Alderman Smith Header
In This Issue
Drop Off Expired Meds
DePaul Spring Carnival
Cravings on Clark
Mayer Walkathon
Community Meeting on Development
Property Tax Deadline
Speed Cameras and Infrastructure Trust

Drop Off Expired Medicine 

 

Studies are beginning to show detrimental effects from tiny amounts of pharmaceuticals in our water supplies.  So don't flush them down the toilet or pour them in the sink.  Just drop them off instead.
 
Saturday, April 28
18th District Police Station
1160 N. Larrabee 

 

You're Invited to the DePaul Spring Carnival

 

Bring the whole family for a day of fun - games, rides and crafts!

 

Sunday, April 29

DePaul Student Center 2250 N Sheffield Ave

1pm-4pm

 

Come Out And Enjoy Delicious Dining on Clark Street!

 

Come celebrate Cravings on Clark, featuring 16 restaurants on Clark Street. Tickets are only $30. Pick up and purchase your passport at 2324 N. Clark during the night of the event.

Cravings on Clark
Tuesday, May 1
Clark Street
6pm-9pm

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. 

 

Come and Support the Mayer  Walkathon

 

Mayer students from every class have secured pledges for walking laps around with school's perimeter and park to underline the importance
of exercise and wellness. Come out and support healthy living in your community.

 

Friday, May 4
2250 N. Clifton
9:30am-2:30pm

 

Click here for more information and to donate.

 

Children's Memorial Hospital Town Hall Meeting

 

The Children's Memorial Research Center, and the Children's office building at Belden and Halsted will not be part of the redevelopment of the site. Please attend this community meeting regarding proposed changes to the zoning of these two buildings. Click here for more information.  

  

May 7th, 6pm
Bigler Auditorium at Children's Memorial Hospital*

 

 *located across the driveway from the main entrance.

 

Don't Miss the Property Tax Appeal Deadline

 

Friday, May 11 is your last day to appeal your property taxes. Click here for more information. 

Two Important Votes

Dear Friends,

 

This has been a challenging few weeks at City Council. Two controversial ordinances, the Speed Camera Ordinance and the Infrastructure Trust Ordinance were introduced by the Mayor and generated substantial discussion and negotiations. I am happy to say that real progress was made on both ordinances.

 

Speed Cameras

 

In my last newsletter I asked what you thought of the proposal to install speed cameras within 1/8 mile of schools and parks. I received emails from almost 400 of you which substantially guided my work on this topic. The majority of you opposed the proposal on grounds such as size of fines and a fear of revenue-driven decision-making. Supporters believed that it would decrease accidents and increase pedestrian and driver safety.

 

Along with other aldermen, I raised your concerns. In response, the City presented extensive testimony at a hearing last week. I learned:

  • From 2005-2010, the 43rd Ward had the 17th highest number of pedestrians injured in traffic crashes in the City with 260.  Over 3,000 of the total number of crashes in the 43rd Ward had speed as a primary or secondary cause.  All the data is presented here
  • There will only be 300 cameras installed in the City
  • A map of traffic accidents in the 43rd Ward from 2010 demonstrates that there is no large concentration in any one place.
  • There will be a posted 30-day warning period before a camera is activated, and a warning for each first violation. In addition, the location of every camera will be identified online and by signs at the site.
  • Commissioner Klein testified that the speed cameras contract would not link payment of the vendor to the number of tickets generated.

The amended ordinance lowered the fines from $50 to $35 for 6-10 mph over the limit and requires aldermanic notification of placement of zones. That, along with data provided by the Commissioner of Transportation about the number of accidents in each ward, alleviated my concerns on your behalf and I voted for the ordinance. The data presented is available on my website

 

Infrastructure Trust

 

The Mayor's proposed "infrastructure trust" creates a process for allowing private investment in city infrastructure. I spoke on WTTW about my concerns, which centered around 4 things: transparency, ethics, criteria for the evaluation of proposals, and adequate City Council review. As a result of intense conversations with the Mayor's office, I and other aldermen reached a compromise with the Mayor's office. 

 

Under the compromise ordinance, and an Executive Order issued by the Mayor:

  • The Trust will be subject to the Freedom of Information Act, the Open Meetings Act, and the Ethics laws.
  • A member of City Council will be a member of the Trust.
  • City Council has explicit powers of approval over any transaction involving City assets.
  • Members of the Trust are explicitly recognized as fiduciaries, meaning that they have legal obligations to make decisions in the best interests of the Trust.
  • The 15 day waiting period for sales or leases of assets that was enacted after the Parking Meter Deal is explicitly applied to Trust activities for City transactions.
  • An independent financial analyst will evaluate each transaction for risk and cost, and will compare it to alternative financing arrangements. This step was missing in the parking meter deal, and might have resulted in a different outcome.

I am very pleased the Mayor has worked with City Council and me to strengthen the Infrastructure Trust ordinance. Our goal has always been to make sure that the transactions we enter into to improve infrastructure also provide transparency, accountability and proper oversight on behalf of Chicago taxpayers.  I'll continue to subject proposed transactions to intense scrutiny as we move forward.

 

Sincerely,

 

Michele Signature 

43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith 


Contact us:

phone

773-348-9500

email

yourvoice@ward43.org