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The City will be moving forward with the O'Hare expansion plan that has been negotiated with all of the airlines using gates at the airport. The $8.5 billion major upgrade to the airport will be the first in several decades. The deal moved ahead at the last minute after the City agreed to build out three smaller gates for American,
who were arguing about last minute changes to the deal by the City.
If you are a senior citizen, you can still apply for the Senior Citizen Property Tax Exemption; see below for details.
The new
Street Sweeping Map for 2018 is ready. See the map for details and set your calendar for street sweeping on your block. Don't leave town without it.
I applaud the CPS and other school students who
participated in the national #Enough walkout to show their respect for the murdered students of Parkland. They were respectful, protested the gun violence that took the lives of 17 children at Parkland, and brought attention to the gun crimes and violence that continue to hurt our City.
As the political primaries come to a close on Election Day, March 20th, here is
one more story about the issue of property taxes and the assessors office. One more about how
the City has avoided the issue of tax assessments, and the latest stories concerning the giveaways to Amazon, as cities rush to lavish them with incentives that
other large scale businesses now want and may get: individual TIFs, keeping their income tax, and more but none of which are publicly disclosed. The Amazon deal sounds
World Cup FIFA-like. Any undertaking of an Amazon magnitude multi-tax break should be in the public record, with the offerings and real impacts made clear to the taxpayers of our City.
CNBC:
Big tax breaks to lure Amazon's second headquarters won't pay off
Strange bedfellows:
Council Members, Kochs, and Socialists Unite Against Amazon
WSJ- In Their Push to Lure Amazon, Cities Face Unintended Demands
Read below for some updates on the community coalition plan to create much needed new park space along the river that will benefit generations to come.
Have a nice weekend, and Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Scott Waguespack
Alderman
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The North Branch River Park + Preserve
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I wanted to share with you some plans for the parcels of land east of the river at Cortland Ave. For over one hundred years this area was an industrial zone, home to many manufacturing jobs and businesses that changed over time. I've been working with fellow aldermen and community organizations for over a year to push for contiguous public open space on the North Branch Industrial Corridor. In conversations with editorial boards this week, parts of our team made the push for significant public open space that befits the City of Chicago and the needs of all of our residents.
We support developers who come to the table prepared to meet the challenge of our generation and many to come. One key component of this challenge is for the citizens and leaders of this city to understand and take action on creating "meaningful park space that is vital to the economic development of the city to attract new business and provide a desirable lifestyle to residents."
The Framework Plan passed last year provides for 60 acres of open space but the City has different ideas about what that means in the 750 acre site.
Most the 60 acres of city planned "open space"consists of:
25 acres of concreted 30 foot wide bike or pedestrian paths along the river bank
17 acres of underwater marsh and habitat restoration, and
10 non-contiguous acres, chopped into 7 "developer driven" initiatives surrounded by new residences and businesses. That's a piecemeal way of falling short on what we really need. We need to start by creating true green, true publicly accessible open space in our City.
Our City Motto is "Urbs in horto" or City in a Garden.
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| 2018 Street Sweeping Map |
Street Sweeping begins on April 1st and continues through mid-November. Below is a copy of the 2018 street sweeping map. You can click on the image for a larger copy, click here for the city website, or stop by my office where copies will be available.
When street sweeping is occurring on your block, bright orange temporary parking restrictions are posted the day before sweeping service is scheduled to ensure curb-to-curb cleaning. Some arterial streets have permanently posted signs that specify a once-per-week period when parking is prohibited for street sweeping. Please be sure to review this schedule and move your car.
The sweepers cannot do their job if cars are parked. They will come through a block more than once when sweeping; however, once they leave the scheduled area, they will not be able to return. This is why it is so vital for residents to move their vehicles.
Feel free to share this map with neighbors and other 32nd ward residents.
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| Local Students present to the public |
Thanks to the students at Burr Elementary and Pulaski Elementary for their hard work researching projects and presenting their findings to their fellows students, teachers, families and neighbors.
Congratulations to all of the students!
Burr Elementary students presented their projects in the Genius Hour Showcase.
And finally, Congrats to Simon, a Pulaski student who placed 5th in the citywide US Spelling Bee championships.
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| 19th District Community Alert |
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| Catalytic Converter and Wheel Theft |
Thursday's 1431/32 Beat meeting touched on the problem of late night catalytic converter thefts. We are getting several complaints in the areas of Lakeview, Logan Square and Avondale, among other areas, regarding catalytic converter thefts.
Videos sent by victims confirms that the thieves are getting faster: it takes just 60 Seconds to cut off the pipe!
Catalytic converter and wheel thefts typically occur at night or early morning hours and when vehicles are parked for prolonged periods in spots accessible to thieves. Thieves tend to target SUVs, because they sit high off the ground and are easy prey. If you hear cutting on your block try to identify any vehicle you see, get the plate and call 911 immediately.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
- Always park in well-lit areas
- Purchase a vehicle security system and make sure it's set to trigger with just the slightest motion
- Visit a local muffler shop and have the converter secured to the vehicle's frame with hardened steel welded to the frame
- Install locking lug nuts on your vehicle
- Check out the different types of catalytic converter theft deterrent systems at your local auto parts store or online
- Do not confront the offenders; call 911 immediately
- Report any suspicious individuals or vehicles by calling 911 immediately
- Suspicious vehicles include vans or trucks double parked on a street with the engine running
- Note any license plates of suspicious vehicles (parked in alleys, parked illegally, etc)
- Inform the 911 call-taker that you are calling about a suspicious person in an area with numerous thefts
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| Teens Get Involved and Get Paid! |
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| Sewer Main Replacement Project Roscoe Village area Project #7186 |
In mid-March, Department of Water Management (DWM) crews will begin to install 865 feet of new 24-inch sewer main in N Leavitt St from W Waveland Ave to W Bradley Pl, in W Bradley Pl from N Leavitt St to 270' East and in W School St from N Western Ave to N Claremont Ave. The old sewer main needs to be replaced. Anticipated completion date of pipe installation is mid-April. The restoration will follow immediately with concrete base. Asphalt and parkway restoration should be done by mid-May.
If you would like to receive regular email updates about the progress of the project, please go to
www.BuildingANewChicago.org to register for project notifications. Simply enter your name, email address, and the project identification number at the top of this notice. By signing up for the project notifications, you will be informed as the project enters each new construction phase - from mobilization of equipment onto the site, to the installation of new pipes, to the final restoration of the street.
When they are working in the street, they may close it to traffic for safety reasons, but you will always be able to reach your home or business. Outside of working hours, a travel lane will be left open for local traffic only.
The work area will be posted for "No Parking" as needed during work hours (generally 7am-4pm).
Parking is allowed outside of those hours, but cars will need to be moved by the start of the next workday. They will try to preserve as much parking as possible.
Construction always involves inconveniences and noise. They will do everything possible to maintain your quality of life throughout these projects, and conduct themselves as good and thoughtful neighbors in the course of their presence on your street.
Parkway Maintenance
Before any project, the Department of Water Management takes photographs of the street and surrounding properties. These photographs help them restore the area to its pre-construction state. However, DWM does not assume responsibility for damage to privately installed parkway improvements, including sprinkling systems, fences, flower beds, and shrubbery. New sewer construction is not complete until damaged sidewalks, parkways, and streets have been repaired.
Should you have any questions or concerns, you can either ask the construction foreman during the project, or call any of the following numbers:
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| Adopt Your New Pet TODAY! |
Chicago Animal Care and Control (CACC) is excited to announce
Year of the Shelter Pet. The department has a big push to get all these homeless pets a furrever home as soon as possible in order to save their lives. For the month of March, CACC is waiving all pet adoptions fees to encourage you to adopt your new best buddy right now!
If you someone who loves animals, but for whatever reason, cannot adopt a loving and adorable friend to take home, there are other ways you can help:
CACC's website is full of information about adoption, volunteering, low cost vaccine clinics, and why it's important to spay and neuter. Check it out right
here!
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| Senior Citizen Exemption and Senior Freeze Deadline Has Been Extended |
The deadline for the Senior Citizen Exemption and Senior Freeze Exemption renewal applications and new applications has been extended for Tax Year 2017. The new extended application deadline is March 30, 2018. Any application postmarked by Friday, March 30 will be on time. (The original deadline was February 7th, later extended to March 2nd)
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| Bunny Hop in Roscoe Village |
 One of our local great Easter Egg hunts is coming up April 1st in Roscoe Village.
Support your local businesses while taking the kids for a walk through the business district. |
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| Last Reminder to GET OUT THE VOTE! |
 THIS TUESDAY, March 20th, is
Election Day
for county and state offices. You can visit Chicago Board of Elections for information on your polling place or your voter status.
Early voting is STILL open through the end of the weekend, so there should be no excuses! Get out there and let your voice be heard!
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Projects included a history of the U.S. HBCU's, Fixie bike mechanics, Architecture, and an oldie favorite- the software behind the old Atari games.
