QUESTIONS FOR THE CANDIDATES

1. This was a question that our reader Che' menju posted on another blog. This
is a serious and highly debated question.

"So what ever happen to the economic plan for Chatham?

I mean bringing in businesses representative of maintaining the status of the

community. There is so much talk about Wal-Mart. What's wrong with Meijer?
Did anyone try to get them?

How would the community know? What happened to Barnes& Noble?

What is the process for approaching these businesses? Is there a

committee headed by the alderman and reps of community organizations?

It appears as though we just wait for whomever to come into the community
and then we react by saying there is nothing we can do about it and they
didn't have to tell us. Is that how Beverly, Hyde Park, north side and other
communities political and community organizations react?

Seriously, tell me how this process is supposed to work. What is "economic

development"? Who is responsible, residents, community organizations,
politicians, etc.?

Are the businesses coming into our community bringing a criminal element
with them? No. Why are convenience stores, greasy spoons, dollar stores,
etc., flocking to our community?

What is your take on the situation?

LYLE

There is no separate economic development plan for Chatham, in

the sense of a comprehensive study and plan funded by a third
party. There is a plan however as a part of the planning for the
Cottage Grove TIF.

Talks with various grocers hit a stalemate when the market

crashed. Recently those discussions have started again. Because
they are discussions we can’t disclose whom we are talking to just
yet. Suffice it to say that one of the grocers has a very interesting
concept that provides local sourcing and community development as
a component, while others do not.

A person attending Community Association, Chatham Business

Association or the 6th Ward monthly meetings might learn of these
discussions at a meeting, in the newsletter or n a blog. There is no
formal process by which an Alderman or Chamber would report all of
their activities on behalf of the community. In fact until the retailer
agrees most of these discussions are not public. Barnes & Noble
was contacted and declined, stating the downturn in the market.

There are several ways that new businesses are brought into the
community. Aldermen and Dept. of Planning employees travel to the
International Conference of Shopping Centers’ annual convention
and meet with franchises, retailers and grocers. Aldermen regularly
conduct tours of the Ward with business representatives or brokers,
highlighting development opportunities. Sometimes relationships
with brokers for the prospective companies turn into a meeting,
drive around and then a commitment. Sometimes the Chamber of
Commerce or Community Associations contact businesses to invite
them to the community. Sometimes businesses make initial contact
with the Alderman as a result of their scouting the area.

There was such a committee but it took a hiatus. It will be

reconstituted soon.

Beverly, Hyde Park and some north side communities have strong
Chambers of Commerce or Business Associations that combine their
resources to produce marketing reports on their neighborhoods and
budget monies annually to market to other businesses and
consumers. Additionally many people point to the Borders in
Beverly and ask how that store came to be located there. I explain
that Borders originally said no but Alderman Rugai appealed to the
owner based on his having grown up in Beverly. That is similar to
my meeting with the Dir. of Real Estate for Target after they
initially pulled out of 87th & Cottage, presenting them with financial
data about the community and buying patterns. They then re-
examined the decision and opened the store.

Everyone can play a role in the economic development of a

community. As to responsibility the Dept. of Planning is charged
with creating economic development in the City.
 People in our community patronize these establishments.

RTS:
First, yes it is true that most businesses are not legally obligated to
notify the community but I recommend and encourage my clients to
come before the community and introduce themselves and their
business. We need to develop business around our transportation
hubs. Our transportation hubs (69th, 79th, 87th, and 95th street
should have businesses generating $100MM a year. Residents
should be able to get off the train and go to the grocery store, pick
up laundry and transact other business. Today they can only get off
the train and wait for the bus.

2. Mayor Daley says video gambling is illegal in Chicago, and no one has asked
him to overturn that ban. But that could soon change

Daley insider Greg Goldner is behind an effort to get the City Council to lift a
ban on video gambling so that it can operate legally in every neighborhood.
(Rich Hein/Sun-Times)

Daley's former campaign manager Greg Goldner is spearheading a high-

stakes campaign to get the City Council to lift the ban so video gambling can
legally operate in every neighborhood.

If Goldner succeeds, Chicago could end up with 15,715 video-gambling

machines in hundreds of bars and other businesses that serve alcohol --
including restaurants at O'Hare and Midway airports, as well as Wrigley Field
and other arenas.

In all, the city could end up with more video-gambling machines than the
10,321 now operating at the state's nine casinos. It would even be more
than the number of lottery terminals statewide.

The machines could let patrons gamble on poker, blackjack, slots and other
games of chance, placing bets of a nickel to $2.

The 6th ward has 26 establishments that are eligible to house up to five
machines for a total of 130 for the ward.
 Will you support video gambling?

LYLE

No.

RTS:
I support video gambling as a means to generate revenue. Of course
it needs to be regulated and have tight controls. We need to
recapture some of the revenue we are losing to the Indiana casinos.

3. Education is one of the most important quality of life issues that are on the
mind of the voters of the 6th ward. While a number of outsiders have called
for our elementary schools to be converted to Charter Schools the research
doesn't add up. What would you do to improve education?

LYLE

Continue to work on creating Community Schools-opening the

building to the community in the evenings and weekends to provide
wrap around services to the families, empower the parents and
return a sense of connectedness between the neighborhoods and
their schools; press the Board of Education to revamp curriculum-
curriculum should be nationally based with both College Prep and
Job training programs; advocate for educational leaders at the helm
of the school system; increase partnerships between universities
and Cps.

RTS:
We can improve education in the ward by recommitting as a
community that this is what we want. I do not believe that charter
schools are going to solve all the problems but I think we need to sit
down as a community and look at various models and see what
works for us
.
4. Per a Mapquest search there are over 80 churches within a 1 mile radius of
79th King Drive. What would you do to get the churches more involved in
the community?

LYLE
I will continue to meet with the Ministers explaining the importance
of them becoming partners with the community. I will also ask to
speak to the Trustee or congregations. I will enlarge the number
of speakers presenting to the meeting, to present ongoing models
of community participation in other Churches.

RTS
 We need to reach out and get the churches involved as they can
open their doors and host programs for the youth in our community.
Many churches are already opening their doors but we need more.

The 69th-71st state street corridor was once a bustling area that brought
fresh food and jobs to our community. We have gone from 7 major
grocery store chains locations to 3. What economic development
plans will you implement as Alderman?

LYLE
Recently the City approved the Cottage Grove Special Service Area
which will provide resources to beautify, maintain, improve and
secure the properties within its boundaries. The 67th St. TIF is in the
process of being approved and covers the old KKC site, 71st St. east
to Cottage, State Street south to 79th St., and 75th East to Cottage
Grove. We will use the TIF to develop the old KKC site, reclaim some
of the vacant property along the commercial streets included
develop those sites a per the Community’s desires. For example we
can use the TIF funds as incentives to attract an appropriate retailer
to 79th & State or 69th & State, etc., etc.

RTS
I would work with the existing businesses on State Street to assist
them. Mr. Ben’s Meat plant and retail market was a major loss. The
owners left because they were not making any money and we should
have been there to offer assistance. L&P Wholesale is the ‘Sam’s
Club” of our community and they need more parking. The produce
markets need marketing assistance and we need to bring in a
restaurant to serve the produce and meats sold by the markets on
71st State.

Hirsch HS is a neighborhood high school that has underperformed. 2/3 of

freshmen do not graduate. The school has received money and
technical assistance from the Gates Foundation and nothing has
changed. We have had a shooting that involved current and former
students. Is it time to pull the plug on Hirsch? What would propose?

LYLE
Because of school restructuring Hirsch is no longer our
neighborhood high school. I would eagerly work with Ald. Harris
and the Principal to help transition the school, if asked.

RTS
I do not feel we need to close Hirsch but commit to improve the
quality of education. We have the resources in our community to
improve this school.

How do we solve the apparent discontent amongst the Chicago Police?

LYLE
 A Superintendent that has served as a Police Officer is cited as one of the
causes of the demoralization.

RTS
We solve the discontent among police officers by letting police do
their jobs. Growing up I learned to respect the police. When they
said move you moved. Today, when they say move they have to get
involved in a debate about rights and threatened to be placed on
YouTube. The current police commander needs to be replaced with a
new commander who has the respect of all officers.

In the 6th ward we have the Chatham Club, 87th cottage, 71st and now
the 67th (Kennedy King) TIF's. Are we relying too much on TIF's

LYLE
No. TIFs were created to help communities with economic
development needs. Our community was late in using TIFs

RTS
We have become over dependent on TIF’s to spur economic
development. I believe that the current TIF’s should stay in place and
place a moratorium on creating anymore. The funds created from
these TIF’s need to be accounted for and reported to the public.

The 6th ward has become one of the leaders in going "green”. The ward now has
a community garden and has partnered with Chicago State University on
the Aquaponics project. Yet, the greenest building in the ward the Chatham
Executive Building goes vacant. Why do you think the building is vacant
and what “green” projects would you propose?

LYLE
The cost of designing and building this phenomenal building puts
the rents a little high for many businesses. It is equal to new
construction rentals and that narrows the pool of potential
occupants dramatically. Additionally, the market crashed and
businesses had an inability to obtain capital to expand to a new
site.
We are planning a community composting program at CSU; an
alternative fuel source project at CSU; urban agriculture at 70th &
Princeton and 70th & Wentworth. We also had approval for the first
affordable housing development using geothermal technology for
heat at 67th & Champlain. The partnership imploded and the
development was cancelled.

RTS:
I support green projects but I believe we have to be prudent with taxpayer’s
dollars. Based on information from residents near the 71st garden they state
they go and take what they want. This is unacceptable and the garden needs
to generate enough revenue to support itself. The same goes with the
Aquaponics project at Chicago State University. I would like to see more
green projects but they must be revenue generating projects.