In one of the most significant wrests of power from individuals to the community in recent Chicago history, as soon as May our aldermen may vote to approve a project in a ward opposed by the local alderman!
Iron-fisted control of development in their wards, often referred to as "aldermanic prerogative," has long been the life-blood of incumbency in the Chicago City Council, a powerful force capable of transforming grossly incompetent human beings into successful career politicians.
Local real estate promoter and part-time faux progressive alderman Joe Moore is a fervent advocate of the "Alderman as Czar" conception of the office of Chicago alderman. "There will be no Wal-Mart in Rogers Park as long as I am alderman," is one of Moore's most frequent applause lines.
Will our aldermen be so two-oh stoopid as to shoot themselves in the foot? Will they kill the goose? Will the aldermen allow Daley to usurp their most successful product? Will the real estate developers who underwrite the politicians' campaigns support this consolidation of one-stop shopping? Will Daley II be remember as the Garibaldi of Chicago, uniting 50 fiefdoms in northeastern Illinois under a central authority?
Stay tuned!
Court fight threatened over Children's Museum
GRANT PARK
Daley reportedly has votes to approve move
BY FRAN SPIELMAN, Sun-Times City Hall Reporter, March 27, 2008
Mayor Daley has the 26 votes he needs to win City Council approval of a new, $100 million Children's Museum in Grant Park, according to influential aldermen ... Influential aldermen predicted this week that Daley has at least 30 votes to approve the project over strenuous opposition from local Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd).
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