MPC has provided all of Chicago's mayoral and aldermanic candidates with a briefing book on policies and positions that will keep Chicago—and the entire metropolitan region—competitive, equitable and sustainable. The guide is also useful for voters, as they prepare to elect leaders with the expertise and will to address the enormous challenges associated with continued economic recovery.
Keepers and Seekers: The Next Mayor’s Priorities for a Prosperous Metropolitan Region provides references and resources to help all of the candidates develop positions and policies around key economic development, infrastructure and housing-related challenges facing our city and region. The book is divided into two categories:
Keepers are current programs and initiatives led by the City of Chicago that should continue or be expanded, including:
- Regional decision-making and collaboration
- Chicago Climate Action Plan
- Central Area Action Plan
- Water metering
- First-ever pedestrian plan
- O’Hare Modernization Plan
- CREATE (Chicago Region Environmental and Transportation Efficiency Program)
- Affordable and workforce housing
- Chicago Housing Authority Plan for Transformation
Seekers are initiatives, programs and activities that need nurturing and increased support from the city to succeed, including:
- Bus Rapid Transit, low-cost transit innovations, and transit-oriented development
- Congestion pricing
- Increased funding for transit
- More coordinated action on water solutions
- Redevelop landmark properties
Underlying everything on these lists is the most important and most difficult challenge every elected official is facing today and for the foreseeable future: historic budget deficits. Chicago’s is more than $650 million, while Illinois is about $13 billion in the red. It will be imperative for the next mayor to consider privatization of assets, service cuts, tax increases, and—above all—more efficient and strategic allocation of limited resources.
Contact MPC Vice President Peter Skosey, at 312-863-6004 or pskosey@metroplanning.org, to discuss in depth any of the issues in this book.