"Our ongoing fascination with the race for the 46th continues - just who will take their seat being vacated by Helen Shiller? This week, we're taking a chunk out of a couple of your days this week to talk with Molly Phelan. A lawyer and community activist who fought for TIF reform, Phelan was part of the Fix Wilson Yard project and has been in the race since July. We spent the first part of our conversation talking about TIFs and public housing, with more to come later this week on topics of transparency, City Council meetings on public television, the Wilson Yard project, and Tina Fey. It makes sense when you hear it. We hope."
FYI: Karl Klockars, the host, asked us to point out that the conversation was recorded prior to the trick-or-treat shootings.
Update: Part 2 was added on Friday.
"Obviously there needs to be transparency in the (TIF) process."
ReplyDeleteHaving attended Molly's candidate forum several weeks ago, someone asked how all the money that was solicited from community residents and businesses was spent for her Fix Wilson Yard endeavor. She promised that this information would be made available by her FWY accounting team. Two weeks later (and a good year after the case was dismissed), and we still haven't been provided this information.
Is this the kind of transparency we are to expect if Molly becomes Alderman? Seems a lot like what we're already used to.
I'll be very interested to see the next candidate financial statements, and if there are any campaign contributions made by the downtown law firms she hired to represent FWY.
Really????!!!!
ReplyDeleteMolly's with a LaSalle Street law firm that's been around since 1944 and she's only been there for four years and she describes herself as a small business owner who can relate to the problems that small businesses are having in the 46th Ward?
Horse turds; just horse turds.
gg,
ReplyDeleteYou need to check your facts. A quick look at her firm's website shows that it has four employees--clearly a small business. As one of the owner's of the firm, that makes her a small business owner.
Making unsubstantiated claims about Molly or any other candidate - now that's a horse turd.
First,
ReplyDeleteif the FWY accounting info isn't out there it needs to be pronto. Not putting it out for public view will just hurt Molly's credibility.
Second, candidates tend to exxxxxagggerate their experience and qualifications a bit. Can you say Mark Kirk? I knew you could.
Her family law firm is a small business. So while a stretch it is true.
As she said she has been a CAPS facilitator since way back in 2007, so she is also an experienced crime fighter. In fact I think she was dressed as Batgirl for Halloween. Or maybe that is just my adolescent sense of humor.
Holy Sarcasm, Batman.
Over the next few months people can decide who to vote for and then decide again after the initial February election widdles the field down to two. Excuse me, I meant whittles.
Holy Pun, Batman.
Come April we shall have an Aldercritter not named Shiller.
Holy Free At Last Uptown is Free at Last Batman.
May the best candidate win.
If y'all really wanna nit-pick why not go over to the Retta maelstrom, its over few words on a flyer. You would think he bombed Cambodia. (I am kidding for you take it literally types).
ReplyDeleteIts worth checking out just to see how Irish P(irate) coins the phrase "escape goat"....its golden!
One point I was impressed with was Mollys' proposal to open an anonynomous line of communication for residents in troubled properties to reach the alderman. So far I haven't heard or read anything that creative from other candidates yet...its pretty bold.
In response to Jeffrey, there is nothing creative in Molly's idea of having "to open an anonynomous line of communication for residents in troubled properties to reach the alderman."
ReplyDeleteIf you knew anything about working with and understanding the psychology of disadvantaged groups you would know that this approach doesn't work. The residents who really have the information are scared to come forward for fear of retribution.
I suggest spending more time with the street, Jeffrey.
I'm supporting James Cappleman. He's spent time on the streets of Uptown and 'gets' what this ward needs.
C'mon. Molly said she would use certain funds to hire more police when she was later corrected on this point since 'x' funds she referred to is only for physical improvements, not hiring more police or other public service workers.