Quote:
Originally Posted by IrishIllini
That'll never happen. The other three are theoretically possible. I don't think 50 wards in the city is inherently a problem, although it wouldn't hurt to merge wards. It's the authority Alderman have. It'll get political regardless of who holds the hammer, but a lot of planning/zoning/permitting power should stay with City Hall and the relevant departments.
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Wishful thinking, yes, but not impossible, and maybe necessary in the future. I really wish people would stop thinking of things as 'never happening' because that type of thinking is what's gotten Chicago and Illinois into these financial messes in the first place.
There are too many wards, and the aldermen have too much authority. Too many little fiefdoms in Chicago, which is what maintains the parochial status quo. If Chicago is going to succeed and thrive, people need to be willing to see beyond their neighborhood and focus on the big picture, but that's always going to be a challenge when the 'city of neighborhoods' mentality is a constant subconscious reminder. That mentality is one of the many many reasons that keeps the City so segregated.