Dear Mr. Mayor,
The election is still underway and won’t conclude until April 4, when voters go to the polls. Votes from the primary are still being counted. The candidates present themselves in debates, forums, and endorsements as they seek office. So, who won the primary? The real winner of the campaign was behind the scenes with a velvet glove paying “gotcha” politics. Her name is Toni Preckwinkle, President of the Cook County Board. How did she win? She won through the candidacy of Brandon Johnson. He was her pick. Remember, she ran Brandon as Commissioner of Cook County Board against Attorney Richard Boykin. Preckwinkle lost all the wards to the new fresh face lady who became mayor in 2017. Be clear, Johnson is Toni Preckwinkle’s candidate. There are more ways than one to win a campaign. Toni has played a masterful power game of politics that the novice might have missed.
The dynamic of the elections has changed significantly. We now have unions playing a significant role, making me wonder who is “The People’s Candidate?” Whoever wins, we will have a male mayor backed by a union. The losing candidates are now brokering their votes: Bishop Larry Trotter, a long-time pastor friend of Willie Wilson. Wilson has endorsed Paul Vallas, and Trotter just supported Johnson. So Wilson loses his ministerial leverage.
Both candidates have admirable and negative traits. One is a technocratic numbers guy, and another comes straight from the classroom. The new mayor will know much about education because they have both been there. I don’t see either closing the schools as a former mayor did. But both will reconsider and repurpose less attended schools. Since both are educators, I want a word. Let’s spend more time with the classroom lesson and ask what we generate for the next generation.
The new mayor must have a strong cabinet with people from Chicago mixed with experienced and newbies. They have to know the city to run the city. New government bodies are coming forth, like a newly elected school board. The mayor must select a solid cabinet to make the city run smoothly.
New economic development must be a priority. The Magnificent Mile and the Great State Street need new stores to restore their vitality as shopping districts. Mr. New Mayor, you could develop a team dedicated to growing a thriving business district. So many restaurants closed because of COVID, and we need new approaches for the restaurant community.
The Educational Curriculum
Let’s look at the curriculum. We need to teach kids how to write cursive, that is. Signing your name is still essential and a prerequisite to legal documents, with a black or blue pen, if you please.
The general public is not voting these days. It’s a new trend and pattern that we must reverse. So, how about let’s teach civics again? Let’s look at returning civics to the classroom and making it mandatory for graduation, as the student receives his voter registration card with a diploma. How about teaching the trades in schools, like carpentry, plumbing, and electricians? Have you called a plumber lately? The hourly rates will overwhelm you, and their hourly rates compete with the doctor. But beware, Mr. New Mayor; you might have to come down on the union to let minorities in for membership. We must drop the relative rule of having a cousin, uncle, or dad in the league. The union doors have to open. And then, sir, we need to consider new teaching models. How about entrepreneurship and social media taught in the classroom? How about returning education to educators? A trained educator needs to be at the helm of educational institutions. That would bring about real change.
Crime in the City..
Mr. Mayor, crime is an issue. Indeed, you know the situation because you have a position and have run a campaign on the subject. Our lifestyles have changed and been altered because of Chicago’s crime.
Our beautiful city by the lake has become the car-hijacking capital of America. Required is a new police chief from Chicago who must have the respect of the men and women in the police department. There have to be new rules on policing to cease theft, murders, and carjackings. But we don’t want to be racial about it, where black and brown young men become targets. The new police chief must be from the city. An excellent question for a debate is, who would be your pick? The public might need to know before the next mayor takes the seat on the fifth floor.
The Marshall Plan…
Mr. New Mayor, we must review and reconsider city contracts. We must have minority participation at all levels of government. I suggest a “Marshall Plan” type to be considered and employed. We recognize the new technologies for the times we live in. If America can develop economic recovery for Germany after World War II, then Chicago can develop the same for the South and West sides.
Some of your predecessor’s initiatives were excellent and should stay in place. The Lightfoot plan for the South/West initiative was significant and should remain in place and expand, as blighted Black neighborhoods have been disregarded for far too long. We need to make progress, and I would like you would consider a real economic office in the mayor’s office, similar to Harold Washington’s administration. You have to address the deserts. Too many communities don’t have grocery stores; perhaps there should be a law that there must be a grocery store for every 50,000 to 100,000 citizens. I don’t mean the fly-by stores at the gas station.
The Bears…
And then, Mr. Mayor, you have to consider the BEARS at Soldier Field. They are so much a part of the Chicago landscape; I hope they don’t leave the big city for a suburban location. How about bringing them to the table to renegotiate? If they have to go, you must look at a new team. Chicago must have a football team, after all.
And then, Mr. New Mayor, there is consideration of the new immigrant coming to the city. Where will they go? They could be placed in closed schools and unused buildings. But in the process, we have to match the new immigrant with the right areas, and we must provide for the homeless. I hope the new mayor will have the mandate to eliminate the homeless from city streets. It must be a priority. The immigrant cannot receive more than the homeless citizen.
The Casinos Cometh…
Mr. Mayor has to consider the coming of a new industry to Chicago that Lightfoot put in place. The casinos are coming. A new location should be regarded not to upset the River North community and to evaluate the heavy traffic on Halsted, the main road leading to the casino place. Could the casinos get a new destination?
And then, Mr. Mayor, there is the business of conventions and festivals in Chicago. They must be reconsidered to attract tourism to the city; all 77 Chicago communities should welcome visitors with restaurants, boutiques, events, and activities.
Mr. Mayor, considering the crime situation, you might think about safety on the CTA. However, we may need to borrow a page from yesterday, where the CTA had its policing.
And then there are the practical questions of taxes. Will you raise the taxes, or is there enough money in the city budget of $116.7 billion? Do we need to tighten our belts and reallocate? Another small matter, Mr. Mayor, is 16 new council members will join you in a new city hall. They will be virgin councilmen. How will you work with the new council? We have seen combative commissions, and the board of 2023 will be a friendly one so that the people of Chicago are better served. And Mr. Mayor, please be open to ideas from the citizens of Chicago as you govern. Sometimes, we know what might make Chicago a better place.
And finally, Mr. Mayor, you must know the eyes of the world are on Chicago, looking at how we do politics, race relations, our sports teams, and our housing. We must be a model and do all we can to unite Chicago. It is a time for ONE CHICAGO FOR ALL.
These are some notes to consider as you approach your new job.
Signed,
A concerned citizen
