three labor unions, the idea behind Sweet Home Chicago is that annual collections for TIF districts are an untapped resource to deal with both the foreclosure crisis and an overall decline in affordable housing stock. This year the city generated $520 million overall in TIF revenue, but typically only about 3 percent of TIF collections go toward affordable housing.

Burnett unveiled the Sweet Home Chicago ordinance in March. It languished in the Housing and Finance joint committee until committee members approved it 13-8 on Nov. 15. At that point, though, the Daley administration intervened, sending the message that unless Burnett negotiated, the ordinance would either be voted down on the council floor or vetoed by the mayor.

Ald. Patrick OConnor (40th), the vice-chairman of the finance committee, worked with the administration to offer an alternative ordinance that would make the 20 percent set-aside a goal, not a mandate.

Burnett and other Sweet Home Chicago supporters opposed the goal language and did not want OConnors alternative voted on by the full council. Burnett then announced he would bring OConnors ordinance, the old Sweet Home ordinance, and a new ordinance back to the joint committee.

Burnett thinks that the dust could settle by the next full council meeting Jan. 13.

We could come with an agreement with the city over the one we just introduced, he said. If we can come with an agreement, the council will vote down those old ordinances.

Underlying the saga is not the Daley administrations opposition to more affordable housing, but concerns about changes in the TIF program. TIF property tax money is kept within one of the 166 respective TIF districts to be used for any development project.

The mayor and the aldermen who preside over each designated TIF district have total discretion on the moneys use. Ellen Sahli, the first deputy commissioner for the citys Department of Community Development, noted in City Council testimony in November that, Each TIF creates flexibility and we need to look at what each community needs.

Despite the mayors position, council members and affordable housing advocates have not seriously considered waiting until Daley retires in May to vote the ordinance into law.

The next mayor is going to have a handful of issues just in selecting the next cabinet, Fioretti said. I think were awfully close to an agreement and have found common ground thats at least the feeling I have as of today.

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Originally reported by Chicago Journal. Read the original story here.

New hope for affordable housing law | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

• DFSS coordinates the operation of daytime Warming Centers beginning with six Community Service Centers located across the city. Centers are open Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays and Fridays 9 am to 5 pm and Wednesdays 11 am to 7 pm.  The centers are open December 1 through March 1, or when temperatures drop below 32 degrees. DFSS works closely with the Chicago Police Chicago, Park District and Chicago Public Library to ensure there are plenty of places people can go to find relief from cold temperatures.
• The Garfield Community Center, located at 10 S. Kedzie Av., is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to connect people to supportive services during extreme weather, including shelter and emergency housing.
• The City urges Chicagoans to check on relatives, friends and neighbors during periods of extreme weather. Senior citizens and those with health problems are most at risk. If you are concerned about someone and unable to make contact with them, call 311. DFSS will send an outreach team to conduct a well-being check and arrange for necessary assistance.
• DFSS will provide transportation for anyone who needs to get to a daytime Warming Center or overnight shelter. Residents should call 311 to request transportation.
• DFSS expands outreach to homeless people during the cold winter months. As dangerous weather conditions persist, additional outreach teams are put on duty. These teams approach homeless people living outdoors and encourage them to take advantage of available overnight shelters and other services.  More than 4,000 beds are available in 60 shelters across the city.
• The Department’s Senior Services Area Agency on Aging works aggressively to proactively provide information to Chicago’s seniors during periods of extreme weather, and typically work to begin notifying seniors about prevention measures before the weather reaches emergency conditions.
• To support OEMC’s outreach to seniors via NotifyChicago and reverse 911 calls, the Senior Services Area Agency on Aging makes phone calls to a list of 2,000self-selected seniors to inform them of impending weather and inquire about their well-being.  The City also utilizes its Meals on Wheels drivers to check on the recipients of 8,000 home-delivered meals.

• Share the Warmth

• ComEd Care

• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

City Services Available To Help Chicagoans Get Through Winter Weather, Mayor Daley Says | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

(AP/file)

Nadashia Thomas, a cousin of Derrion Albert, after the Sept. 2009 beating death of her 17-year-old cousin.

In “Eight Forty-Eight’s” new series, Mayor Mondays, the show explores life in Chicago, how it’s changed under Mayor Richard M. Daley and how it will change under new leadership. Over the past few weeks, “Eight Forty-Eight” talked about food and health. This week, it’s focusing on crime.

Jury selection in the trial of one of the teens charged in the beating death of 17-year-old Derrion Albert begins Monday. A 14 year old is one of the accused charged with murdering Albert. Chicago made national and international news for that and other high-profile crimes involving young people recently. While youth violence continues to rip some neighborhoods apart, not a whole lot is known about how young people cope with violence.

So that’s exactly what Dexter Voisin from the University of Chicago set out to study two years ago; his findings are out now in “The Journal of Interpersonal Violence.”

Voisin is an associate professor at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration and he joined “Eight Forty-Eight” to discuss his new study looking at how black youth on the South Side cope with community violence.

 

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Study looks at how South Side adolecents cope with violence | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

(Flickr/Sonny Cohen)

Northerly Island features rare open space, scattered by prarie.

It’s been almost eight years since Chicago Mayor Richard Daley took matters into his own hands and closed down the lakefront airport Miegs Field.
But the 91-acre space known as Northerly Island has remained active, with an open-air concert venue and prairie.
 

The area might get a bit busier: Park District officials Thursday unveiled plans to redevelop the land as a public park, complete with a harbor, wetlands, a reef and a lagoon with a sunken ship.
 

One of the plan’s designer’s, architect Jeanne Gang, says it’s almost like a Millennium Park of nature.

To learn more Eight Forty-Eight spoke to an expert, Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin.
 

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

New plans for Northerly Island | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

(WBEZ/Bill Healy)

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley discusses civil unions at Navy Pier.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley thanked the Illinois General Assembly for passing a bill authorizing civil unions in the state.

The legislation passed this week by both the House and Senate offers gay and lesbian couples many of the same legal rights as married couples in Illinois.

“I’m very happy with that,” Daley said. “I think finally they realized that they should have the same rights under state law which is really important, and eventually marriage will take place, it has to be. I’m very happy and pleased. I hope the governor signs it as quickly as possible. These are great citizens.”

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has said he supports civil unions.

The measure passed by a narrow margin in both chambers.

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Daley praises General Assembly for civil unions bill | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Chicago may face the biggest property
tax increase in its history, according to Mayor Richard M. Daley, under a bill passed by Illinois lawmakers requiring
greater contributions to police and firefighter pension systems.

The third most-populous U.S. city may need to boost real-
estates taxes by more than $500 million a year, Daley has said.
The plan, which the Democratic mayor opposed, would apply to all
new public safety hires in Illinois.

The bill approved today by the state Senate was sent to
Governor Pat Quinn for signature. Kelly Kraft, a spokeswoman for
Quinn, a Democrat, didn’t immediately return a phone call
seeking comment.

The longest recession since the 1930s reduced Chicago’s
revenue by more than $1 billion, forcing the city to dip into
reserves and cut spending on a 2011 budget of $6.15 billion.

Standard & Poor’s cut Chicago’s credit rating on Nov. 5 by
one level to A+, the fifth-highest investment grade, citing the
city’s reliance on cash reserves to balance its budget.

To contact the reporter on this story:
Tim Jones in Chicago at
tjones58@bloomberg.net.

To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Mark Tannenbaum at
mtannen@bloomberg.net

Originally reported by Yahoo. Read the original story here.

Illinois Pension Bill May Boost Chicago Taxes $500 Million, Daley Says | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Even as a lame duck, Mayor Richard M. Daley has shaped the fate of the Sweet Home Chicago ordinance and its plan to spend hundreds of millions on affordable housing in the coming years.

Last week 13 members of a committee defied Daley and forwarded the ordinance to set aside 20 percent of the citys annual tax increment financing revenues toward affordable housing to a full city council vote last Wednesday.

With more than half of the aldermen in support, sponsor Ald. Walter Burnett Jr. (27th) was concerned that a few might double cross he and others who have worked since last spring to bring the ordinance to vote.

One week later the ordinance was back in the joint committee after intervention by the Mayors office. In the end, it was Burnett who decided to avoid the full vote. He decided that the wiser course of action was to negotiate a new substitute ordinance over the originalone that Daley could agree on while satisfying other aldermen now seeking amendments and reelection.

One possible amendment rips the guts out of the affordable housing ordinance by turning the articulated mandate to spend 20 percent of annual TIF dollarsabout $100 million in 2009into an unenforceable goal.

Many City Council members could cave in and vote with the Daley administration even though they are signed on as co-sponsors, says Dick Simpson, chair of the University of Illinois-Chicago political science department and a former Chicago Alderman.

Even if the City Council were to approve the ordinance, Daley could issue a rare mayoral veto; the council would then need 34 votes to overturn. According to Burnett, the amendments have now been made and he along with cosponsors and the Sweet Home Chicago Coalition of nine community groups and three labor unions are close to reaching a deal with the mayor. We almost have a compromise, he said. We are 99 percent there.

Ald. Bob Fioretti (2nd) is a cosponsor with the largest TIF reserves and heavily involved advocate of Sweet Home Chicago. He said he did not think the mayors move against the ordinance was retaliatory for years of his vocal opposition, and his no vote on Daleys last budget. Fioretti also saw pet schools project set for action stomped out before a school board vote last week.

The next step, Burnett said, is for the ordinance to pass yet again out of committee and then be voted on by the full council Dec. 8. The joint committee is expected to vote on a new version of the ordinance this week.

Delays by Daley

Daley has opposed and worked to delay consideration of the Sweet Home Chicago ordinance since Burnett introduced it in March.

Representatives from the Department of Community Developmentthe office that would implement the ordinancehave balked at the idea of limiting the flexibility of the program by forcing each TIF district to spend 20 percent on affordable housing.

About $500 million each year in property tax revenue goes to the citys 166 TIF districts. As it works now, the mayor and aldermen who preside over the TIF district have discretion to use this money in any way that encourages development.

In negotiations this past week, the city has agreed to the general spirit of the ordinancea set-aside of 20 percent of TIF revenue to create and rehabilitate units before turning them into affordable housing. The sticking point is that the city wants the 20 percent figure to be a goal, not an enforceable mandate.

Burnett would not rule out changing the set-aside to a goal instead of a mandate. It is not just me making this decision, he said. It is the whole coalition and we make our decisions together, but I dont think well agree to goal language.

Burnett is negotiating with the Daley administration a week after he blasted them on the council floor for treating aldermen like little kids whose purpose was to rubber stamp the mayors agenda. When the ordinance passed out of committee 13-8, a packed council chamber of Sweet Home Chicago coalition members gave Burnett an ovation.

The seeds, however, were planted during the committee meeting to delay a full City Council vote. Ald. Ed Smith (28th) proposed an amendment that would allow alderman to opt out of meeting the 20 percent obligation for their TIF district. Also, Ald. Latasha Thomas (17th) wanted to amend the ordinance in order to comply with state statues regarding TIF spending.

Fioretti recently explained that part of the opposition to Sweet Home Chicago stems from some not wanting affordable housing in their wards.

Ald. Burnett said that part of the reason the ordinance was moved back to committee was to make those amendments and thereby win the support of Smith and Thomas.

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Originally reported by Chicago Journal. Read the original story here.

Mayor puts brakes on Sweet Home Chicago | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

(WBEZ/Tony Arnold)

Rahm Emanuel talks with a worker at the Greater Chicago Food Depository

A new poll of some mayoral candidates shows former White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel with a huge lead over his competitors. The automated poll was conducted by the Chicago Retail Merchants Association Monday evening after all the candidates’ signatures had been turned in. The poll showed 39 percent of likely voters are supporting Emanuel. One of his opponents, Chicago City Clerk Miguel Del Valle, is dismissing the numbers.

“The polling is still early,” Del Valle said. “I think that as the campaigns unfold and the candidates present issues and we have some debates – as those unfold and the campaigns unfold, we’ll see those numbers changing.”

If no candidate receives more than 50 percent of the vote in February’s municipal election, the top two vote-getters will compete in a runoff. Twenty people filed signatures to get on the ballot to replace outgoing Mayor Richard Daley.

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Poll shows Emanuel with huge lead in race for Chicago mayor | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

It will begin to look a lot like Christmas as the city’s official tree lighting takes place Wednesday evening.

This evening, Mayor Daley, actress Joan Cusack and many others will gather in Daley Plaza for the 97th annual Daley Plaza tree lighting ceremony. This will be the last time Daley will lead the ceremony as Mayor of Chicago.

The 70-foot tree came from the Colomer family of McHenry, Ill., earlier this month.

WATCH ABC 7′s intervier with John Colomer here:

What: 97th Annual Daley Plaza Tree Lighting Ceremony

Where: Daley Plaza (Washington and Dearborn)

When: Wednesday, November 24, 4:30 p.m.

Price: FREE

Originally reported by Huffington Post Chicago. Read the original story here.

97th Annual Daley Plaza Tree Lighting Ceremony Today | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Election law says, in order to run for mayor, candidates must have been Chicago residents for one year preceding the election.

Davis said Emanuel’s stint living in Washington as the White House Chief of Staff raises “legitimate concerns” about the legality of his candidacy, even if Emanuel intended to return home all along.

“I think intent is, I guess, in the eye of the intender,” Davis said Tuesday.

Emanuel left for Washington to become President Barack Obama’s cheif of staff, but kept his house in the city. It’s now being rented out. Emanuel filed his paperwork to run to replace outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard Daley last Monday – about six weeks after coming back to Chicago.

Election lawyer Burt Odelson, who works with state Sen. James Meeks’ mayoral campaign, said just because Emanuel is a registered Chicago voter, doesn’t mean he was a resident.

“The people I know who vote from a house, live in the house,” Odelson told reporters Monday. “Just like the president of the United States.”

Odelson said he plans to challenge Emanuel’s residency this week, though he added that Meeks will not be a part of the challenge.

Meanwhile, fellow mayoral candidate Gery Chico, the former head of Chicago City Colleges, said he would not make Emanuel’s residency and issue during his campaign.

Meanwhile, Emanuel’s campaign maintains he’s been a resident all along, and recently produced his absentee voter’s ballot application for February’s primary as proof.

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Davis questions Emanuel on residency issue | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

When Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart dropped out of the race to succeed Mayor Daley, he made clear he was motivated by family reasons.

He has five young children, and the mayor’s race, he decided, would keep him away from them more than he was willing to accept. Another family member benefitted, too.

Originally reported by Huffington Post Chicago. Read the original story here.

Tom Dart Helped Lobbyist Brother By Dropping Out Of Mayor’s Race | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

But when she launches a campaign Saturday for Chicago mayor, she’ll have to reintroduce herself to many voters, some who weren’t even born the last time she won an election.

The 63-year-old Braun may try to recapture the breath-of-fresh-air enthusiasm that carried her to the Senate in 1992. She says her experience in all levels of politics make her uniquely qualified.

But if she hopes to succeed longtime Mayor Richard M. Daley, she’ll have to explain the miscues that limited her to a single Senate term, including a visit with a brutal Nigerian dictator.

Originally reported by Huffington Post Chicago. Read the original story here.

Carol Moseley Braun Launches Mayoral Campaign Saturday | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Chicago Public Schools Board of Education is expected to consider a temporary schools chief at its meeting today Wednesday.

Mayor Richard Daley yesterday nominated Terry Mazany as interim CEO of Chicago Public Schools, the country’s third largest schools system. Mazany will work for $1. That’s because he’s on loan from his current employer where he’ll continue to receive a salary. Mazany is President of the Chicago Community Trust.

WBEZ’s education reporter Linda Lutton had more on what this move means for Chicago schools.

Music Button:  Jason Adasiewicz, “Stake”, from the CD Sun Rooms, (Delmark)

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

What does Terry Mazany’s appointment mean for CPS? | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Tom Ricketts (WBEZ/Tony Arnold)

The owners of the Chicago Cubs are trying to gain public support for their plan to get government-issued bonds to renovate Wrigley Field.

Cubs’ Chairman Tom Ricketts addressed the media Tuesday morning in a room full of business and labor leaders.

Ricketts thanked a number of them that showed up at the media conference, including Teamsters Local, Chicago and Cook County Building Trade, Chicago Bricklayers Local 21, Plumber Local 130.

Ricketts wants to take $200 million in bonds from the state and repay the money over time with taxes on Cubs tickets.

He has so far failed to get support for his plan from Chicago Mayor Richard Daley or Illinois Governor Pat Quinn.

“This public-private partnership would, in the long-run, create a significantly larger economic base in Wrigleyville and higher tax revenue for all levels of government,” Ricketts said.

Ricketts says he’s not certain what would happen structurally to the 96-year-old Wrigley Field if legislators don’t approve his bond plan. The framework has been patched over for years. Ricketts said one thing that’s not an option is moving the Cubs out of Wrigley Field.

Tuesday afternoon in Springfield, Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan told reporters the Chicago Cubs were pulling their financial plan. A Ricketts’ family spokesman responded by saying their plan stands and nothing has changed.

“As we discussed in our press conference this morning with the state’s labor leaders, creating jobs and economic development is a top priority and we are working with elected officials to draft legislation and determine the best way to move forward as expeditiously as possible,” Dennis Culloton, a spokesperson for the Ricketts family, said in a written statement. “Nothing has changed and we are hard at work.”

Originally reported by Chicago Public Radio. Read the original article here.

Madigan says Cubs deal off, but Cubs say it’s still on | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Anticipating the retirement of Chicago Public Schools CEO Ron Huberman, Chicago Mayor Richard Daley has announced an interim head of the city’s school district.

Terry Mazany is currently the president and CEO of the Chicago Community Trust, a leading philanthropic institution in the city. While there, he oversaw the Trust’s first donation to CPS, a five-year, $50 million gift.

He has also served as a public school administrator in Michigan and California.

Mazany will serve a roughly 200-day interim period, and has announced that he does not intend to keep the post once a new mayor is elected in early 2011. In fact, FOX Chicago reports that he will focus on making a “briefing book” for the new mayor and CPS chief offering suggestions on how to address the schools’ grave budget crisis and other concerns.

The mayor’s selection of Mazany is likely to upset some education activists. Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, and James Meeks, a reverend and mayoral candidate who has long lobbied for better schools, had both expressed hopes that the new CEO would be an educator and not an administrator.

The Sun-Times spoke with another activist who shared the opinion:

Meeks said it was a “mistake” not to choose someone whose career background is in education.

Julie Woestehoff of Parents United for Responsible Education agreed.

“Our children are not data sets, cogs in a machine or props for political photo ops,” she said.

“We need a schools superintendent whose loyalties are to the students — not to the mayor. … We need a leader who will put an end to policies like retention and school closings that have been hurting our children. … We need someone who cares more about making parents, teachers, staff and students feel respected, rather than making the business community feel comfortable.”

Mayor Daley, though, has envisioned the post — created early in his term when City Hall took over the school district — as an operations-focused position, appointing a CEO for education below the top CEO to handle school policy.

Mazany’s replacement, though, won’t be appointed by Daley; that person’s background will speak volumes about the new mayor’s approach to the schools.

Originally reported by Huffington Post Chicago. Read the original story here.

Terry Mazany Named Interim CPS Chief | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.