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A new era in Chicago

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* One thing that wasn’t stressed in the coverage of this issue is that, regardless of the actual vote totals, Daley had to call a special session on Monday to pass this ordinance because he probably wouldn’t have had the votes to get it done after the new city council is sworn in…

Affordable-housing advocates and Mayor Richard Daley both claimed victory Monday as the Chicago City Council overwhelmingly approved Daley’s plan to require developers to set aside more housing units at lower prices.

Advocates had sought to lower the set-aside prices even more, but the move was easily defeated by aldermen who said Daley’s proposal was a responsible step and warned that going too far could harm the private market during the current housing slowdown.

I wouldn’t ever underestimate the mayor’s cunning. He’ll coopt at least some of those new council members soon enough. This won’t be a repeat of “Council Wars.”

But things will be interesting, and Daley signaled yesterday that he plans to play rough. After Ald. Ed Smith prematurely submitted his resignation as chairman of the council’s Health Committee over what he believed would be a floor fight on his precious foie gras ban (which never materialized), Daley wasted little time in accepting it…

Monday, the mayor gleefully announced Smith’s resignation to the Council and jumped at the chance to accept it.

“They’re going to [overturn the ban] maybe next meeting or the following meeting. … So, I accept that [resignation]. … I think it’s the silliest law that ever passed. . .. Of all the issues we have — foie gras?”

Smith’s letter stated his intention to resign “in the event that the foie gras ban is successfully repealed.”

Daley has been furious at Smith ever since he used a vote on the 2007 budget to rail against City Hall corruption. Smith also forced the mayor’s hand on a Chicago smoking ban that has since been usurped by a statewide version.

Smith probably wouldn’t have been chairman again anyway, but he was definitely humiliated yesterday.

Thoughts on the next four years?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 9:14 am

Comments

To paraphrase a line from a 60s sitcom, all I can say is, “Patrick Fitzgerald, where are you?”

Comment by Randall Sherman Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 9:46 am
Affordable housing ? Daley is such a hypocrite. How much affordable housing was set aside in Daley’s upscale townhome complex. This would be very interesting news. I’m not talking about Daley’s neighborhood but, the actually townhouse complex ? Who’s his next door neighbor ?

Comment by Lula May Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 9:49 am
You can download the MP3 of yesterday’s special city council meeting at www.aldertrack.com

Comment by AlderTrack Fan Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 9:51 am
Kudos to the 2 “no” votes. They stuck to their convictions and the needs of their constituents- unlike Moore, Muñoz, Preckwinkle, Burnett and the others who fought for lower income thresholds but tucked tail and voted for the mayor’s bill in the end.

Comment by Woe is us Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 9:55 am
There’s a lot of middle ground between Council Wars and the rubber stamp council that existed until about 18 months ago.

The smoking ban passed over Daley’s behind the scenes objections. He only got 18 Aldermen to side with him on Big Box Living Wage (6 of whom are now gone). He had to pull a special session to pass his own set-aside ordinance without facing tight votes to amend the ordinance. And don’t forget that up to a year ago, Daley was adamant about never passing a housing set aside ordinance of any kind.

The Daley empire isn’t over by any means, but there’s evidence that well-organized groups can push issues through the Council with some measure of success. As for the next four years, I think that trend would continue, and it’s possible that a few Aldermen will play the Leon Despres/Dick Simpson role of critiquing Mayoral proposals that, up until now have been passed without comment.

Comment by Underdog Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 11:26 am
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Great song but I think it is somewhat overrated.

Comment by paddyrollingstone Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 11:49 am
He signed the Foie Gras ban.

Put affordable housing in Bridgewater and on Michigan Ave, as wellas the Mag Mile and next door to all the activists adn proponents of it. Put their money where their hearts are.

Comment by Wumpus Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 11:57 am
What’s changed? NOTHING!

Comment by Death & Taxes Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 12:08 pm
The rubber stamp pad may need a bit of re-inking, but it will still be there. As you predict he will coopt some of the new alderman soon enough. Additionally, it isn’t just a cynical game of “coopting.” It is easy to run as an outsider, but once you are elected you have to deal with complexities and realities.

In regard to affordable housing. Chicago has far more than its share of the region’s affordable housing. The suburbs need to step up to the plate and start providing some.

Comment by Objective Dem Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 2:07 pm
I still wonder if Daley would like to call it quits while he still can. That’s not to say the new city council will be more independent, but if they prove to be trouble then Daley has some thinking to do.

Comment by Levois Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 3:26 pm
a BILLION in new “taxes” for the airport???!!!!
something has got to give here

Comment by Rosie Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 4:06 pm
Gimmie a break! As a relatively new Chicagoan I’ve realized that it’s a favorite pastime in this city to whine about Mayor Daley. You can name on one hand the mayors of any city in the country the last 50 years that possibly come close in terms of accomplishments that this mayor has achieved (including his father). People complained constantly about Old Man Daley and now he is universally described as one of the greatest mayors in the country’s history. It will be the same for his eldest son.

Comment by Rosh Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 6:14 pm
For once, I am in complete argreement with the Mayor regarding the foie gras ban- wihout a doubt it was totally absurd. I always thought Ed Smith was a decent guy - not sure why he’d be so foolish to resign because of the pending repeal. Presumably Alderman Moore learned some hard lessons given his razor thin run-off victory.

I don’t think Daley will have any problem co-opting the newbies to get his way on most issues.

Comment by Captain America Tuesday, May 15, 07 @ 6:26 pm
I figure about half of the new Aldermen will toe the Daley line within 6 months. A few holdovers may become a bit bolder though, having seen so many Daley loyalists go down.

The biggest change will happen with Aldermen who ignore the will of their constituents on local issues such as zoning (especially zoning).

I’ve already seen it happen. Alderman Flores backed down on an oversized development on Milwaukee Ave. After he saw Natarus and Matlak get burned on zoning issues, he saw the light. No one wanted such a monstrosity, and he stuck the property into a new landmark area. Flores, by the way, is running for Guitierrez’s seat. So that means a Daley flack will be moving in soon enough.

I figure my own new alderman, Waguespack, is likely to be a Daley follower, but at least he should be less developer friendly than Matlak.

In 4 years, the Big Box ordinance will have been on the books for about 3.5 years, and there will be several new Targets, a couple of Lowes, and three or 4 Wal-marts in the city. They’ll live with paying the higher wage because its better than the alternative.

Comment by Jerry Wednesday, May 16, 07 @ 2:20 pm