Call to Action: Write Your Alderman to Increase Citizen Participation in Decisions Concerning Public Assets
By Adam Snow, May 6, 2009
Seven months ago I started an anthropological documentary about
democracy in Chicago. This has led me to discover many things about the
city (and the state) that have surprised me. The privatization
of the city's parking meters to a corporation that hither-to-for was
not in the parking business is just the latest in a series of deals
that were rubber stamped by the city council with little or no public
debate. (See How Much of Our City Is for Sale?)
Last week the Chicago Tribune ran an editorial announcing that undisclosed aldermen were considering an ordinance
requiring a 30-day period of review for any proposed privatization of
city assets, works, and so on. Since this editorial, I have contacted the
office of the city clerk (the office that sets the city council's
agenda on these matters) to find out where this proposal is in
committee, who the sponsor is, and when it may come for a vote. So far,
i have been told 'I will look into it and get back to you'.
