CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by pip

^From our SSP perspective is that good news?

Pro-rent control, anti-development DSA politician, Ramirez-Rosa could potentially be replaced by Vice Mayor Walter Burnett, the guy responsible for greenlighting Fulton Market projects.

Depends who the replacement is but Ramirez-Rosa out is a positive thing.

Also there were rumors that Ramirez-Rosa was stalling zoning changes to retaliate against other alderman. So no bueno.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by galleyfox

Also there were rumors that Ramirez-Rosa was stalling zoning changes to retaliate against other alderman. So no bueno.

It sounds like there are some real legs to that part of the story.

A couple alderman have now gone publicly on record claiming that Ramirez-Rosa directly threatened their wards with zoning delays if they didn't do as he commanded.

Besides the allegation involving Mitts, Ramirez-Rosa is accused of threatening several committee chairs, including Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), who also attended the special meeting.

Taliaferro, Police and Fire Committee chairman, said he was threatened after Ramirez-Rosa said, “I need you to leave” and Taliaferro refused.

“He said, ‘Well, don’t expect anything from me in my [Zoning] Committee,’” Taliaferro told the Sun-Times.

Ramirez-Rosa has denied making such a threat. He claims he told various chairs they were “part of a team” and he needed that “team” to unite against the resolution.

Ald. Nicole Lee (11th), however, said Monday she filed a complaint with the city’s inspector general after a similar threat from Ramirez-Rosa at that meeting.

“He threatened zoning for my ward if I didn’t do as he asked, which was to leave the room,” Lee said Monday. “To be honest, it was a very scary moment.”

Source: https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-ha...ee-resignation


What a complete fucking tool.

Thank God Ramirez-Rosa will soon be without much power on the council.

[Tom In Chicago]

This city works. . . until it doesn't. . . then it falls flat on it's face. . .

. . .

[Steely Dan]

Chicago is like a Tall Bold Slugger.....


with his shoelaces tied together.

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by galleyfox

Pro-rent control, anti-development DSA politician, Ramirez-Rosa could potentially be replaced by Vice Mayor Walter Burnett, the guy responsible for greenlighting Fulton Market projects.

I have come to trust Walter Burnett. He's not perfect, but I think he puts the city first, seeing the angles and understands politics. I think he does a better job as alderman than I could do.

[sentinel]

Illinois Earns Credit Rating Upgrade from Fitch

The state's ninth upgrade under Governor Pritzker

Illinois reaches "A" category with all rating agencies

"...Across major credit rating agencies S&P Global Ratings, Fitch Ratings, and Moody's Investors Service, the state has received nine upgrades since June of 2021. Illinois is now back in the "A" category for all three agencies. Prior to those upgrades, the state had not received an upgrade since June of 2000, over two decades. Agencies have cited the state's actions in paying down bill backlogs, repaying debts, increased fiscal transparency, building financial reserves, and balancing the state budget as factors in the upgraded ratings."


https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.27249.html

It's still not enough, but the state is heading in the right direction under Pritzker, no one can deny that.

[left of center]

Pritzker is a godsend. I hope he stays as governor for the remainder of his natural life, but that's probably not likely considering he has political aspirations of his own. In either case, the longer he stays on as chief executive, the better for our state.

[Steely Dan]

It's amazing what reasonable, practical adults can do!

[Randomguy34]

Several housing & transit groups are calling for the mayor to appoint a Zoning chair who will implement the following demands: https://new.urbanenvironmentalists.o...dable-housing/

1. Streamline Zoning Regulations: Reforming zoning regulations can cut through red tape, lower building costs, and accelerate transit-oriented development in areas where people want to live. It can empower property owners while fostering sustainable growth. Measures like fast-tracking permitting and by-right approvals of housing proposals that meet the city’s rules & regulations (or a future checklist of objective criteria) will be key to providing more affordable housing. This is especially critical if we are to ensure that affordable housing developments do not face added costs or long timelines to completion - a priority as we look to house our most vulnerable residents and the new migrants whom our city has welcomed.

2. Legalize Three-Flats and Accessory Dwelling Units City-Wide: Classic Chicago three-flats are some of our city’s most iconic, attractive, and affordable housing options, but current zoning rules prohibit them from being built in many areas of the city. Accessory Dwelling Units are a low-cost, sustainable housing option that also provide income for existing homeowners. ADUs already have majority support on the City Council. These changes will not only expand housing options and lower rents, but also will grow the customer base of local businesses and revitalize our neighborhoods to create more inclusive and diverse communities.

3. Support Equitable Development Near Transit: Adding housing near public transit naturally supports our robust public transportation system. When we eliminate parking requirements and build more housing near bus and train stops, we also help reduce congestion, commuting costs, and carbon pollution, all while making housing more affordable. This is how we support the creation of healthy, walkable, and bike-friendly communities across Chicago, especially on the South and West sides, which have seen too little transit-oriented development.

Stuff like by-right approvals and legalizing 3-flats citywide is unheard of in much of the country, and would probably make Chicago have some of the most liberal zoning laws

[Steely Dan]

Are the feds gonna bring the hammer down on our city's stupid fucking alder-cretins?

One can dream.....

Chicago wrongly limited affordable housing with aldermanic prerogative, HUD says
Feds say giving Council members “a local veto over proposals to build affordable housing” has meant it’s “rarely, if ever, constructed in the majority-white wards that have the least affordable housing.”

By Brett Chase
Updated Nov 28, 2023, 5:54pm CST


The city of Chicago wrongly limited affordable housing by allowing City Council members to reject developments in their wards through the use of their aldermanic prerogative, federal investigators say.

Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is being asked to enter talks for an “informal resolution” of an almost five-year civil rights investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a letter obtained by the Chicago Sun-Times.

“The department’s investigation indicates that the city affords each of its 50 wards a local veto over proposals to build affordable housing and that many majority-white wards use the local veto to block, deter or downsize such proposals,” wrote Lon Meltesen, regional director of HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “As a result, new affordable housing is rarely, if ever, constructed in the majority-white wards that have the least affordable housing.”

Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-ha...discrimination

[VKChaz]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Are the feds gonna bring the hammer down on our city's stupid fucking alder-cretins?

One can dream.....



Full article: https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-ha...discrimination

more broadly, this goes at nimbyism

In addition to the power of alderpersons, the 2018 complaint also calls out the use of local resident committees known as zoning advisory councils that can limit housing.

The complaint said these groups are “one of the most powerful tools used to influence affordable housing development,” especially in predominantly white wards. In other white areas, similar groups have been used to effectively keep out low-income housing, the complaint said.

[Steely Dan]

Nice!

It'd be lovely to see both the alder-cretins and the NIMB-idiots knocked down a peg or twelve.

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Nice!

It'd be lovely to see both the alder-cretins and the NIMB-idiots knocked down a peg or twelve.

Totally agree with you here! This isn't simply a majority-white neighborhood issue either, of course. I've been seeing the same thing in Avondale, definitely in Logan Square as well. I think over here it's because so many long time residents, especially in Avondale, got used to nothing changing and basically freaked out over anything new being built at all. Kind of surprised me they nobody seems to have complained too much about the massive Fields reuse/redevelopment into a massive film studio campus.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[SamInTheLoop]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Nice!

It'd be lovely to see both the alder-cretins and the NIMB-idiots knocked down a peg or twelve.

or 13:

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/loca...trial/3309017/

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by SamInTheLoop

or 13:

https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/loca...trial/3309017/

Halle-fuckin-lujah!

[left of center]

Great news! Don't stop with him though, there are so many more corrupt POS's at city hall!

[aaron38]

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...tural-gas-ban/
Chicago Becomes Latest City to Push Natural-Gas Ban

This is absolute hot garbage. It will make the poor even poorer while the rich virtue signal. It will do nothing for climate change and instead make things worse. I hate to break it to you but using natural gas to generate electricity (which you MUST do since nuclear power isn't accepted) is far less efficient due to electrical losses than using natural gas directly for heat.
Source: 25 years as an electrical engineer with a master's degree.
But go ahead, listen to your political betters.

[left of center]

I have dealt with electric heat before, and it is significantly more expensive than gas heat. I am all for getting rid of gas stoves and ovens in the home (electric ovens and induction stove tops work just as good if not better than gas, and no carbon monoxide to deal with), but until atmospheric heat pump technology gets better (electric resistance heating is an absolute non starter) and every home is equipped with solar panels and a home battery, its simply not economical to heat with electric in Chicago winters at the moment.

[bnk]

I refuse to cook with electricity and will flout any ban. Ill use propane if I have to.

Shit like this is no longer why I am a Democrat

Electric heating in northern Illinois? $$$$$$$$$$$$

Heating with resistance is more expensive in Texas than up here with natural gas.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by aaron38

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/...tural-gas-ban/
Chicago Becomes Latest City to Push Natural-Gas Ban

This is absolute hot garbage. It will make the poor even poorer while the rich virtue signal. It will do nothing for climate change and instead make things worse. I hate to break it to you but using natural gas to generate electricity (which you MUST do since nuclear power isn't accepted) is far less efficient due to electrical losses than using natural gas directly for heat.
Source: 25 years as an electrical engineer with a master's degree.
But go ahead, listen to your political betters.

The link to the ordinance (which presumably has not passed) is broken in thay link (unsurprising, given the quality of the NR).

Illinois is planning on phasing out fossil fuel power generation by 2050, no?