Quote:
Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright
Is this a serious question? Yes, Burnett is flush with developer cash. But this is America and, as long as he basically gives everyone a zoning change, there's nothing illegal about it. His power base doesn't really come from those donations anyway, it comes from the neighborhood base that is the bulk of his Ward and continuously reelect him.
He is an interesting case study in an alderman. NIMBYs basically have no say in Ward as he's very adeptly worked to get thing like the NOF passed which literally funnels money from one end of his ward to the other.
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Who was questioning the present legality? I merely brought up that one would think he's raking it in hand over fist at historically very impressive rates if he routinely accepts donations from developers that are building/seek to in his ward. Now - should that be illegal? Yes, of course. But should doesn't mean is. Hard to imagine City Council ever moving this century to make it so. And, then, with the current judiciary, there could be constitutional issues. It's a plainly unethical practice, but that doesn't stop what I assume is a very solid majority of aldermen from regularly doing so.
Also, the fact that he approves zoning changes for everyone or nearly everyone has no bearing on present legality. That would all depend on some sort of agreement, or quid pro quo, right? Which, I certainly did not suggest and I have not come across public allegations of such.
TBH, perhaps the more interesting thing at the moment might what he's spending it all on, seeing WestTowner's post.
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