CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[CrazyCres]

Vallas proposes ‘second Burnham plan’ to rebuild neighborhoods, reverse population loss

The plan unveiled by Vallas, a former Chicago Public Schools CEO, would invest one-third of all new revenues from a Chicago casino, sports betting, developer fees, tax-increment financing districts and TIF surpluses in South and West side neighborhoods.

“It is critical in this moment that we do not divert our attention from the real issue at the heart of so many of Chicago’s problems: the pervasive, historical neglect of Chicago’s most underserved communities, most particularly on the South and West Sides,” Vallas told the City Club of Chicago.

https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-ha...tion-lightfoot

[Vlajos]

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...7ou-story.html

This pathetic obese dude is racist and of course endorsed by the CTU and socialists. This city is in real trouble if people like him and DSA fools like Rosana Rodriguez continue being elected.

[Tom In Chicago]

Still waiting for someone to convince me to vote for anyone other than Vallas. . . sigh. . .

. . .

[SIGSEGV]

A Trib endorsement is a pretty strong reason against someone...

The funny thing is I liked Vallas last time he ran (when he came in 8th or whatever). He seems to be running a much less technocratic, more populist campaign now which is offputting to me but it seems to be working.

[marothisu]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

A Trib endorsement is a pretty strong reason against someone...

The funny thing is I liked Vallas last time he ran (when he came in 8th or whatever). He seems to be running a much less technocratic, more populist campaign now which is offputting to me but it seems to be working.

A lot of politicians run on empty promises just to get votes. Very few politicians actually keep their word on most of what they say during a campaign as far as trying to do various things. Many reasons for it and this is just one of the many reasons. Of course, there's more complicated reasons out there too.

[SIGSEGV]

Originally Posted by marothisu

A lot of politicians run on empty promises just to get votes. Very few politicians actually keep their word on most of what they say during a campaign as far as trying to do various things. Many reasons for it and this is just one of the many reasons. Of course, there's more complicated reasons out there too.

I was just reading about how the current mayor of Memphis ran as the law and order candidate in 2015.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

The funny thing is I liked Vallas last time he ran (when he came in 8th or whatever). He seems to be running a much less technocratic, more populist campaign now which is offputting to me but it seems to be working.

Vallas finished 9th out of 9 candidates in 2019. It makes sense that he would change up his campaign.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by SIGSEGV

The funny thing is I liked Vallas last time he ran (when he came in 8th or whatever). He seems to be running a much less technocratic, more populist campaign now which is offputting to me but it seems to be working.

Vallas, at heart, is still the same wonky technocrat he's always been, but as moor said above, that kind of campaign doesn't light most people's fires, and you end up coming in last place with it.

OF COURSE he had to take a different tack this time around.

[CrazyCres]

Brandon Johnson got endorsed by the better streets Chicago action fund

They did however include questionnaire responses from the other mayoral candidates that answered (Lightfoot and Wilson did not answer)

Everyone asking about Paul Vallas's stance on transportation here ya go: https://www.bscactionfund.org/paul-vallas

Other responses including alderman candidates: https://www.bscactionfund.org/questionnaires

[Randomguy34]

Lol I still remember the Active Trans mayoral forum where Paul Vallas spent most of his time saying we need to have cops on every bus and station (and removing lead from water). Probably the least convincing transit plan, next to Willie Wilsons' plan.

[Handro]

Chicago needs more people. The two main issues that need to be addressed to achieve that goal are transit access/reliability, and crime/perception of crime. No candidate has a convincing grasp of both issues, so it's really Vallas on crime and Buckner on transit. Buckner doesn't have much of a shot, unfortunately, so that really leaves Vallas.

I don't know what Garcia would do differently than LL and Johnsons doesn't inspire confidence in ANY area.

It's a shame we can't just have a good all around candidate. The nature of the job of big city mayor precludes anyone but weirdos and sociopaths from pursuing the position so we're left with a devils bargain.

[Kngkyle]

What mayoral candidate has a better transit "plan" than Vallas that has an actual chance? The choices are Vallas, Lightfoot, Garcia, and Johnson. "Car city" Lightfoot? the hallow vessel named Garcia? Or CTU owned and operated Johnson?

Other candidates for sure have a better transit plan (Buckner) but they're a wasted vote unless something dramatically changes in the next few weeks. And the issue that Vallas harps on most (public safety) is one of the biggest problems that needs tackling w/r/t transit.

Transit and crime are my #1 and #2 issues and unfortunately none of the top contenders are viable alternatives to Vallas on these. Social justice, affordable housing, public schools, sticking it to the rich, etc. are all lesser issues in my book.

Of the top 4 candidates the only one that I am actually concerned about is Johnson. Lightfoot and Garcia will just maintain status quo - I wouldn't expect anything to get much better or much worse. Johnson though... oof.

[ChiMIchael]

What I like about Buckner is he seems to be the only one with a sense of ambition for the city, because even if thr city was able to make crime manageable, it won't really improve the city's economic and cultural prominence.

If there was a candidate with a strong comprehensive economic policy (job and industrial growth), he/she would get my vote because I think that is key to remedying many of the cities issues.

[BrinChi]

Hmm, Rahm wasn't living in Chicago when he ran for mayor (because he was Obama's chief of staff). But that at least feels a little different; no one questions he was a true Chicagoan. I was wondering this about Vallas because it means an otherwise current suburbanite is trying to use a residency loophole to become Chicago's mayor. Will be curious to hear others' thoughts.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by BrinChi

Hmm, Rahm wasn't living in Chicago when he ran for mayor (because he was Obama's chief of staff). But that at least feels a little different; no one questions he was a true Chicagoan. I was wondering this about Vallas because it means an otherwise current suburbanite is trying to use a residency loophole to become Chicago's mayor. Will be curious to hear others' thoughts.

Eric Adams had a similar flap about residency when he was running for mayor in NYC...

I don't even know what a "true Chicagoan" is anymore. Does it even matter in the 21st century? I'm more concerned about what the mayor can do for our city than where they sleep at night.

Yes, the city has a residency requirement for all employees including the mayor and I expect the mayor to abide by the law while they are serving in office. But it's not a natal requirement - you can be born or raised anywhere, in the suburbs (Rahm), a different state (Lightfoot) or even a different country (Garcia). Honestly it seems fitting that a city of transplants and immigrants would be led by a transplant or immigrant. The city government could certainly use an infusion of fresh/outside ideas.

[urbanpln]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Eric Adams had a similar flap about residency when he was running for mayor in NYC...

I don't even know what a "true Chicagoan" is anymore. Does it even matter in the 21st century? I'm more concerned about what the mayor can do for our city than where they sleep at night.

Yes, the city has a residency requirement for all employees including the mayor and I expect the mayor to abide by the law while they are serving in office. But it's not a natal requirement - you can be born or raised anywhere, in the suburbs (Rahm), a different state (Lightfoot) or even a different country (Garcia). Honestly it seems fitting that a city of transplants and immigrants would be led by a transplant or immigrant. The city government could certainly use an infusion of fresh/outside ideas.

I agree.

[moorhosj1]

Another note on Vallas' time at CPS and the potential long-term impacts.

During Vallas’ six years with the district, and for several years following his tenure, CPS paid next to nothing toward teacher pension costs. The Vallas era at CPS coincided with the dot.com bubble that sent markets soaring, helping the pension fund stay healthy even without the annual injections of cash it began missing out on.

We asked Vallas in a phone interview why he opted to stop pension payments. "The system was earning such strong returns, it didn’t require that we make contributions during those few years," he explained.

[Handro]

It’s disheartening that none of the candidates are good. I talk myself out of voting for Candidate X the second I feel convinced to vote for them. Vallas has a pretty sketchy record, Johnson wants to turn the city into a CTU fiefdom, I’m not sure Chuy is a real human, LL is a non-starter, and the rest are polling so poorly it doesn’t seem worth it to vote for them. Chicagos problems are so deeply entrenched and the people we have vying to lead the city do not seem up to the task.

[Kngkyle]

Not sure it's fair to attribute blame to Vallas for things that happened a decade later under different leadership....

[Brentsters]

Considering the articles were posted in response to a question about the outcomes of Vallas' privatization efforts, I think it's fair to note that the same person celebrating Vallas (who was praised by charters for "leaving them to their own devices") in the article was later ousted for his role in special ed fraud.