The 6th ward Alderman on TV Sunday morning...

I was sluggish about posting this yesterday so I post this today on MLK Day. This would be a good time to do a tribute but I'll save that for later. It's a story that needs to be told about MLK Jr's Chicago connection. Some will call his time in Chicago his defeat. Anyway back to 6th ward Ald. Lyle.

Ald. Fredrenna Lyle was on the live call in show politics on CAN Channel 19 this morning. She took questions from callers and mentioned a lot of things going on in the ward. Even one that could be seen out of left field but that's not to say this isn't important to address.

First off I never realized after many years of watching programs on CAN-19 that the lives of ex-cons is such a big issues expecially in the black community. In the last mayoral campaign 2003 a challenger named Paul McCaffey (he's running for Alderman in the 8th Ward this year) wanted to open an office in city hall to help ex-cons get back to work. Based on this she took a call and took a quesiton on this issue.

The caller called in talking about how many young people are trying to do something with their lives but are looked at as thugs. That's probably not what he said exactly but then Ald. Lyle talks about how she seeks to encourage young entrepreneurs in her ward. Also she mentions that the other society (i.e. white people) when their young people get into trouble with the law these troubled individuals have small jobs (ma & pop establishments) to go to work for while blacks generally don't. In encouraging entrepreneurs at least these families won't just give their young people a job but pass on their business.

She touches on development in the 6th ward. There isn't much land in the 6th ward. Most of the land are in the Englewood portion and she claims that she doesn't allow outsides to develop in the ward. She wants to encourage young developers or entrepreneurs. Let me just state that development is one issue that got Ald. Arenda Troutman in trouble.

Also she talks about crime. The city rate isn't that important to her she says as the rate in her ward. There's more activity because the 6th ward is increasingly seeing more younger people move into the ward. She saw her ward change from a quiet senior ward.

Education. She wants to see the state pick up its share of education funding. She discusses a city income tax (this is something I wish wasn't considered. I'm not a fan of taxes) to help fund education in the city. She mentioned that the only reason schools like New Trier are better funded is because of property values. This is one reason for differences in funding between school districts.

She closes her appearance on this show that she is accountable. She also mentions that she will have an oratorical contest at Kennedy-King College. I should also mention that she does have townhall meetings as well.

Visit her website when you have a chance. Her ward encompassed the south side neighborhoods of Englewood, Park Manor, Chatham, Chesterfield and Roseland Heights.