Troutman holds up project involving rival's backer

Another Chicago politics article today. The embattle 20th ward Ald. Arenda Troutman is in the news today. Now she's attempting to derail a development known as Columbia Point on 63rd between Ingleside and Woodlawn and here's why...

Twenty-five percent of the equity in the 203-unit project is owned by The Woodlawn Communty Development Corporation run by the Rev. Leon Finney Jr. Finney is backing Troutman's opponent, Willie B. Cochran in the Feb. 27 aldermanic election.

Adding further intrigue to the proceedings is a Dec. 29, 2006, letter on Troutman's aldermanic stationery supporting the project, to be built with help from a $12.9 million city subsidy on 10.8 acres of city-owned land.

"I did not sign that letter of support. A lot of weird things have been happening to me lately. This just makes it even more weirder," said Troutman, who has been charged with shaking down an FBI mole posing as a corrupt developer.

Now we go back to a recurring theme in the Troutman saga, a little thing known as Aldermanic priviledge and how it works as far as the Chicago City Council...

The City Council has a longstanding tradition of abiding by the local alderman's wishes on development projects.

Troutman may well have offended her colleagues when federal investigators recorded her as saying, "Most aldermen, most politicians are ho's." But, they were not about to set a dangerous precedent by overruling her on Columbia Point.

"I wouldn't want my colleague to do that to me and I can't, in good conscience, do that to another colleague," said Ald. Toni Preckwinkle (4th).

Ald. Issac Carothers (29th) went a step further. He used a rare parliamentary maneuver known as a quorum call to cut the meeting short in mid-agenda. Fifteen aldermen must be present for the Finance Committee to conduct business. The vote fell three votes short.

Burke said the quorum call left him "no option but to adjourn." But, he didn't agree with Carothers.

"Aldermanic prerogative is a closely held tradition around here. But, it's not in the law. It's only a tradition or custom...At certain times, aldermanic prerogative has to give way to the reality of a major project that already had received a letter of support from the alderman," Burke said.

Then she comes up with excuses like these...

During her prepared speech to the Finance Committee, Troutman accused developers she called "Mr. Finney and his co-conspirators" of failing to meet construction deadlines, giving short shrift to truly affordable housing and of ignoring her demands for a grocery store in, what has been called a "food desert."

Afterwards she focused on the retail complaint.

"You know what I want? I want the people of my ward to have a grocery store. Is that so hard?... Dr. Finney goes home...and there's a grocery store in his community. In my community for a very long time, there has not been a grocery store. When I'm out there walking and talking [to constituents], they're asking me time and time again, 'Ald. Troutman, where's that grocery store you promised?' " she said.

Finney argued that Troutman "specifically directed us from the very beginning that we were not to include any retail in the footprint of this site. So, we didn't include any retail."

Hmmm, I didn't see that last quote until now, but it clinches it. The retail thing is an excuse. By doing this I wonder what she is trying to prove. Someone said out there in the bloggosphere this woman doesn't know how to keep a low profile, especially in an election year being indicted for a crime of corruption.

I wouldn't be amazed if she wins no more than I would be if she lost.