Chicago Southland Chamber changes sides
An ironic twist to the airport debate took place recently when the past chairman of the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, Bill Frank, and the chamber’s board of directors broke ranks with other southlanders.
The board voted to back Will County’s efforts to control an airport near Peotone, rather than to side with U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., D-Chicago.
The two sides are at loggerheads over who would control a new airport. The feud was most apparent last year when U.S. Rep. Jerry Weller, R-Morris, inserted language into the 2006 U.S. Defense spending bill that essentially gave airport control to Will County. Will County officials stuck together, decrying Jackson’s self-appointed airport authority located largely outside of Will County – in communities in the south suburbs and the northwest suburbs that oppose the expansion of O’Hare. Last month Jackson used the same tactic and the same bill to repeal the Weller amendment.
The Chicago Southland has a long history of airport support. In the late 1980’s, the chamber was an early partner in the state’s plan to build a new airport at Peotone. The chamber supported the late State Sen. Aldo DeAngelis, who pushed for the Peotone project until his death in 2004.
When Jackson was elected, he joined DeAngelis’ fixation for Peotone along with others, such as Ed Paesel, executive director of the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association, and his predecessor Beth Ruyle, and her planner husband Craig Hullinger. Another supporter of Peotone in those early days was Bert Docter, a South Holland businessman who died last week.
The chamber threw its support to Will County on the day of Docter’s death, an irony not lost on South Holland School Board Member Michael Nylen, a Jackson defender, who wrote a letter to the editor in another paper chastising the chamber’s new position.
Given the history of the chamber’s support of the Peotone plan, this recent announcement is a significant change in position.
Categories: Will County, South Suburban Airport, Peotone, Jackson, Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce
Over 20 (or 39+) years this can't be the first "ironic twist to the airport debate," but if that's what it takes, there must be hope for even Jackson to come to his senses.
This farce hasn't been going on TOO LONG! With Bert Docter's death, almost as many 3rd airport supporters are deceased (Aldo DeAngelis, Henry Hyde) or have reversed their positions (CSCC) as still press for enriching fat-cat contractors & consultants beyond the 100 million they've already pocketed.
God Bless All, Walt McElligott,
Beecher, IL USA, 60401
ch
Walter, this is by far not the first ironic twist in this long debate. It has had more twists than a season of Dancing With the Stars.
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