Every
house requires some “basics” – a strong foundation, sound walls, a sturdy roof.
Making it a home depends on the people who live there … their love, concern and
commitment. A healthy community has some basic needs too – quality housing,
reliable transportation, thriving schools, ample open space.
These needs are met when those who
“have” are willing to work with and on behalf of those who “have not.”
Frequently, that means making hard or unpopular choices today on behalf of a
better tomorrow.
For
more than 70 years, the Metropolitan Planning Council has been working to ensure
the
Chicago
area is a world-class place to live and
do business. Our mission, strategies, and even our name have changed over the
years, but we have always maintained our fundamental commitment to making
people’s lives better.
In 2005, MPC published a policy agenda (available in
print or online
) that
highlights our priorities for the year and guides our work. It provides a
blueprint of the region’s basic building blocks of sensible growth. It also
calls on our local, state and federal political leaders and policymakers to show
courage and make difficult choices.
If
ever there was a year to make truly meaningful change, it’s this
one.
Education Funding and Property Tax Reform
For
the first time in nearly a decade, there’s serious movement in the Illinois
General Assembly to tackle comprehensive education funding and property tax
reform. Right now, there are two Senate bills outlining solutions to the state’s
education crisis – SB 750 and SB 1484 – both of which would deliver at least 25
percent property tax relief an
d boost the foundation
level to at least $5,964 per pupil
. MPC, through its involvement in the
A+ Illinois campaign, is working to make change inevitable by organizing the
grassroots reinforcement our truly courageous legislators will need to see this
through to victory.
To learn more about A+ Illinois and join the campaign,
visit www.aplusillinois.org
.
Transportation and Land Use Planning
The
headlines are focusing on the financial peril facing the Chicago Transit
Authority, and missing the big picture: northeastern
Illinois
needs a truly
regional transit system, and the old city vs. suburbs paradigm harms our
economic competitiveness. MPC is among several civic, community and corporate
partners advocating for a strong, streamlined regional planning entity that
would be accountable for connecting land use and infrastructure plans.
Forty-eight years after MPC played a role in creating NIPC, we have had a chance
to deliver on our vision of jobs near affordable housing and real choices for
all residents for travel, education, and recreation.
Meanwhile,
Congress has a current deadline of May 31 to pass a surface transportation bill
that would allocate money for transit and roads plus the innovative
public-private CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation
Efficiency) project to improve freight transportation. However, in the face of
a
nearly $2
b
il
lion
state budget deficit, there has been no movement in
Springfield
toward
creating a capital investment program to replace Illinois FIRST, which expired
last year. In addition to funding needed improvements to our schools and roads,
a capital program provides the required state match for federal transit
dollars.
Housing
In
February, Gov. Blagojevich released
Building for Success: Illinois'
Comprehensive Housing Plan
, a multi-year agenda to promote affordability and
choice for all
Illinois
households, create and preserve the
state's supply of affordable and workforce housing, and engage more local and
state leaders in advancing housing solutions. It represents the state’s first
housing policy, and is the direct result of an affordable housing task force
created by executive order in 2003.
MPC
was well represented on the task force, and applauds the plan. At the same time,
we call on the state to bolster it by coordinating interagency incentives and
increasing housing resources. Such legislation as the Rental Housing Support
bill and the extension of the Illinois Affordable Housing Tax Credit provide
essential support to meet the housing needs of low-income and working
families.
Sensible Growth
In
collaboration with Openlands Project, under the auspices of the Campaign for
Sensible Growth, MPC recently released
Changing
Course: Recommendations for Balancing Regional Growth and Water Resources in
Northeastern Illinois
.
This groundbreaking analysis of the impact of development
on the quality and quantity of the region’s water supply identified a series of
strategies for balancing growth and development and protecting our drinking
water.
In addition to providing technical planning assistance
to the communities within
the
Kishwaukee
River
and
Trim Creek watersheds, MPC is supporting enabling legislation (SB 1910) allowing
counties outside of northeastern
Illinois
to set up stormwater management
agencies.
MPC
has been around for 71 years and understands that significant, meaningful change
doesn’t happen overnight. But, far too often, lawmakers tell us “now” is not the
right time – whether the question is reforming education funding, improving
transportation and development decisions, or increasing quality workforce
housing options. For all the commuters sitting in gridlock; for yet another
generation of children who are being shortchanged on a decent education; for the
future generations whose air and water is being spoiled, there’s no time like
now.