Second Ward Alderman Robert Fioretti, who had been mulling a run for mayor even before Mayor Richard M. Daley announced he would not seek re-election, told the Chicago News Cooperative Tuesday that he is “leaning” toward a bid and will make a formal announcement in the next few days.
“I would not have traveled all over the city over the last few months if I was not leaning in that direction,” Fioretti said.
Fioretti has been driving ward to ward in recent weeks talking with residents and surveying neighborhoods. He said he’s met with his doctors to make sure he’s up to a run physically, and this evening he’s meeting with his financial advisers.
Daley’s announcement that he’s not running is likely to prompt a number of candidates to jump into the race. Fioretti said he wouldn’t be dissuaded by potential foes.
“I am making a decision based upon a variety of factors,” he said. He claimed he’s been well received since he began exploring the idea of a bid, even in the Daley family’s traditional power base. “I had people come up to me from the 11th Ward and say, ‘Do it.’”
Wow. He would be a terrible Mayor. We had a major fire this morning at 1300 South Michigan and he never stopped by once to see how
Anyone was doing In our building or offer any leadership to get a power back on. And we are one building, one block. Although it is not shocking considering the fact that over the last two years he has done nothing to help the community. I and others will make I a point to share his lack of accomplishments with other voters of our city.
Michael, I have to agree with you. I think Mr. Fioretti has done nothing to distinguish himself in the short time he has been in the city council. After the Mayor lashed out at him regarding CTA funding issues, he seemed to step right in line with Daley from that point forward. I want someone that can stand up for their beliefs and make the tough decisions. He seems to be more enamored with being an alderman than actually doing the work that comes with the title. In that way, he reminds me of how Blagojevich aspired to be President of the United States but did nothing significant to warrant the job. He also voted for the Parking Meter Lease Deal. Here is an excerpt of what he had to say from the Chicago Tribune:
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2008/12/aldermen-deba-1.html
Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) said the lease will help the city during a tough budget time. (Daley plans to spend much of the one-time windfall to shore up the city budget during the next few years.) “I think it is a good ordinance that is going to help us in the next five years, when we are going to have a most difficult time,” Fioretti told his colleagues. “It is going to lessen the blow and be good for our people and good for the City of Chicago.” He also said rates at more than 70 percent of meters have not been hiked in 20 years. Fioretti, a rookie alderman, said the council “should have looked at (raising parking charges) a long time ago.”
When the Loop was flooded with water in the early 90′s, someone in the city and county government realized that tax revenue from the ensuing Loop parking ban went up and that the disaster benefitted tax revenues in the short term. So both governing bodies used that over the next several years as an additional cash cow by raising them, if not every year, in many a year thereafter. So Mr. Fioretti was correct to point out that meter rates hadn’t gone up in years. But most aldermen liked the fact that they themselves wouldn’t be raising the rates by handing it off to a private company. It would have appeared as another “tax” hike, or so they thought and they wanted no part of the potential backlash. You have to take the heat for the tough decisions and he was one that didn’t seem up to that task. First term Alderman, Scott Waguespack and his staff estimated the deal was worth closer to $4 Billion and he was right. The two day notice that Daley gave the city council was insane, especially when you consider the mayor’s people wouldn’t share the financial figures with the city council before the vote! And what businessman would sign a 75 year lease for anything? I would have given a company a one or two year deal to see if it was in my best interests and then re-evaluate it before signing on long term. To me, this was clearly a deal to make someone rich by sticking it to taxpayers. No one seems to talk about the fact that this idea came from the business community and in the end, it benefitted that community. It reminds me of corporate lobbyists creating the new laws when they have the politicians in their back pockets. My hope is that the people will be heard in this next election and vote out all of the Aldermen that voted for that deal. These are the decisions that are crippling municipalities all over this country.