Ald. Schulter: "Trust Me"

Mark Konkol hits 47th Ward Alderthief Gene Schulter hard in yesterday's Chicago Sun-Times. Trust me, Ald. Eugene Schulter says. Just because there's a plan out there that could turn Lincoln Square into another homogenized pit of yuppiedom on the North Side, that doesn't mean it will. "I'd never allow that to happen in a million years," says Schulter, who's been alderman in that part of town since 1975. FULL STORY... Ald. Schulter does not seem to think this is a very important issue. There is no mention to be found on his web site. An issue this hot, this crucial, this big and not a word on his site? Nope, but why should he. It's a done deal. Sources tell The Bench that the agenda for next week's City Council meeting is being kept secret. The Bench's prediction: The eminent domain thieves will win, the people will lose in a City Council vote of 47-3. The City Room (Chicago Public Radio) has an interesting report, in which producer Mike Rhee quotes Schulter. Schulter's words sound all too familiar to residents of Alderman Joe Moore's 49th Ward: SCHULTER: "You can't rule out anything. That's not the goal. The goal is to really set up a process so we can listen to all affected property owners and to put a plan together that would have to be approved by the community." Interviewer Mike Rhee writes, "Schulter says this over and over, that the people of the ward will decide what happens. But he never mentions the ultimate power eminent domain would give the city. It [the city] legally would have the last word." Let's translate: Schulter says he'll "listen to the affected property owners." But so what? Even in Communist China, a man condemned to death is allowed to speak to the court that has already made up its collective mind to shoot him in the morning. And as for Schulter's putting "a plan together that would have to be approved by the community," he doesn't bother to define that process. Do any of us believe that Schulter will put this to a vote of the 47th Ward residents? Of course not. Bottom line: Schulter is full of shit, he's lying, his mind is made up and nothing is going to stop him. If I'm wrong, then explain why Mr. Schulter has not a word of this on his own web site! So much for his efforts to "listen to all affected property owners" and to "put a plan together that would have to be approved by the community." Let Ald. Schulter know how you feel: 47th Ward Office 4237 N. Lincoln Avenue Chicago, IL 60618 773-348-8400 773-348-8480 (fax) email ward47@cityofchicago.org