The Chainlink

Aldermanic runoff elections of impact to cyclists

A fair number of runoffs in our immediate future; these are the ones I'm most familiar with. Feel free to comment or add others.

Source is

Trib election center.

 

50th: Stone blocked a completion of an off street bike route with an underpass (roughly Lincoln/Kedzie) that was completely planned and funded, basically just because he felt like it

 

25th: Morfin participated in a community effort that got most of Pilsen downzoned to RS3-- anyone in favor of downzoning for any reason just doesn't understand how we need density in order to keep our communities compact enough to be easily scalable without a motor vehicle, and especially is clueless as to the single quality that most gives Pilsen and Chinatown their character.  Pilsen is in kind of a formative stage in terms of bike infrastructure and is on its way to becoming the new Wicker Park in terms of cyclist density.

 

24th: Also kind of a bike infrastructure frontier-- includes parts of Lawndale and Garfield (and a little piece of the Boulevard I traverse most days)-- ripe for new infrastructure and especially youth programs.

50th Ward Alderman

93% of precincts reporting
Updated 9:28 p.m.
Source: Associated Press
Candidate Votes Pct.
Stone 3,962 37.0%  
Silverstein 3,603 33.6%  
Brewer 2,080 19.4%  
Khan 625 5.8%  
Moses 451 4.2%  

25th Ward Alderman

100% of precincts reporting
Updated 9:28 p.m.
Source: Associated Press
Candidate Votes Pct.
Solis 4,291 48.9%  
Morfin 2,451 28.0%  
Medrano 2,025 23.1%  

24th Ward Alderman

100% of precincts reporting
Updated 9:28 p.m.
Source: Associated Press
Candidate Votes Pct.
Dixon 1,783 19.5%  
Chandler 1,197 13.1%  
Boyce 841 9.2%  
Leonard 697 7.6%  
Fields 606 6.6%  
Stroud 605 6.6%  
Anderson 482 5.3%  
Johnson 477 5.2%  
Cook 459 5.0%  
Spellman 435 4.8%  
Williams 369 4.0%  
Bass 346 3.8%  
Lewis 309 3.4%  
Turner 203 2.2%  
Lawson 137 1.5%  
Nelson 113 1.2%  
Carter 44 0.5%  
Lard 37 0.4%  

Views: 97

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jennifer james on March 12, 2011 at 5:20pm

I think it's exciting that both 25th ward candidates were at the Bike Winter Art Show last night. I had to go before getting a chance to ask any questions. I'm curious about what anyone else there might have had a chance to discuss specifically with either Solis or Morfin that they are excited about. Looks like cycling is a factor this year for sure.

 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 13, 2011 at 12:52pm
Very interesting.  Did anyone here get to chat with them?

jennifer james said:

I think it's exciting that both 25th ward candidates were at the Bike Winter Art Show last night. I had to go before getting a chance to ask any questions. I'm curious about what anyone else there might have had a chance to discuss specifically with either Solis or Morfin that they are excited about. Looks like cycling is a factor this year for sure.

 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 13, 2011 at 7:07pm
Danny is very tight with the gallery folks and mostly talked to them, although he did talk to John L for a while (who he already knew from a coffee at Rapid Transit South.) Temoc talked/listened to Steven, Todd Gee and nyself (and a little of Dan K) and I introduced him to John L but it didn't seem that they talked very long and Temoc said John didn't ask him about a coffee or transportation-specific forum, so it seems like Walk Bike Transit may have chosen to support Danny.
Permalink Reply by Chicago Urban Art Society on March 17, 2011 at 1:04pm

Lauren Pacheco here from the Chicago Urban Art Society. 

The 14th Winter Art Bike Show brought over 500 people to the March 11th opening.  Over 60 pieces and bicycle prototypes filled the 3,800 square foot gallery.  Aside from the visual art gallery, CUAS and the show organizers worked tirelessly to honor the cycling community in Chicago.  People viewed.  People laughed.  People bought.  People also engaged Walk Bike Transit's design charrette.  Executive Director John Lankford encouraged cyclists to give their voice on improving biking conditions.  The event was not only a gallery opening but it served as a public forum. It was a great evening and am proud to have hosted it this year. 

 

Here's the thing.  The biking community has a voice.  Community members, businesses and political leaders need to listen and take part in ensuring ideas are shared, improvements are made and synergies are developed.  Each of us has a responsibility to engage.  We all have relationships in public and private arenas.  Local government relationships are critical in making change.  We all recognize how important they are to this process. 

 

I am sure Alderman Solis recognizes that Pilsen is not only home to a wide ranging artistic diversity, but it also serves as home to a major cycling community AND is a cross-community highway.  Advocating for MORE bike parking options, BETTER signage, CLEAR bike paths, and SMART bike highways was not only well received by Solis but quickly initiated by REAL conversations with Active Transportation Alliance (ATA), the City of Chicago and Walk Bike Transit.  Solis is also in favor of bike parking options as public art projects presented by another Alderman on the north side.  This is great stuff.  A great merge of functionality and art.  How do I know this?  I asked.  Simple.

 

Whether you support Solis or Morfin, both understand that biking conditions need to be improved.  I urge the 25th Ward voters to consider whom the most qualified candidate is to lead the ward into the future of Chicago's cycling community.  We are in the position to serve as a model for other communities to take our lead.  Let's rally together.  Form a smart actionable plan.  Engage key players.  Build momentum.  Mis-information and gossip are the real barriers. 

 

I'm here to work.  Let's do this Chi.  

 

 

 

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 24, 2011 at 5:27pm

25th ward runoff candidates on Chicago Tonight last night.

Video now online:
http://video.wttw.com/video/1855518966/
Give the player some time to load.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 25, 2011 at 2:48pm

A little 46th ward coverage in Gay Chicago mag.

http://www.nowingaychicago.com/2011/03/46th-ward-candidates-address...

Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on March 26, 2011 at 11:19pm

Well in the 50th Stone must go his reactionary attitude and tyrannical ways have hurt this city too much for too long. Silverstein (and her husband) have been heard as open minded toward bike advocacy. Her Hubby has been active during his tenure in achieving some good for bike improvements at the state level.

Admittedly she has a history in city political work but at this point it is a one or the other choice and STONE MUST GO

I sat with a handful of other cyclists and heard him descibe us as little more than terrorists just because we had the audacity to question his decision to stop the bike/pedestrian bridge when he knew a senior center was being built that would be servicing seniors in the neighborhood east of the channel at their door. Even if he hated bikers the access issue for the seniors should have been sufficient to advocate for the bridge being built.

Jeff

The Chicagoan

Jeff

The Chicagoan

Permalink Reply by Tim S on March 27, 2011 at 5:57am
Hopefully the old way of doing things in the city are going to change. A great start would be to get rid of some of these long standing Alderman. Thank you for the Wiki link to Stone's page, what a petulant little child.

Sorry I headed home right after the ride on Friday, it would have been nice to meet some of the candidates.
Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 28, 2011 at 11:53pm

Good coverage in Gaper's Block about a forum in the 46th.

http://gapersblock.com/mechanics/2011/03/28/influence-pedaling-in-u...

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service