I got a call from RP Dude. The dude was on his way to another meeting but wanted to let me know about the commotion going on in front of Pottawattomie Park. Seems Northside Power held up on their promise to disrupt the Howard Station Renovation project anyway they can.
I rushed on over even though I didn't really feel up to the meeting. After all, the finals for American Idol was on. (Did you know more people voted for American Idol than for the presidential election?)
By the time I got there a few officers were outside warning the kids to turn down the car stereo. So much for the big time commotion, I went inside.
Inside the room it was packed (pictured) with lot's of people with signs demanding jobs for locals. These must have been the protesters RP Dude was talking about. They all seemed out of place, they looked as if they would have been happier watching the finals of American Idol at home too. It looks like they were led to the meeting by Danny Romero from Northside Power. Danny was there with his trusty bull horn, to led his followers. He never used the bullhorn while I was there.
Anyhow, all the hot air talking from the presenters in the front of the room was getting me dizzy, I left when the room temperature hit what seemed like 110 degrees. As did many of the others in the back of the room.
Some notes of interest before I left to watch the Taylor Hicks win the fifth edition of American Idol.
* CeaseFire was there in force along with Sarah Jane Knoy from O.N.E.
* 49th ward Democratic Committeeman David Fagus rides a motorcycle. Who knew?
* Wayne Frazier thought it was funny I was all bruised and battered from my motorcycle riding weekend in Teneessee. Who knew Wayne reads the Hell Hole?
* The Alderman kept talking about union jobs but never mentioned the union jobs SSA 19 and 24 take away from the community by paying janitors in food stamps.
* Don't look for this project to be a economic engine for the neighborhood. According to the Alderman, this project will generate less than 25 jobs.
* Again, according to the Alderman, eight union positions have been filled by Rogers Park residents already.
Famous quote from the evening with commentary:
"I don't make promises I can't keep!" said Alderman Moore.
Please Alderman, you've made a career at making promises you never kept.
Any comments?
11 comments:
Grandiose promise that's for sure. I'm sure he must believe it if he said it right? But maybe his interpretation of keeping promises is more liberal than yours or others. Maybe he intends to keep up on the Block bldg- just taking too long. But you know what they say about good intentions.
Regardless of his intentions, it's obvious to me that many people in the ward are dissatisfied with Joe Moore's work here. I myself am getting frustrated with the retail and crime issues, but I try to be patient and do what I can. I believe in working with the people in power, so I don't want to trash what his office does- they do some good. I know this might seem wishy washy to some out there- but for me I don't want to trash anyone- yet anyway.
I am just curious if you who say Joe hasn't kept his promise on the Block building have called up and asked for accountability or written a letter etc...? I know there are posts on blogs, but any direct communication? I suspect you have, but would like to know for sure.
That building IS the scourge of Morse and the surrounding area.
Thanks
At the risk of sounding paranoid I must ask: Why in Gods name was the meeting held in that tiny little room at Pottowatmie (sic) Park?
Was the auditorium at Gale school not available.
Even if the weather had been cooler, the room ws so crowded it would have still been stuffy.
Dear Leader Joe: If you don't want to face such a grouchy audience then a) keep promises and b) choose a larger, spacious venue.
Honest to God: we got subjected to almost an hour of blah blah blah by people from CTA ONE McHugh and...were we all supposed to be lulled to sleep by the heat?
Rumors have swept Rogers Park that the [Gateway Mall] retailers either pulled out or were never there to begin with. Not true, Moore and Mulder insist. "I have heard all those rumors and let me tell you, they're not true," says Moore. "The backing is as strong as ever. Dominick's and Cineplex are still on board. They have signed leases. I've seen those leases.
-Chicago Reader, October 9, 1998
"It's been my long-standing policy not to accept campaign donations from anyone who has a zoning or land-use issue pending," Moore said. "That's not a requirement of law. That's something I impose on myself to remove any hint of possible influence."
-Lerner News-Star, April 5, 2000
> Who owns the Block building, and why are we still waiting for that information?
Many of our problems in our neighborhoods with problem buildings and problem landlords are a result of state laws that facilitate hiding property onwership through trusts and LLCs. For example, there would be no Peotone airport proposal if the public could see the connections between who the farm fields in the footprint of the proposed site and the politicians stumping for a 3rd airport. More locally, Moore routinely supports owners in hiding their identity to avoid accountability. The more Moore stalls on his promise, the more I tend to think he himself or a major campaign contributor is part owner.
> Promises, promises, promises. Who ever believes this lying sob is really dumb.
A recent federal appeals court ruling upheld that promises made by politicians in election years are not binding:
Governor's vow just "puffery"
Blagojevich's own lawyers say jobs pledge not binding, court agrees
By Ray Long and Christi Parsons, Tribune staff reporters, January 30, 2006
SPRINGFIELD -- Facing lawsuits from fired prison officials who say Gov. Rod Blagojevich broke his pledge to keep good employees, lawyers for the state offered a surprising defense: His promises were "classic political puffery."
In a political year, the premise that Blagojevich made promises he didn't intend to keep could be troublesome for the governor to explain. But the puffery defense proved to be a sound legal strategy.
A federal appellate court agreed with the administration's lawyers who argued in court filings that the governor's comments were not binding.
More...
* 49th ward Democratic Committeeman David Fagus rides a motorcycle. Who knew?
Born to be wild.
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