CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

I'm beginning to think that I'm qualified enough to run for mayor. . . do I have your support?

. . . be nice!

. . .

Tom for Mayor!!!

[lakeshoredrive]

As a public health professional, Johnson’s firing of Arwady is very disturbing to me. She was a fantastic leader for CDPH.

[Klippenstein]

I hear a lot of complaining about this, but I’m not sure what big scary outcome is expected from this. Arwady defended the closing of the public mental health clinics. Reopening them is one of Johnson’s big goals. It makes sense that he’s going to hire somebody more aligned with his goals to help him achieve them. He was very clear about firing Arwady from before his election and it is a very common action as a new mayor. Not sure why people are acting surprised and what terrible outcomes are expected from this.

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

I hear a lot of complaining about this, but I’m not sure what big scary outcome is expected from this. Arwady defended the closing of the public mental health clinics. Reopening them is one of Johnson’s big goals. It makes sense that he’s going to hire somebody more aligned with his goals to help him achieve them. He was very clear about firing Arwady from before his election and it is a very common action as a new mayor. Not sure why people are acting surprised and what terrible outcomes are expected from this.

The big scary outcome is that an unqualified political grifter like Eric Reinhart gets appointed. The name was being floated to the Chicago newspapers as a replacement (so it’s not like this is random fearmongering), and then it turns out this individual doesn’t even have a PhD among other questions and inconsistencies about background.

COPA at least meant that the 3 CPD choices were properly vetted and reasonable no matter who was chosen.

I don’t want a random internet catfisher in charge of Chicago’s health system just because they sucked up to CTU.

Especially since Arwady was fired because she agreed to send the teachers back to school after they were vaccinated. Which was absolutely the correct call.

Debates about the health clinics is perfectly reasonable since there is a shortage of qualified professionals and expanding clinics would have meant they were all understaffed.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

I hear a lot of complaining about this, but I’m not sure what big scary outcome is expected from this. Arwady defended the closing of the public mental health clinics. Reopening them is one of Johnson’s big goals. It makes sense that he’s going to hire somebody more aligned with his goals to help him achieve them. He was very clear about firing Arwady from before his election and it is a very common action as a new mayor. Not sure why people are acting surprised and what terrible outcomes are expected from this.

What's disturbing is he fired someone who was perfectly competent but she criticized the CTU.

That's why we are pissed at Johnson. Not too difficult to figure out.....

[Klippenstein]

The head of CDPH has to be vetted by city council… lucky for us all there will be a rigorous debate about the new head since Johnson doesn’t have a rubber stamp like Rahm.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

The head of CDPH has to be vetted by city council… lucky for us all there will be a rigorous debate about the new head since Johnson doesn’t have a rubber stamp like Rahm.

Ok, but we wouldn't have to go through this process if Johnson hadn't fired her. If there's some legit reason she had to go, Johnson should share that with the public. Otherwise, it comes across as a gross retaliation on behalf of the CTU.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by twister244

Ok, but we wouldn't have to go through this process if Johnson hadn't fired her. If there's some legit reason she had to go, Johnson should share that with the public. Otherwise, it comes across as a gross retaliation on behalf of the CTU.

So you don't consider meaninglessly quoting a Tupac song to be a legit explanation for the firing of a very competent professional government agency head?




BJ is a fucking clown show.

But we already knew that.

[Chicago Shawn]

Also, if any of you haven't seen it yet, Maurice Cox is now officially heading out, as reported in Crain's on 8-11. Like I said previously, I had a good source on this.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/poli...icle1-readmore

[pip]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

Also, if any of you haven't seen it yet, Maurice Cox is now officially heading out, as reported in Crain's on 8-11. Like I said previously, I had a good source on this.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/poli...icle1-readmore

From our SSP perspective of development, is this a good thing?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by pip

From our SSP perspective of development, is this a good thing?

Not at all.

Maurice was a fellow urbanist who understood that cities should be built like cities.

Chicago was lucky to have Mr. Cox for the time we did.

BJ will probably install some CTU-influenced NIMBY idiot in his place.

[Klippenstein]

Surprised Maurice Cox hasn't been making the headlines. Hadn't heard about that. That's too bad. Though again... This is par for the course with admin change. Johnson has come off as pro-development lately. We'll see if that matches up with his appointments.

Gia Biagi is also gone as well. I've heard a lot of cheers from urbanists about that. Hoping Dorval Carter joins the ranks and we get somebody more forward thinking so our city has a set of leaders that seriously prioritizes functional transit and walkable urbanism.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by twister244

Ok, but we wouldn't have to go through this process if Johnson hadn't fired her. If there's some legit reason she had to go, Johnson should share that with the public. Otherwise, it comes across as a gross retaliation on behalf of the CTU.

He explained it during the campaign when he flat out stated he would fire her because of her reluctance to re-open the mental health facilities. You may not agree with the decision, but acting like it came out of nowhere is disingenuous.

[Chicago Shawn]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

Gia Biagi is also gone as well. I've heard a lot of cheers from urbanists about that. Hoping Dorval Carter joins the ranks and we get somebody more forward thinking so our city has a set of leaders that seriously prioritizes functional transit and walkable urbanism.

Really now? That’s a surprise to hear urbanists feel that way, what are the critiques of Gia’s tenure focused on? I felt Gia was great on rolling out new protected bike lanes, but honestly I haven’t been following CDOT initiatives that closely over the last 4 years.

Meanwhile Dorval Carter needs go yesterday, however who’s call is that actually, does it have to come from a mutual agreement with the CTA Board?

[Klippenstein]

A lot of bikers are not happy with the new protected bike lanes. Many of the new PBLs consist of individual concrete pieces that are already falling apart after a couple months and are low enough to easily be ridden over or just flexi-posts that are sometimes gone in a matter of hours. Getting decent bike infrastructure still feels like an uphill climb and we don't have hills in Chicago. We've had many plans and claims of what Chicago will do in the future, but consistent safe bike infrastructure still isn't a reality.

[ardecila]

Things are constantly improving for bikers but all I hear is hysterical rhetoric. People don't even wait for a project to be finished before they start complaining.

The other problem is that people are expecting paint and concrete to do the job of cops. Safe streets require *enforcement* either from live cops/traffic aides or from cameras, but the uber-progressive cycle community is uncomfortable with policing so they're never gonna get the results they want. (Of course the cops don't really want to enforce traffic laws, which is the real failure of leadership here. They need to do their jobs.)

The concrete curbs rolling out right now are awesome and much-needed. I hope Brandon's next CDOT chief continues the good work.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Things are constantly improving for bikers but all I hear is hysterical rhetoric. People don't even wait for a project to be finished before they start complaining.

The other problem is that people are expecting paint and concrete to do the job of cops. Safe streets require *enforcement* either from live cops/traffic aides or from cameras, but the uber-progressive cycle community is uncomfortable with policing so they're never gonna get the results they want. (Of course the cops don't really want to enforce traffic laws, which is the real failure of leadership here. They need to do their jobs.)

The concrete curbs rolling out right now are awesome and much-needed. I hope Brandon's next CDOT chief continues the good work.

We should go all in camera enforcement. Frees up cops' time, completely unbiased, and have been proven to lessen infractions over time.

[LouisVanDerWright]

No mention of the utterly absurd transfer tax proposal? Johnson is going to absolutely destroy the commercial real estate market in this city. Not that I'm complaining since it's will probably mean a lot of current landlords become desperate to sell.

Originally Posted by Via Chicago

Surprised no mention of Maurice Cox resigning, even if it was rumored. Can't help but feel like this is the death knell for invest s/w

Not sure why this would tank invest southwest. From what I understand Johnson is very enthusiastic about diverting development to these areas.

[Klippenstein]

Originally Posted by ardecila

Things are constantly improving for bikers but all I hear is hysterical rhetoric. People don't even wait for a project to be finished before they start complaining.

Here’s what I’m referring to. Maybe this is a fluke, but seems like a bad sign for the seriousness and longevity of these new protected bike lanes.

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by Handro

We should go all in camera enforcement. Frees up cops' time, completely unbiased, and have been proven to lessen infractions over time.

You need both cameras and police, or people are just going to use temp plates, fake plates, blocked plates, or no plates to render the cameras useless.

Also, I used to work for taxi companies, and the worst 10% of drivers would run red lights all the time no matter how many tickets they got.

Cameras are to keep average people in check. Most speeders and red light runners probably need their vehicles impounded to solve the problem.