Speakers will respond to questions from Metropolitan Planning Council about candidates’ strategies for supporting metropolitan regions
(CHICAGO)….. As Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama
campaign to become the next U.S. President, four out of five Americans living in
or near U.S. cities have a vested interest in knowing how each candidate will
address the thorny issues threatening metropolitan regions – the nation’s
population centers and economic engines.
Some 1,000 Chicago-area corporate, civic, government and
community leaders are expected to attend the Metropolitan Planning Council 2008
Annual Luncheon, “Metropolitan Mandate: How the Next President Will Maximize
Metro Potential,” to hear how each candidate will support transportation,
workforce housing and economic development in U.S. regions, including
Chicagoland. The event is Monday, Sept. 8
, from noon to 1:45 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Grand
Ballroom (East Tower), 151 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago.
Ill. Rep. Jim Durkin (R-82nd Dist.) currently is slated to speak for Sen.
McCain. Durkin has served as a member of the state House of Representatives for
more than 10 years, and co-chairs Sen. McCain’s campaign in Illinois. Henry
Cisneros – executive chairman of the CityView companies, former San Antonio
mayor, and former Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development –
will serve as the surrogate for Sen. Obama.
Through a moderated question-and-answer format, each speaker will explain how
his candidate, if elected, would address issues critical to sustaining
metropolitan regions.
For instance, given a recent Congressional study showing the gas tax soon
will be an unsustainable funding source for the nation’s highway, transit and
bridge systems, how does each candidate propose funding environmentally
sustainable transportation investments that keep the economy humming?
And, as global competitors such as China and India strategically invest in
coordinated metropolitan development, how will candidates support more
sustainable communities that make it affordable and convenient for Americans to
live near public transit and good jobs?
At the luncheon, MPC also will present its 2008 Burnham
Award for Excellence in Planning, which includes a cash prize of $5,000
underwritten by National City Bank, to the Village of Arlington Heights, for
Timber Court, a mixed-income condominium development. To learn more about the
award, visit MPC’s Web site
.
With a history of community involvement that exceeds
160 years, National City’s goal is to be a vital community and economic partner
in the development and growth of Chicago communities and businesses. As
Chicago’s fourth largest bank, National City has over 126 branch locations to
serve customers throughout Chicagoland and continues expanding its network to
make banking with National City more convenient. Its core businesses include
commercial and retail banking, asset management, mortgage financing and
servicing, and consumer finance. National City – Illinois Banking is part of
National City Corporation, which is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and one of
the nation’s largest financial holding companies. The company operates through
an extensive banking network primarily in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Indiana,
Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and also serves
customers in selected markets nationally. For more information about National
City, visit the company’s Web site at
www.nationalcity.com
.
Founded in 1934, the Metropolitan Planning Council
(MPC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of business and civic leaders committed
to serving the public interest through development, promotion and implementation
of sound planning policies so all residents have access to opportunity and a
good quality of life, the building blocks of a globally competitive greater
Chicago region.
WHAT:
Metropolitan Planning Council 2008 Annual Luncheon
WHO:
HENRY CISNEROS, Executive Chairman, CityView
companies; former San Antonio mayor; former Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of
Housing and Urban Development; surrogate for Sen. Barack Obama
ILL. REP. JIM DURKIN, (R-82nd Dist.);
Co-Chair, Sen. John McCain’s Presidential Campaign in Illinois; surrogate for
Sen. McCain
MARYSUE BARRETT, President, Metropolitan
Planning Council
LEE M. MITCHELL, Partner, Thoma Cressey
Bravo, Inc.; Chair, MPC Board of Governors
JOSEPH
GREGOIRE, President and CEO, Illinois Banking, National City Bank;
Member, MPC Board of Governors; Presenting Sponsor, MPC 2008 Annual Luncheon
ARLENE J. MULDER, Mayor, Arlington Heights
WHEN:
Monday, Sept. 8, 2008, noon to 1:45 p.m. (Reception
begins at 11 a.m.)
WHERE:
Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E. Wacker Dr., Grand
Ballroom, East Tower
NOTE: Tickets may be purchased through
MPC’s Web
site. Media may attend the event free of charge, but should register with
MPC Asst. Communications Director Mandy Burrell Booth, mburrell@metroplanning.org, or
312.863.6018.