The Blog

wow .. an actual victory for the Little Guy. Well, the little guy that isn't named Daley.

"update December 12th - 1:30 p.m. I just saw Schulter on the news, back-pedaling so fast you'd think he'd had a lot of experience doing so. His statement appeared to be that the city would not 'ever' be using the power of eminent domain to force the sale of any of 'these properties'. Yet, is appears that the only properties his amended ordinance characterizes as being removed from his 'hit list' are still going to remain subject to the 'reserved right' of involuntary acquisition. How many tongues do these guys have? As many as they need, it seems. Why does it take citizens having to protest injustice to even get a probably short lived reprieve from injustice? Why is it that those we elect to represent our interests so dependably prove to be only representing the interests of everyone other than those who elected them? A few of our fellow citizens may appear to have dodged a bullet here, for how long is anyone's guess, but what about the rest of us? Do we all just have to resign ourselves to being vulnerable to every greedy fuck with money deciding they want to 'acquire' our personal, real property, whether we want to sell it or not, our individual desires be damned? If these self-styled 'leaders', aka rulers, aka big shots, aka bosses, don't succeed in taxing us out of our homes and businesses, why, they'll just eminent domain us out. When will the citizens of this city and county decide they've had enough of this bullshit? Or will they ever?"

"The fewer people who know about TIFs, the better." With all the 'ink' Ben and Mick have used on this subject, how can anyone in this city and county NOT know about TIF's, aka TAX DOLLARS skimmed off the top of our TOTAL property tax burden? Mind-boggling, ain't it, that the taxpayers aren't up to speed on this issue, what with the many articles written on the purpose of TIF's and how they 'work', or are worked, like a private gold mine solely 'owned and operated' by our stellar public servants. Don't get all excited, though, this isn't remotely a 'victory', just a minor bump in the machine's road to riches. As long as the crooks rule the roost, this shit will continue to flow, unabated by the very few momentary pauses the small number of citizens willing to raise a stink may, from time to time, cause. There is no solution to this problem, other than ridding ourselves of our present day American version of royalty. Imagine a bumper sticker which reads: HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT Now, imagine doing it.

vote the incumbents out i am glad you toned it down a bit. I noticed all the people yelling and shouting about land acquisition and payoff for alledged police torture. I even observed a clown, attempting to denigrate our Mayor by wearing an orange jump suit. Mayor Daley has the council still eating out of his hand. I love the way Mara George out was able to keep the Mayor's critics at bay. Some people are against progress,the city needs to acquire land for growth,and development. How long are we going to pay for the sins of the past. The 20 million dollar settlement is ridiculous. The Machine keeps order and prevents chaos.Without the so-called Machine you wouldn't be able to walk down the street.To live in a stable environment, we must sometimes get up some of our rights.

I love it, you media hacks are so predictable. Here’s a recipe for a story. You take a handful of local merchants, a couple of curious locals, oodles of malcontents from Uptown and Rogers Park , a dozen or so media hacks and a few professional protesters from Boston. These are what we’ll call Residents. Now we create a Villain. You put out a lot of baseless information about how the Evil Politician plans to stick it to the hard working Store Owners and give it to the Politically connected Insiders. These are your Villains. You mix everyone up and you simmer on the blog echo chamber (alot of cut pasting and linking) for a week or so and ta-da you have a story serve hot. The truth is the 4800 block of Lincoln / Western is a dump. I’ve lived in that neighborhood all my life and can’t remember the last time I had a reason to walk down that strip of sidewalk (sorry not a Soccer fan). I’m not saying the property owners should take a loss, but that block could use an improvement. So to keep the condo-mad developers from buying it up piecemeal and building by right the brakes were put on. Now the community process can start and I’m sure something will be worked out. That’s why they call it a process. So cut out the rhetoric.

Ben, The mainstream media has been covering this issue. The hacks at the Sun Times, the Tribune, Channel 2,5,7,9,11, FM 91.5, AM720, AM780, AM890 etc have ignored it. JBP

As a "curious local," I'm glad Alderman Schulter heeded the public response on this issue. The city doesn't need to be abusing eminent domain to craft a sweetheart deal for condo developers.

"I'm glad Alderman Schulter heeded the public response on this issue." Swell. One time out of a thousand, an alderman 'heeds' his constituents desires. Only AFTER said constituents have had to make extraordinary efforts to get his 'attention'. And this 'heeding' is only temporary, as 'the city' has 'reserved their right' to abuse eminent domain, 'if it becomes necessary'. This is what we get when we elect 'rulers' pretending to be representatives. It's a matter of perspective. Those who actually vote, miniscule in number as they are, perceive those they elect to be genuine representatives. The elected perceive themselves to be 'leaders' and define leadership to be the same as rulership. Thus, we're back to square one, 230+ years of American Democracy down the drain. It is true, that thing about history repeating itself.

"Schulter contended that the commercial strip, with its booming residential base, was starting to attract the interest of big-box chains. By beating the big boxes to the punch, he said, his plan would actually protect small businesses and help keep the community free of too much traffic and congestion. Sure, in this case protecting small businesses meant threatening them with government seizure of their property. But the declaration of eminent domain alone would help keep the Best Buys at bay: there's no market for land the city can snatch at will." If anyone really believes Schulter was trying to save the neighborhood from Big Box stores, I have a new shipment of bridges coming in I'd love to discuss selling with them.

Alderspeak rears it's ugly head, again: Schulter: ".....there's no market for land the city can snatch at will." Perhaps, but there IS a market for land that the city HAS snatched, isn't there? And there IS a market for sweetheart deals, for the prearranged purchase of land, 'snatched' at below market value, by the city abusing the power of eminent domain, and sold to those playing the game of 'pay to play' so expertly perfected here, in our very own City That Works (for crooks) and our own, very special County of Crooks. What 'problem' did Schulter see, concerning this particular part of his ward? The possibility that the rightful owners of these real properties might decide to sell, for their true market values, their real properties to a buyer or buyers that would honestly pay true market values? The likelihood that he, Schulter, wouldn't be 'involved' in the decisions made by these private property owners? And, thus, wouldn't be able to influence, and profit from, the potential financial transactions? All this assuming that the owners of said real properties were interested in selling same to anyone? All anyone needs to say to Alderman Schulter on this issue is: "Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire."

All it would take it is one single case of an upzone granted to a private property owner who received said property by an eminent domain seizure to warrant the Feds tearing City Hall open top to bottom as far as I'm concerned. And obviously, this is exactly what was going to happen here. I often argue with people who don't understand this simple concept: Upzoning is the City giving someone free money. It's not debatable. In a City where every square inch has been regulated, changing the rules with regard to any chunk of it in that fashion is creating wealth out of thin air.

"To live in a stable environment, we must sometimes get up some of our rights." Spoken like a true Nazi sympathizer. Are you of Irish or French descent?

Ald Schulter didn't look well wednesday,when i observed him and two of his aids rushing back to the council meeting. HOW IS HE GOING TO RETURN THE PAYOFF TO THE DEVELOPER?

"HOW IS HE GOING TO RETURN THE PAYOFF TO THE DEVELOPER?" Very, very, very, very carefully.

"47th Ward alderman Gene Schulter was seeking public funds to keep private development out -- at least a certain kind of private development. Schulter contended that the commercial strip, ... was starting to attract the interest of big-box chains. By beating the big boxes to the punch, he said, his plan would actually protect small businesses and help keep the community free of too much traffic and congestion." The justification Schulter has repeatedly been offering for this land grab is patently absurd. If keeping big box stores out is the justification, there's much simpler ways than condemnation. The alderman is Zoning Czar in Chicago. Schulter could have down-zoned the area on Western in a few weeks with little or no public scrutiny. Why not simply rezone the area as B1-1 or even R1 or something? That would keep big-box stores out. Of course that may be totally inappropriate to the current uses, but it would hardly be the 1st time non-conforming zoning was used to control development. After all, two terms ago Schulter himself methodically went through his ward and down-zoned vast areas to prevent tear-downs, making many large apartment buildings "non-conforming" in the process. The real explanation for Schulter's behavior lies in an examination of his campaign contributions.

More coverage Schulter derails eminent domain December 12, 2007 By LORRAINE SWANSON Pioneer Press news-Star Staff Writer Alderman Eugene Schulter, 47th, backed down from a plan to condemn privately owned businesses on the 4800 block of North Western Avenue and hand them over to private developers--sort of. http://www.pioneerlocal.com/newsstar/news/691241,SN-EminentDomainLatest-121207-s1.article

More coverage Schulter pulls eminent domain ordinance http://blogs.suntimes.com/neighborhoods/2007/12/breaking_news_in_lincoln_squar.html

This is priceless, a slice of life in Chicago's wards, must-listen audio. EXCLUSIVE AUDIO: LINCOLN SQUARE PROTEST AT SCHULTER'S OFFICE Alderman Eugene Schulter yelled at his constituents and threatened to have the police haul them away. http://rogersparkbench.blogspot.com/2007/12/exclusive-audio-lincoln-square-protest.html

Condemnation, the latest tool or controlling development. Maybe we should condemn the whole city, put the alderman in the driver' seat, force developers to grovel to the alderman with their checkbooks open and pen uncapped.

I look at it this way: 1 - The fact that a 'sitting on his greedy ass' alderman is 'stimulated', to the point of acting out what he actually thinks of his constituents, is progress beyond anyone's expectations. 2 - The sheer pleasure, that those citizens Schulter 'shared' his 'feelings' with, to be privileged to actually hear and see the little baby throw a tantrum, is something that no amount of money could buy. 3 - The further fact that Schulter, and his cronies, have no intention of giving up on the scheme, and scam, that has been temporarily delayed, by those citizens who have finally started to think, and, in thinking, see, and, in seeing, realize the nature of the pieces of shit they've elected, and, thus, empowered, to fuck them over for the pleasures and profits gained, is something best not forgotten. 4 - What is encouraging, albeit only mildly, is the fact that any citizens at all, other than those few directly effected by this eminent domain bullshit, showed up to give their weasel of an alderman a little hell. 5 - The question that still remains is: Will enough citizens finally realize that this behavior, on the part of Schulter, is the NORMAL behavior one can expect of his or her alderman, let alone the mayor, the county's officials, state legislators, judges, etc.? These arrogant fucks act like this ALL THE TIME. These arrogant fucks think like this ALL THE TIME. These arrogant fucks actually believe they're ENTITLED to act and think like this, ALL THE TIME. Even when a given alderman is speaking sweetly, saying the things he, or she, figures their constituents want to hear, they are ALL, with very few exceptions, THINKING the same things that, on this occasion, Schulter actually said. These are the individuals who we, the public, voting and non-voting alike, elect, or allow to be elected, to our public offices. 6 - Which brings up the question: What the fuck are we thinking? Or, are we thinking at all? Thinking about who these people we elect, or allow to be elected, actually are. Thinking about what results we expect, when we elect, or allow to be elected, this kind of manipulative, deceptive, arrogant, self-serving sub-human beings, who present themselves as honest people, but prove to be everything but. Thinking about what we, as citizens, can do, to ensure the highest probability of our electing honest, respectful, fair-minded, intelligent, ethical individuals to public offices, be they Executive, Judicial or Legislative. 7 - At the end of the day, it is we citizens who have to be held accountable for who we elect, or allow to be elected. HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT

Will someone please run against this weasel(SCHULTER) I bet a monkey would beat him. NO one wants you, Schulter. Leave our city alone....

Watch for it All or part of the disputed area, the east side of the 4800 block of N Western, will eventually be redeveloped, and the redevelopment will involve major Schulter campaign contributor Bill Platt of Access and/or major Schulter campaign contributor Tony Ruh. You heard it here 1st. http://accessgroupchicago.com http://www.ruhrealty.com/ http://www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosure

"3 - The further fact that Schulter, and his cronies, have no intention of giving up on the scheme, and scam, that has been temporarily delayed, by those citizens who have finally started to think, and, in thinking, see, and, in seeing, realize the nature of the pieces of shit they've elected, and, thus, empowered, to fuck them over for the pleasures and profits gained, is something best not forgotten." Best Not Forgotten.

CHECK OUT SCHULTERS WEB SITE . HE NEEDS VOLUNTEERS FOR HIS ELECTION....... WE NEED A CANDIDATE SOMEONE PLEASE...

We need individual citizens to discover the futility of waiting for a human, political savior to miraculously appear. We need the citizen/voters to embrace the beginning of political change, that beginning being: HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT FIRST deny reelection to known corrupt and/or incompetent incumbents, THEN truly honest, intelligent and dedicated individuals will overwhelm the ballot, in numbers too great for the machine shills to overcome. Break the stranglehold this city and county's political machines have on it's fellow citizens. REGISTER TO VOTE VOTE IN EVERY ELECTION HAVE NO DOUBT, VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT

That TIRESOME mantra, But the SAME SHIT.....After they get elected, So SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!!!!.

Primary Election is coming up, followed by the General Election this year. Yep, let's see if the voters will be resigned to take "...the SAME SHIT..." this time around, or, maybe, just maybe, the voters will.... wait for it...... HAVE NO DOUBT and VOTE INCUMBENTS OUT Maybe the voters will, this time.... Just Do It. It could happen, couldn't it?

Sorry everybody Upon further review, I need to revise slightly this prognostication: Watch for it All or part of the disputed area, the east side of the 4800 block of N Western, will eventually be redeveloped, and the redevelopment will involve major Schulter campaign contributor Bill Platt of Access and/or major Schulter campaign contributor Tony Ruh and/or major Schulter campaign contributor Seymour H. Persky. You heard it here 1st. http://accessgroupchicago.com http://www.ruhrealty.com/ http://parliamententerprisesltd.com/ http://www.elections.state.il.us/CampaignDisclosur...