Two problems taken care of, several to go
Wednesday, Oct 16, 2019 - Posted by Rich Miller
* One…
Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s zoning rules for recreational marijuana sales in Chicago passed the City Council Wednesday morning in spite of concerns by African American aldermen that minorities won’t get a fair shake to get in on the lucrative business starting next year.
The zoning ordinance laying out where marijuana dispensaries would be allowed and prohibited throughout the city passed full City Council by a 40-10 vote.
This should never have been an issue in the first place. But, all’s well that ends well, I suppose.
The city council is a unicameral, officially non-partisan legislature and the mayor is the presiding officer. That’s one reason why mayors so often get their way. But it’s also why some mayors sometimes don’t quite fully get the far more complicated dynamics of the Illinois Statehouse, where there’s a bicameral legislature, each with two competing political parties and presiding officers who are not the governor.
* Two…
The Chicago Park District and its employees reached a tentative contract agreement, averting what would have been the first strike for workers and would have shuttered facilities across the city, according to union officials.
The agreement reached late Tuesday and made public Wednesday means hundreds of Park District employees will not walk off the job this week even if the Chicago Teachers Union and support staff for public schools decide to strike. The Service Employees International Union Local 73, which represents about 80% of Park District employees across the city, didn’t initially release details of the new contract.
That’ll be a big relief to parents if the CTU strikes.
- Fav human - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:16 pm:
” park district agreement”
Makes me think a teacher settlement is close….
- stryke - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:31 pm:
No doubt there was coordination between CTU and SEIU so that is a good sign. The Mayor already canceling school tomorrow allows more time for negotiation and that CTU delegate vote. We’ll see….
- Grandson of Man - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:34 pm:
Per the Trib story, of the alderpersons who voted for the ordinance might introduce another to delay sales to July 1, 2020, to give minorities an opportunity to jump in the business at the beginning. Not sure this would have the votes to pass.
But great news otherwise, to try to get sales happening January 1. Massachusetts had a delay in starting marijuana sales after legalizing in 2016, and, of course, some blue states couldn’t even pass legalization this year.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:36 pm:
Not all strikes are created equal. Parks are open year round, so park district employees stood to lose pay if they went on strike.
- Oswego Willy - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:38 pm:
=== Parks are open year round, so park district employees stood to lose pay if they went on strike.===
Are you saying teachers on strike tomorrow aren’t going to lose pay?
- lake county democrat - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 1:46 pm:
Lightfoot said that if there’s a strike there would be no makeup days, but I don’t know how believable that was - IIRC they’ve always made up strike days in the past.
- Stuntman Bob's Brother - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:16 pm:
Let’s see….the city can’t afford the CTU’s ask, and the CTU is not known for backing down, so unless the Governor sweeps in at the last minute on a white horse (unlikely), it looks like a strike is all but guaranteed.
Add to this the Bad News that Chicagoans are likely to get when the budget is announced (next week?)…..I hope Rich has enough coffee in the house.
- Tim - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:20 pm:
I wouldn’t bother to negotiate with CTU as long as they are out of school. While principaled, their ask is inappropriate and the Mayor needs to take a stand now.
- Just Me 2 - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:30 pm:
Oswego - I think CityZen was pointing out that the school year gets extended into the summer for every day that schools are closed.
- City Zen - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:31 pm:
==Are you saying teachers on strike tomorrow aren’t going to lose pay?==
Usually striking teachers and support staff don’t lose pay for going on strike as school days lost to a strike are made up later in the school year. You can’t make up a “parks closed” day as the parks are open everyday. That day’s wages are unrecoverable. No different than the UAW strike (which, thankfully, looks like is close to ending).
That said, I’m not sure how Lightfoot’s handling of the situation qualifies in this regard.
== so unless the Governor sweeps in at the last minute on a white horse (unlikely)==
You saw that picture of Kim Jong-un too?
- Montrose - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 2:34 pm:
“I wouldn’t bother to negotiate with CTU as long as they are out of school.”
Not that Lightfoot listens to her advisers, but I can’t think of worse advice to give her.
- Tim - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:17 pm:
Real professionals don’t abandon children for any reason. Ever. Teachers should be added to cops and firefighters as those who are not allowed to go on strike. While the adults argue the children get punished. I have ZERO respect for the CTU.
- truthtopower - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:54 pm:
No reason for a bicameral legislature at State. Nebraska does fine with a unicameral legislature. Only reason for a bicameral legislature for the USA is it was a compromise between the small & large states. Such a reason for a bicameral body does not exist at the State level.
- Joe Bidenopolous - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
==IIRC they’ve always made up strike days in the past.==
This is true, but that was largely before Rahm extended the school year. I think there are something like 181 instructional days on the calendar now five more than the 176 required by the state, so if it gets resolved in just a couple of days, they could do it.
That said, I think Lightfoot put out that position as a warning to teachers that they wouldn’t get their full salary this year due to reduced amount of time in the classroom. I’d expect CTU to add a negotiating position of holding teachers harmless in order to reach a settlement.
- Rich Miller - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 4:10 pm:
===No reason for a bicameral legislature at State===
So, you’re OK with Speaker Madigan controlling the single state chamber?
- Just Me - Wednesday, Oct 16, 19 @ 6:50 pm:
I’d like for the CTU to put together their proposal to pay for all of their demands.