CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by blazingfire

Kam Buckner should have been the guy progressives/CTU rallied around, not Johnson. I don't hate Johnson, he's a great public speaker and seems far more likable than Lightfoot (low bar), but like everybody else is saying, his policies (if implemented) would absolutely wreck the city. There's a reason all the businesses and safety organizations are rallying behind Vallas. His tax increases thinking that will have positive results is delusional. Same with him defunding the police (he said he didn't mean that, bullshit, he's 100% a police defunder/aboltionist).

The perfect candidate would have Vallas views on crime/public safety and Buckner views on everything else. Buckner was far pragmatic in his approach to things. Instead of wanting to tax the shit out of everybody like Johnson, he said we can't tax our way out of problems and the only way to solve this is to increase Chicago's tax payer base, which I ONE HUNDRED PERCENT agree with! We need to make Chicago an attractive place to live! More people living here = more tax dollars. He said 3 million Chicagoans by 2030, which is feasible if the city has the right leadership to steer the city in a positive direction.

Lower crime, clean up the neighborhoods on the south/west sides, lower/keep the line on taxes (NO RAISING TAXES, we are already one of the most taxed municipalities in the country), clean up CTA, clean up CPS, etc. Do this, and aside from the harsh weather, people should be moving here in no time.

Everything you said is so dead-on; agree 1,000%

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by ChiMIchael

I voted for Buckner even though I knew I would be the minority.

But I'm really disappointed on how there was little (if any) discussion on economics policy, especially when the solution to many of the city problems is the expand the economy. There needed to be conversation about how the city can add more quality jobs, creating new industries and expanding on already viable ones, and moving more people into the city.

I think the major problem is that the political community is too complacent about its economic standing, and it established a culture that resists thinking outside the box, where it's a strength to die on a hill. Therefore, they pander to how it constituents think the city operates.

I agree, the way Chicago gets out of its fiscal mess is to grow the economy. Johnson's tax plan includes:

City Income tax
Employee head tax
Financial trade tax
Hotel tax increase to the highest in the country
Commuter tax

Each of these are job killers, which will only make Chicago's economy weaker.

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I agree, the way Chicago gets out of its fiscal mess is to grow the economy. Johnson's tax plan includes:

City Income tax
Employee head tax
Financial trade tax
Hotel tax increase to the highest in the country
Commuter tax

Each of these are job killers, which will only make Chicago's economy weaker.

Johnson is absolutely insane if he thinks those additional taxes would help Chicago's economy. What a fucking joke..I don't know how anyone could justify any of that.

Vallas and his team need to latch on to exactly this nonsense and drive home that point that these new additions would cripple Chicago to the point that there would be a massive exodus out. Great way to push even more people permanently out of the City.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Johnson is absolutely insane if he thinks those additional taxes would help Chicago's economy. What a fucking joke..I don't know how anyone could justify any of that.

Vallas and his team need to latch on to exactly this nonsense and drive home that point that these new additions would cripple Chicago to the point that there would be a massive exodus out. Great way to push even more people permanently out of the City.

Well remind your friends and family to vote for Vallas.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I agree, the way Chicago gets out of its fiscal mess is to grow the economy. Johnson's tax plan includes:

City Income tax
Employee head tax
Financial trade tax
Hotel tax increase to the highest in the country
Commuter tax

Each of these are job killers, which will only make Chicago's economy weaker.

So im not a Johnson fan because of his taxes but he's walked back on the income tax part as well as the commuter tax. He aligns himself with some group who recommended a city income tax but he's not biting on it. I've also heard that some people talked sense into him regarding the commuter tax and how dumb it is.

Not sure about the other stuff but they are bad. While I won't be voting for Johnson, it's important to at least be accurate.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by marothisu

So im not a Johnson fan because of his taxes but he's walked back on the income tax part as well as the commuter tax. He aligns himself with some group who recommended a city income tax but he's not biting on it. I've also heard that some people talked sense into him regarding the commuter tax and how dumb it is.

Not sure about the other stuff but they are bad. While I won't be voting for Johnson, it's important to at least be accurate.

Agree, but from my perspective, the fact he went out the gate with that then had to start walking it back is even more evidence he shouldn't be at the helm. He has no good optics for what the city needs, instead he's looking at everything through the lenses of equity and social justice.

His tactics shift from one debate to another (based on the few i've seen). In the first forum I watched, he basically tried to paint Vallas as racist. He also tried to suggest that he knows that cops go through because he saw things first hand as a teacher..... Which makes no sense.

He has since backed off those tactics, while shifting to new ones - Like suggesting Vallas can't manage a budget, etc, etc. Vallas, for his part, has maintained consistency throughout these debates.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by twister244

Agree, but from my perspective, the fact he went out the gate with that then had to start walking it back is even more evidence he shouldn't be at the helm. He has no good optics for what the city needs, instead he's looking at everything through the lenses of equity and social justice.

His tactics shift from one debate to another (based on the few i've seen). In the first forum I watched, he basically tried to paint Vallas as racist. He also tried to suggest that he knows that cops go through because he saw things first hand as a teacher..... Which makes no sense.

He has since backed off those tactics, while shifting to new ones - Like suggesting Vallas can't manage a budget, etc, etc. Vallas, for his part, has maintained consistency throughout these debates.

All this. Johnson's default is more taxation, racism and pro criminal. He can change what he says from day to day, but the record is there.

[marothisu]

Yeah, look. I'm not voting for Johnson and I agree but it's good to be accurate. I don't think it's a weak point that someone talked sense into the guy about commuter tax. My only hope for him is that (1) Someone talks sense into him about how dumb the other taxes are and (2) city council would have better sense than passing regressive taxes.

I don't disagree with some of his social points, but the way he goes around raising the revenue specifically for Chicago is bad bad bad. It will have negative consequences unfortunately. Kills me to say it but it's obvious.

[marothisu]

I don't think Johnson is anti development in total but I think he's not focused on anything BUT affordable housing. He has stated numerous times we need more of it and his taxes are basically going to subsidize it. He hasn't really said anything otherwise.

I also don't think he's on purpose anti business. But I don't think he understands business *at all* which is why he's proposed various taxes.

I think Vallas is definitely a stronger candidate for all of this and the business community will rally behind him.

[lakeshoredrive]

I need this election to be over with already. It can’t come soon enough.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by blazingfire

I don't think he's purposely anti-business either, but he is by default because of his tax plan. Texas, Florida, Georgia, Arizona, North Carolina, etc. aren't corporate relocation magnets for no reason.

Lol the Chicago area has led all metros for over a decade in this. Don't confuse marketing headlines/anecdotes with actual data. Cities pay a lot of money to companies like Insider, Forbes, etc to write hype articles for them.

But yes, I agree he's anti business with his stupid tax plan. I think CTU told him to just promise people the best things ever so he'll get more votes than their last person. His latest is free childcare for all. Would be amazing but... $$$

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by marothisu

Lol the Chicago area has led all metros for over a decade in this. Don't confuse marketing headlines/anecdotes with actual data. Cities pay a lot of money to companies like Insider, Forbes, etc to write hype articles for them.

But yes, I agree he's anti business with his stupid tax plan. I think CTU told him to just promise people the best things ever so he'll get more votes than their last person. His latest is free childcare for all. Would be amazing but... $$$

Yeah, just saw that latest pander.

[marothisu]

Lol Bobby Rush is endorsing Vallas for mayor. It's been a very interesting endorsement "season" in this election.

[marothisu]

1) A bunch of Aldermen on the south and west sides already endorsed Vallas.

2) I'm not a Lightfoot fan at all, but I'm sure as you've seen I actually study the crime data. I've contributed to multiple articles about crime trends here not just in the US but also overseas publications. The entire US has seen a violence surge during COVID and not just Chicago. Not even close. And while things like robbery are rising again they are still lower than they were even 5 or 6 years ago. And murders rose to an unacceptable rate, and have been decreasing (YTD lower than 2018 or 2017 now). I'm not going to defend LL but if you want to be an actual smart, knowledgeable citizen and voter then arm yourself with actual knowledge and stop the bullshit.

[cyked3]

So, I voted for Vallas round 1. Can’t say I am happy with this response at all:

Transportation
How well is the CTA working now?

Poorly.

What should be done differently?

There is an astonishing disconnect between leadership and basic performance elements the public wants and needs, including safety, cleanliness and reliability.

Where does revamping Union Station stand on your priority list?

Low.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/poli...-questionnaire

Contrast that with Johnson’s answers:

Transportation
How well is the CTA working now?

I think from the standpoint of the riders, we're fed up with CTA service. And I think CTA workers are also fed up with being assaulted and attacked. They’re not social service workers, but they often find themselves at the front lines of the social issues our City is facing. On-time performance has plummeted. People are waiting longer for their bus or train to arrive, and they don’t feel safe on the platforms. Staffing levels are way down.

What should be done differently?

There is a wide range of things that should be done differently. The CTA needs to make reliability its Number One priority. If service is fast, reliable, clean, and safe, people will leave the car at home and take the train or bus instead. I think the CTA could be more customer-oriented. Bus rapid transit (BRT) should be expanded and fully implemented across key corridors in Chicago. I want to create 500 bus priority signals to speed trips. I will work with the CTA to address the staffing shortage it is facing. There was a study that looked at this issue and its leading recommendation was to listen to the transit workers themselves, to make them a part of the decision-making process. It also concluded that transit agencies need to figure out how to have better working environments. The CTA can and must be a place where Chicagoans go and seek a fulfilling career. We need to hire and train 1,000 new bus and train operators, and we need to pay them fairly.

Where does revamping Union Station stand on your priority list?

I fully support the coalition of state, local, and federal leaders in their request for $251 million in MEGA grant funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation for this important project. While Chicago wasn't on the list of recipients this year, I think next year we can put together an even better proposal from an even bigger coalition.

[Klippenstein]

And Paul Vallas just got endorsed by Darren Bailey.

Lori Lightfoot is looking more and more like the Jane Byrne to Brandon Johnson's Harold Washington. Brandon Johnson has quite a coalition growing. And you know what this makes Paul Vallas? Bernard Epton.

[Klippenstein]

NASCAR Needs Better Luck with Chicago Street Race than CART Had in 1981

"The announcement today is the latest example of Chicago's increasing attraction and fame as an international city," Mayor Jane Byrne said at the 1980 press conference. "I think the Chicago Grand Prix will be an excellent way to showcase our city to the rest of the world because of the international popularity of auto racing."

Fast forward to July 19, 2022, and the current mayor's take from a playbook not too different from the 1980 version.

[marothisu]

Bailey is the least self aware politician I've ever seen. You'd think as he lost so badly in Chicago he'd stay out of the politics (especially because he has no real, concrete ties to here). At least people like Lightfoot are more self aware

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

And Paul Vallas just got endorsed by Darren Bailey.

Lori Lightfoot is looking more and more like the Jane Byrne to Brandon Johnson's Harold Washington. Brandon Johnson has quite a coalition growing. And you know what this makes Paul Vallas? Bernard Epton.

Why stop there? If you take the analogy further and Johnson becomes mayor ala Washington, then he'll be one of Chicago's future worst mayors. Yay!!

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by sentinel

Why stop there? If you take the analogy further and Johnson becomes mayor ala Washington, then he'll be one of Chicago's future worst mayors. Yay!!

Never heard that one before. Funny that his approval rating was pretty good before he was re-elected. Though the establishment democrats and republicans sure did hate him.