Politics & Government News
McKinley Park neighborhood groups and leaders have recently thrown their support behind a proposed, non-binding Chicago City Council resolution to encourage national adoption of Carbon Fee & Dividend legislation. This measure addresses climate change by charging fees for carbon dioxide emissions of fossil fuels at the point where they enter the U.S. economy, returning funds to citizens in the form of a monthly payment.
"Carbon Fee & Dividend will significantly reduce carbon emissions, create jobs, grow the economy, save lives and protect households from higher energy prices," the McKinley Park Development Council said in a letter to 12th Ward Alderman George Cardenas, who it encouraged to back the proposed resolution. Thanks to this and other advocacy — notably engagement from Horizon Science Academy students — Cardenas is supporting the measure and working to schedule a March committee meeting to take action on it, said Liliana Escarpita of the 12th Ward office.
Read more: Development Council, Alderman Back Carbon Fee and Dividend Resolution
The Green New Deal March and Rally, held in the McKinley Park neighborhood on February 23, 2019, drew dozens of attendees and local political candidates to a march through the neighborhood and a rally in McKinley Park. The focus by speakers remained targeted on local environmental issues, and often included criticism of local industry, including HILCO developments in the Little Village Neighborhood and the new MAT Asphalt plant, sited across the street from the rally location.
"We stand united in our hopes for the 12th Ward community," said candidate Pete DeMay. He, along with fellow 12th Ward aldermanic candidates Martha Rangel and José Rico, participated in the march and spoke at the rally, which attracted more than 60 attendees.
Read more: Green New Deal Draws 12th Ward Candidates, Residents to March and Rally
In a February 14, 2019, letter, Chicago Department of Buildings Commissioner Judith Frydland addressed issues surrounding approval of work on the former ice storage warehouse at 2133 W. Pershing Road, Chicago, noting problems in the city's data-collection practices and the mistaken issuance of a January 23, 2019, stop work order.
As previously reported here in the McKinley Park News, the development has undergone scrutiny based on city action now known to be tied to errors in addressing in Department of Buildings systems. "The ownership has fully cooperated" in resolving the issue, the letter stated, including developer Aberdeen Development Inc. suspending all exterior demolition work until a Department of Buildings review is completed.
Read more: City of Chicago Acknowledges Errors, Confirms OK for Current Ice Warehouse Work
Aldermanic candidates Pete DeMay and José Rico shared their visions for the 12th Ward with a capacity crowd at the candidate forum on Thursday, February 7, 2019, at St. Maurice Church hall. Co-sponsored by the McKinley Park neighborhood-based Neighbors for Environmental Justice, the forum attracted nearly 200 attendees.
For 90 minutes, DeMay and Rico spoke and answered questions from the audience, addressing a number of local issues such as affordable housing, environmental issues, soil testing at public parks and improving local schools. "It was wonderful to see candidates for elected office taking issues of environmental justice and the health impacts of pollution on our 12th ward community seriously," said Neighbors for Environmental Justice President Robert Beedle.
Three neighborhood enterprises have successfully landed grants from the Small Business Improvement Fund of Chicago's Archer and Western Tax Increment Financing (TIF) District to help improve their properties in 2019. The building for the Aquinas Literacy Center at 1751 W. 35th St., the prospective restaurant space at 1734 W. 35th St. and the Topnotch Silkscreening building at 3382 S. Archer Ave. all were approved by Chicago's Department of Planning and Development for significant funding of their property improvement costs.
Aquinas and property owner Kenneth Ricci stand to get 50 percent of the costs funded toward improving the building's frontage. "Our goal is to improve the facade so it is whole and it energizes the community," said Aquinas Executive Director Alison Altmeyer. In addition to swapping existing siding for brick veneer, the street-facing Aquinas facade will get new storefront elements, including a new door, aluminum framing and double-insulated glass windows.
Read more: Local Enterprises Land Grant Funding Toward Building Improvements
