Chicago Outmaneuvered In Eminent Domain Fight

The Chicago Sun-Times reports:

The Daley administration was accused Wednesday of dropping the ball in the drive to block an overhaul of Illinois' eminent domain laws that could have a chilling effect on urban development.

On Wednesday, top mayoral aides held a series of briefings for Chicago aldermen to enlist their help in killing a bill that would sharply limit a local government's ability to seize property and turn it over to a private developer.

The problem is, the train has already left the station. On March 2, the bill breezed through the Illinois Senate by a vote of 44 to 2, with a parade of Chicago senators either voting for the legislation, voting "present" or not voting at all.

"I raised the question directly: 'Where the hell were you when it came to Senate?' " said Buildings Committee Chairman Bernard Stone (50th). "I have a relationship with my senator. Had they communicated with me, I could have convinced him this was not a bill he should have voted 'Yes' on. Somebody missed the boat on this one. The mayor . . . has got to be fuming.

"The horse has been let out of the barn. There's no way we're going to win in the House. Every member is up for re-election and this has now become a populist matter."

Chicago will send in the building inspectors just so those who don't get the message understand they want the property.