CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[Zapatan]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

It's already happening. The anti-business attitude of the mayor's office as well as his allies in city council, combined with the already high property tax burden and rather unpredictable nature of the tri-annual reassessment, plus the extralegal process of obtaining alderman approval where they can just simply kill off a concept after spending thousands of dollars on design and community outreach, and then add our generally slow population growth and the presently tough lending environment.

Real estate investment is bypassing Chicago. Crain's recently published a story about how even our hometown developers are making bigger investments in other cities because the metrics just aren't as favorable here at present.

Chicago is presently not even in the top 30 cities in terms of the number of anticipated dwelling units to be delivered through the next 5 years. Even Columbus, Ohio is building more units than we are presently.

I'm very bullish on Chicago's longer term future, but development wise, we are going to be in the doldrums for a while. In the meantime though, expect rents to go up, up and up. Supply is going to get very tight and property taxes are about to explode further upward as well. While we have a long way to go before housing costs here match coastal cities, the big affordability discount Chicago enjoys over other big cities is going to be fading away.

The city (and many others in the US for that matter) is in desperate need of new leadership.

Originally Posted by r18tdi

The sales director at Trib Tower also said phase II (as currently approved) isn't happening. I wouldn't hold my breath...

I remember now. It was speculated that maybe they didn't want potential buyers in the Tribune Tower to know a multi-year construction project was going to be next door.

That probably would deter a lot of people.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Zapatan

The city (and many others in the US for that matter) is in desperate need of new leadership.

Unfortunately, there's no recall mechanism here.

We have no choice but to suffer through 2.5 more years of the CTU running the City of Chicago (into the ground).

[west-town-brad]

Originally Posted by left of center

Johnson is absolutely awful. I honestly wish we had Lightfoot back. That's how bad this guy is.

More than 10% of eligible Chicago voters need to show up and vote. Because 100% of the CTU votes.

[twister244]

I'm surprised nobody has posted about the property tax hike Johnson is proposing to shore up our finances.......

[Steely Dan]

^ Angry letter to my alderman already in progress.

I strongly advise everyone who pays property taxes in this city (directly or though increased rent) to do the same.

The city council growing a backbone and standing up to this CTU stooge is our only hope.

BJ's approval rating was already at an abysmal 14%!!!

Watch it sink into the single digits now.


Worst. Mayor. Ever.

[Klippenstein]

On top of that, it would seem he's still relying on CPS taking a loan to pay the pension obligation he transferred to their budget.

[pip]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ Angry letter to my alderman already in progress.

I strongly advise everyone who pays property taxes in this city (directly or though increased rent) to do the same.

The city council growing a backbone and standing up to this CTU stooge is our only hope.

BJ's approval rating was already at an abysmal 14%!!!

Watch it sink into the single digits now.


Worst. Mayor. Ever.

Is it really 14%? Not doubting you but that is unheard of polling numbers. And we have over 2 more years of this mayor.

[ColDayMan]

^Yes.

https://www.nationalreview.com/corne...icago-history/

[Halsted & Villagio]

As with all polls, it depends upon who you are polling, and who is doing the polls. I doubt it is truly 14%. Suffice it to say, it is super low though.

By any objective measure, there is still time for him to turn it around. That said, he has a major uphill climb.

The short version - he will likely be a 1 timer.

[ardecila]

He could turn it around, but he won't. He's lost the support of City Council permanently (outside of a few loyalists) and he will be stonewalled for the remainder of his term. He could mend those relationships with a lot of effort, but he has shown himself to be too proud and stubborn for something like that. It will be the 80s Council Wars all over again, except this time you can't point to racism as the underlying cause.

This election will probably lock in a group of officials (school board, state's attorney, etc) who will refuse to work with him at all.

That's a shame, because the problems our city is facing will only get worse over the next few years without an effective mayor on the 5th floor. Failing public transit, businesses closing, record homelessness. The only thing we can look forward to is maybe the state lege reforming public transit and yoinking CTA out of the mayor's control.

[Bonsai Tree]

Yeah thank God for Pritzker. He and the state have shown increasing leadership, while BJ is failing over and over.

[Halsted & Villagio]

Originally Posted by ardecila

He could turn it around, but he won't. He's lost the support of City Council permanently (outside of a few loyalists) and he will be stonewalled for the remainder of his term. He could mend those relationships with a lot of effort, but he has shown himself to be too proud and stubborn for something like that. It will be the 80s Council Wars all over again, except this time you can't point to racism as the underlying cause.

This election will probably lock in a group of officials (school board, state's attorney, etc) who will refuse to work with him at all.

That's a shame, because the problems our city is facing will only get worse over the next few years without an effective mayor on the 5th floor. Failing public transit, businesses closing, record homelessness. The only thing we can look forward to is maybe the state lege reforming public transit and yoinking CTA out of the mayor's control.

Good post. But like I said, it's not over till it's over though. Uphill climb though it may be, it is still not impossible for him to do it. For me, the biggest thing that I personally felt Chicago was facing was crime -- and the perception thereof, and that it had gotten out of control.

The Trib is no fan of BJ, but even it recently published an article showing that homicides are down:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/...revious-years/

The man has done a few things right. That said, if I had to cast my vote today, that vote would be a strong "NO" to a second term for him... and I speak for many friends and family in feeling that way. It has clearly been a bumpy ride... the ride of a novice. That said, there are a small few who still support him -- siting the long-range vision that he has, the fact that they wanted him to shake things up, and that they hoped he would lower crime - which has managed to do.

My sister, however, hates the guy. Like, truly hates him. I am not at that point yet. At this point I would not vote for him but, for the good of Chicago, I am still hoping that he can manage to pull his head out of his arse and pull it together.

One thing he does have a bit of - charm. Unlike someone with the personality of a ham sandwich, if you can get someone with charm and charisma humbled and properly focused, they can manage to turn it around.

Thats a big "if" though....

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Halsted & Villagio

Good post. But like I said, it's not over till it's over though. Uphill climb though it may be, it is still not impossible for him to do it. For me, the biggest thing that I personally felt Chicago was facing was crime -- and the perception thereof, and that it had gotten out of control.

The Trib is no fan of BJ, but even it recently published an article showing that homicides are down:
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2024/...revious-years/

The man has done a few things right. That said, if I had to cast my vote today, that vote would be a strong "NO" to a second term for him... and I speak for many friends and family in feeling that way. It has clearly been a bumpy ride... the ride of a novice. That said, there are a small few who still support him -- siting the long-range vision that he has, the fact that they wanted him to shake things up, and that they hoped he would lower crime - which has managed to do.

My sister, however, hates the guy. Like, truly hates him. I am not at that point yet. At this point I would not vote for him but, for the good of Chicago, I am still hoping that he can manage to pull his head out of his arse and pull it together.

One thing he does have a bit of - charm. Unlike someone with the personality of a ham sandwich, if you can get someone with charm and charisma humbled and properly focused, they can manage to turn it around.

I believe you are giving him far too much credit for the reduction in crime, which began before he was even in office.

[Halsted & Villagio]

Originally Posted by sentinel

I believe you are giving him far too much credit for the reduction in crime, which began before he was even in office.

I sited the article but for me, it's more what I see. I see the boots on the ground in the community unlike I have ever seen before. And because I spend a lot of time on the road, flying around the country, I rarely hear "Chicago" and "crime" being brought up these days. That subtle change in perception is good for Chicago.

I think he deserves a little credit there. I get it, people don't like him. But that does mean we have to lose all objectivity. Admitting that what he is doing on crime may... just may be good... will still not get him re-elected.

[moorhosj1]

Originally Posted by sentinel

I believe you are giving him far too much credit for the reduction in crime, which began before he was even in office.

To be fair, if crime was up, it would certainly be held against him. In my mind, it is the one positive thing he's done. The "Cut the Tape" initiative would be a second, if that makes it through.

I think his rhetoric is far worse than his policies, but he needs a quick course-correction or it will be a complete slog the next 2+ years. Unfortunately, I'm not sure he is capable of that correction as he seems pretty dug in.

[twister244]

Originally Posted by moorhosj1

To be fair, if crime was up, it would certainly be held against him. In my mind, it is the one positive thing he's done. The "Cut the Tape" initiative would be a second, if that makes it through.

I think his rhetoric is far worse than his policies, but he needs a quick course-correction or it will be a complete slog the next 2+ years. Unfortunately, I'm not sure he is capable of that correction as he seems pretty dug in.

While he says stupid shit, his policies are also garbage. It would be one thing if he went on his rants, but he's been a CTU stooge in every sense with policy. Not to mention he was completely on board with spending taxpayer dollars for a new Bears stadium until Pritzker shot him down.

[VivaLFuego]

Originally Posted by Chicago Shawn

It's already happening. The anti-business attitude of the mayor's office as well as his allies in city council, combined with the already high property tax burden and rather unpredictable nature of the tri-annual reassessment, plus the extralegal process of obtaining alderman approval where they can just simply kill off a concept after spending thousands of dollars on design and community outreach, and then add our generally slow population growth and the presently tough lending environment.

Real estate investment is bypassing Chicago. Crain's recently published a story about how even our hometown developers are making bigger investments in other cities because the metrics just aren't as favorable here at present.

Chicago is presently not even in the top 30 cities in terms of the number of anticipated dwelling units to be delivered through the next 5 years. Even Columbus, Ohio is building more units than we are presently.

I'm very bullish on Chicago's longer term future, but development wise, we are going to be in the doldrums for a while. In the meantime though, expect rents to go up, up and up. Supply is going to get very tight and property taxes are about to explode further upward as well. While we have a long way to go before housing costs here match coastal cities, the big affordability discount Chicago enjoys over other big cities is going to be fading away.

Also, construction is extremely expensive here, and income/wage growth has been middling on a per cap or per household basis, and non-existent on an aggregate basis due to lack of population growth.

https://www.bls.gov/oes/2023/may/oes470000.htm

The only large metros with higher construction labor costs (Boston, Seattle, and Bay Area) have notably higher and growing income bases to pay for it - their regional average wages being >25% higher than here - and relatedly, our construction work force is quite small, meaning there isn't capacity to rapidly ramp up without further cost increases.

[Halsted & Villagio]

We all have our issues.... the things that we truly care about. For me, it is crime. The increase in property tax issue did not rankle me too much but that's me. My thing - crime.

My first job out of law school was working briefly as a Public Defender before moving on to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office back before Kim Foxx - back when cracking down on crime and enforcing the law meant something. Not overzealous but fair... simply enforce what the law requires! These days I guess I would be considered "old school" that way. We now have a convicted felon for President (something I thought I would never see).... so yes... I guess I am old school.

My point is, I made my bones as a State's Attorney where I got much needed courtroom experience before moving on to private practice and other areas of a law. But I will never forget my days as an ASA and I carry them with me even now. States Attorneys and Police are synonymous - we are, essentially, cops... just in a different form.

Enter Kwame Raoul... a personal friend of mine. When I was a young State's Attorney, he was like a mentor to me... and our friendship grew from there. I have immense respect for the man and his integrity. If he is now saying that Mayor Johnson is on the wrong track with his Police reform budget cuts, then I believe it. Granted, I do believe in reform. If something is broken, then doing more of the same thing over and over is NOT a solution. But my view is, do the reform... but keep the Police force happily paid and fully stocked. It should never be one.... at the expense of the other.

I take everything I read from the Trib/SunTimes/Crains with a grain of salt - knowing that the written word is often skewed from the prism of those doing the writing. But when somebody I know and trust is ringing this alarm bell, that passes my own credibility/believability test.

This is unacceptable. Mayor Johnson is on the wrong track. He is trying to hit home runs without hitting singles and doubles. Every good batting lineup has both. He needs to build consensus and build up to the home run by getting men on base first, drive in a few runs, then maybe go for the homerun or even the grand slam. Analogy in short - its a process. And you can't go for it all without taking care of the basic things first - such as keeping our Police force paid well and fully stocked.

He is looking more and more like an unmitigated disaster.............

[Halsted & Villagio]

I did not vote for him btw. But once elected, I believed the man deserved a chance to prove himself. He is showing the hubris of a novice combined with the vision of a dreamer. Mind you, vision can be a good thing but it has to be grounded in practicality when you serve as Mayor with budget constraints and have citizens that need Police protection. This is one of those singles that has to be hit. Police reform budget cuts have no place in or around our Police force.

[Steely Dan]

LOL! 🤣

The city council voted 50 to 0 to shoot down Mayor McMoron's proposed $300M property tax increase!!!


"You'll get nothing and like it"