Congrats again to Brandon Johnson who was inaugurated yesterday as Chicago’s 57th mayor. Most impressive was his plea for unity across racial, ethnic, and immigrant lines. Also, his mid-stage embrace of outgoing mayor, Lori Lightfoot to the crowd's cheers was moving. Lightfoot had left him with a manageable city budget along with the keys to the 5th floor.
I’m also glad that the lead-up to Johnson’s taking office wasn’t as harsh and mine-filled as Lightfoot’s was four years ago when she faced a barrage of attacks from the left and from corporate media before she even took office.
The one I remember most vividly was the demand that she put the kibosh on the $6B Lincoln Yards project, a deal cut with Sterling Bay by then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel and approved by the City Council long before Lightfoot took office. It was to be Chicago’s largest land giveaway, with seed money coming from the taxpayers in the form of TIF funds that should have gone to schools, and greased by prison-bound real estate attorney Ald. Ed Burke.
The CTU, which was out on strike at the time, was sharply critical of the Lincoln Yards deal and so was I. While legal, it was criticized by many Chicagoans, 10 aldermen, and a Cook County judge as “rushed” and lacking transparency.
Teachers said their issue with the development was simple: if there is money to put in a TIF fund for Sterling Bay, there should be money for a nurse and social worker in every school. Others criticized the lack of affordable housing units in the plan.
Nine CTU members were arrested after staging a sit-in at the developer’s building. Earlier in the day the union protested at the site of Sterling Bay’s unbuilt megaproject arguing tax increment financing dollars being spent for the project should go to education.
Lightfoot, who was critical of the Lincoln Yards deal from the start, had no power to block it. Instead she tried to tweak it by asking the principals to hire more women and minorities before they took another vote on the done deal. But she was still blasted by some local lefties, and obsessed media haters like Greg Pratt at the Tribune, for not blocking the deal.
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Four years later, the Lincoln Yards project is stalled. It’s facing recessionary headwinds and high interest rates and has started laying off staff. But it’s Lightfoot who’s still drawing the flak only now the cheap shots are coming right from the horse’s mouth — from Sterling Bay CEO Andy Gloor.
According to Bloomberg:
Gloor claims the city has been too slow to issue permits for the 53-acre development.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot “put a brake on our entire project,” he said in an interview Monday, adding that the delays set the project back by three years.
Gloor is optimistic that the project will take off when Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson takes over.
“I can’t say enough just of my initial meetings with Brandon and his team,” he said. “I’m super encouraged that he understands the importance of these large developments for Chicago.”
My my, how the narrative has changed.
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BTW — Sterling Bay executives and other personnel kicked in more than $16,000 toward Paul Vallas’ bid for mayor. Gloor kicked in $1,500 himself.
Here’s wishing Mayor Johnson smooth successful sailing in the four years ahead. The city needs him to be successful.
Mike I used to know you.
I know you were a fairly proficient ping pong player and your matches with DK were interesting.
We...the country...are in so much f*ing trouble its beyond belief. What should I,
What can I do? Thanks
Hi Ralphie,
2 points here:
1. "Fairly proficient" doesn't do by game justice.
2. You're right about the state of the country (world). But you are the only one who can answer that final question.