Sidewalk shoveling as a city service is a fine idea, but not yet fully baked

There are blizzard of questions left unanswered

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Eric Zorn is a former opinion columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Find a longer bio and contact information here. This issue exceeds in size the maximum length for a standard email. To read the entire issue in your browser, click on the headline link above. Paid subscribers receive each Picayune Plus in their email inbox each Tuesday, are part of our civil and productive commenting community and enjoy the sublime satisfaction of supporting this enterprise.

Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. I talk with WGN-AM 720 host John Williams about what’s making news and likely to be grist for the PS mill. The WGN listen-live link is here.

Should the city shovel your sidewalk?

I’m intrigued yet skeptical about the idea — floated again in a front page story in Monday’s Tribune — that the city should take responsibility for clearing the sidewalks after snowstorms.

It appeared on page 187 of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s ambitious transition report where his team put forth goals to remove transportation barriers for people with disabilities:

Make snow clearance a municipal responsibility by working towards full implementation of a Plow the Sidewalks program, standing up a rapid-response team in the meantime to ensure sidewalks are passable and accessible to all people throughout the city.

Over the summer, Streetsblog Chicago reported;

At (the July 19) City Council meeting, a vast majority of alderpersons passed an ordinance sponsored by Ald. Gilbert Villegas (36th) launching a "Plow The Sidewalks" pilot program where city workers would remove snow and ice from sidewalks in six pilot zones. The current legislation was introduced to the Council on May 24 of this year, with Mayor Brandon Johnson plus 23 other alders serving as cosponsors. … The vote was 49 to one.

A more detailed plan for the pilot program will be considered by the City Council later this year for implementation next winter.

Monday’s Tribune article on the problems that some people with disabilities have getting around after a snowstorm quoted Laura Saltzman, a transportation policy analyst for Access Living, the disability rights group:

We don’t depend on people to clean the streets. Sidewalks are public rights of way. Why do we depend on private citizens to clear public rights of way?

But the article also quoted Erica Schroeder, a spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation:

Keeping Chicago’s 7,400 miles of sidewalks clear of snow and ice is everyone’s responsibility — not only is it the neighborly thing to do, but it is also the law.

That’s a lot of miles of sidewalk — roughly the distance between Chicago and New Delhi, India.

Last year, Block Club Chicago quoted Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th:

There is a cost associated with plowing sidewalks; however, there’s also a cost associated with people stuck in their home and not having the ability to participate in the economy. … We want to make it easier for them to participate in the local economy. And by doing that, this program will pay for itself.

Whether or not a fully scaled up Plow the Sidewalks program would pay for itself in increased economic activity — I’m dubious — doesn’t mean it’s not the right thing to do.

But just because it’s the right thing to do doesn’t mean the city can afford it. In the news coverage I’ve read on the idea I haven’t seen a good cost estimate other than skeptical Ald. Anthony Beale, 9th, saying such a program would set taxpayers back “a few hundred million dollars.”

But individuals and business owners who now pay dearly for private snow removal services would make out well.

There is also the question of where all the emergency temporary shovelers and plow drivers would come from given the current labor shortages. Who will train, supervise and coordinate them? How will all the small plows be transported and maintained? And which politicians will end up wearing the jacket when sidewalks are impassable for days after a major snowfall and homeowners are waiting around for the city to clear the paths?

More from Block Club:

The most recent attempt at a citywide shoveling program in Chicago was in 2012. Then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel launched a citywide shoveling initiative that included a program called Snow Corps, pairing volunteers with older residents and people with disabilities who need shoveling help.

That program was scrapped in 2017 due to a lack of volunteers, sources told Block Club in 2021.

News stories indicate that Montreal, Toronto and Rochester fund some sidewalk snow removal programs, as do the suburbs of Winnetka and Forest Park.

What’s your reaction?

‘Splatatouille’ for the win!

Speaking of sidewalks, Lakeview Roscoe Village Chamber of Commerce has announced “Splatatouille” as the winner of its online contest to name the now internationally famous Rat Hole in the sidewalk in the 1900 block of West Roscoe Street. Out of 250 entries, the Chamber selected five for inclusion in the poll were:

1. Li’l Stucky
2. Splatatouille 
3. Splat
4. Roscoe the Road-dent
5. Dibs

I first heard the brilliant winning nomination floated several days ago by my former Tribune colleague and current podcast impresario Mark Caro.

Notes and comments from readers — lightly edited — along with my responses

Lots of commentary on the looming presidential race, particularly my observation that the strong support of the hideously amoral Donald Trump by those who call themselves evangelical Christians was “an appalling reflection on these people who claim to follow the teachings of Christ.”

David Applegate — Like most Democrats, leftists  and those in the media, you seem to start from the premise that Trump is an earthly abomination and that therefore anyone who supports him must be as well.  Yet if that were true then it would logically follow that Democrats who support President Joe Biden must favor corrupt senescent octogenarians and a lack of transparency in elections and government. It seems to me a fairer assumption that Iowa Republicans’ overwhelming support for renominating Trump is as transactional as the Democrats’ support for Biden.

Zorn — The accusation that Biden is corrupt is a Fox News shrieking point unsupported by any evidence, as we’re seeing in these pathetic impeachment hearings in the House.

The claim that Biden is “senescent” is rich coming from anyone who supports the clearly addled and confused Donald Trump, who thinks Nikki Haley is Nancy Pelosi, appears to be under the impression that we’ve not yet had a World War II, confuses Vietnam with Iraq and keeps saying that he’s running against Barack Obama.

Honestly, neither of these old guys is at the top of his mental game. Polling among Democrats indicates that most of them, like me, would prefer a younger, next-political-generation presidential candidate.

As @Turkmmtz pointed out on Twitter, “70 and 80-year-olds are generally regarded as unemployable due to mental decline / skill mismatch, yet they’re running the country.”

He’s referring not only to Trump, 77, and Biden, 81, but also to Senate leaders Mitch McConnell, 81, and Chuck Schumer, 73, as well as others listed in CNN’s “2 charts that show just how old this Congress actually is.”

But Democratic voters haven’t been given a plausible option in the 2024 presidential primary season. Republican voters have been. And they have roundly rejected them.

David Leitschuh — I am compelled to call out your demonization of white Evangelicals in the wake of the Iowa caucus results. In fact, I also reject demonization of any person based upon who they vote for or support. I am confident that a good number of the PS readers will immediately find personal moral fault in anyone who would vote for Trump, but I can tell you there are also many on the right who are just as ready to demonize anyone who would vote for Biden.

We are all better than this!

With regard to your generalization about white Evangelicals, I was a member of Willow Creek North Shore campus when I lived in Chicagoland. In the years we were members of Willow Creek, the main and remote campuses were incredibly active in being the hands of Christ in this world to those in need.

Zorn — You provided a long list of creditable activities under the aegis of Willow Creek, and I have no doubt that faith inspires many people to do great and necessary work not just here but around the globe. I sincerely salute such people and am grateful for what they do.

I simply can’t square their professed beliefs with their support for Trump, who is cruel, vain, dishonest, hypocritical and profoundly threatening to our democratic republic. As a Christian, you must know that Jesus would be appalled by Trump and nauseated by the embrace of such a foul would-be tyrant by those who profess a devotion to Christianity.

I understand how one would not agree with Biden’s agenda or his policy proposals. He’s a conventional Democrat with whom many people have differences of opinion. But the suggestion that he’s the mirror of Trump is downright weird.

Are we better than this? Evidently not!

Gail Arden — Voters are drawn to Trump because — whether you love or hate him — he is more fun to watch than all the other politicians and pundits out there.  He is entertaining.  And that’s apparently all that matters anymore.  Good governance, good leadership and moral character … none of that is important

Michael Gorman — Trump is, in effect and in MAGA eyes, the incumbent. And in Iowa he got just 51% support among Republicans against a weak field of challengers. I’m not impressed. In 1980, Jimmy Carter won 59% of the vote in Iowa against the much more formidable Edward M. Kennedy.

Zorn — True, but Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker won the March, 2018 Democratic gubernatorial primary with just 45% of the vote, then went on to win 55% of vote in the fall general election.

Curt Fredrikson — When somebody complains about how Biden handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan, I like to point out that, from when the agreement to depart was signed on February 29th, 2000, to the American withdrawal date, Trump was President for 76% of those days.  After that, I ask for a summary of what The Great Faker did to prepare for the withdrawal. 

Zorn — “Biden Was Right” by Josh Marshall is another good response to the criticism of how Biden handled the withdrawal from Afghanistan..

Tribune subscription shenanigans

Steve H. — We recently received our billing notice of the upcoming auto-payment for our Tribune subscription – home delivery on Sunday only, digital access all seven days.

Our price for the year was $247. Last year it was $163.80 Two years ago, it was $116.48.

So I called to cancel. The woman who spoke with me was sympathetic when I complained about the increase to $247. She immediately offered to go back to last year's price, $163.80. I replied that I thought last year's 40% increase from the year before was too much. So she promptly said that since I'm a "valued subscriber," she could offer their lowest price of 99 cents a week -- $51.48 for the year. I said that I appreciated that and agreed to the offer.

The odd thing is that I feel like that may be too low. But I'm looking at it as we're now averaging $107.64 over 2 years, which is close to what I think might be a reasonable price. It's such a dilemma wanting to support the local journalists there at what was once a great newspaper, but having to essentially subsidize a rapacious hedge fund in order to do so.

Zorn – That $51.48 for the year is exactly what I’m paying – about a fifth of the amount they initially tried to extract from you — as long as I remember to call 312-546-7900 every few months and remind them not to charge me for “premium issues” included with the Sunday paper about once a month.

And that amount does seem too low, I agree. But as long as Alden Global Capital keeps screwing around with pricing and attempting to gouge inattentive customers instead of setting a fair price and sticking with it, I will continue to advocate for news consumers to protest by demanding the lowest rates.

S.E. Cupp runneth over

Last week I contrasted the views on protesting of syndicated columnist S.E. Cupp — who complained about protesters disrupting the lives of ordinary people just trying to go about their business, with the view of Sun-Times reader Katie Hannon who defended disruptive protests I posted a click poll and got the following result:

Mike Koetting — Asking readers to choose between two simplistic views seems to be ignoring the nuanced, thoughtful perspective you argued. Part of the problem comes assuming a protest is effective or not as a single event. I suspect it has much more to do with the longer arc of the issue and the ease of actually responding to it. 

Jake H — When the system does not permit what ought to be lawful protests, people have no recourse but to engage in civil disobedience. The 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, is illustrative. The public saw solemn, peaceful, well-dressed protesters walk defiantly yet calmly across the bridge, only to be attacked by state troopers on the other side. It was a turning point because it showed Alabama Gov. George Wallace's police to be the unruly ones. It's an example of the persuasive approach adopted throughout the civil rights movement by Lewis, King, and others of their mind. For them, it seems, protest was serious business, where you come correct, with a sort of righteous dignity that's plain to see. Unless the goal is literal revolution, the goal must be to persuade.

Skeptic — You gave a back of the hand to the Occupy Wall Street protesters, but their protest against bank bailouts after the mortgage crisis advanced the premise that the system is rigged in favor of "the top 1%." That still gets traction today. Without the OWS protests I think we would not see the likes of AOC and Elizabeth Warren in Congress.

Zorn — I’m not sure those protests really got enough serious attention to move the needle on public opinion, or indeed how much public opinion has actually shifted since then. But I suppose one could argue that one reason the protests didn’t provoke any national reckoning was that they were so peaceful.

Peter Zackrison — I could not answer your poll question because I kept thinking, “it depends on the subject of the protest.” I could not agree that all protests were okay nor that no protests were okay. It depended on my subjective views of the issues involved.  I guess I could handle a protest that I disagreed with if it was scheduled, advertised and had a permit.

David Leitschuh in response — If a person in charge were to allow unlawful disruptive protests they agree with, but not allow those they disagreed with, it would be a form of fascism where people advocating certain views are allowed to violate the law and others are not. This subjectivity would depend wholly upon the person in charge and their own personal views.

K Mason — I distinguish between actual protests and protest theater. Actual protests, such as the Million Man March, bring attention to a serious issue without ruining the day for people who are just minding their own business.

Splashing paint on art is protest theater - done just to feed the ego of the perpetrator. Blocking bridges / streets etc. is not going to bring any supporters to their cause.

Joanie Wimmer — It’s beginning to look like the readership of the Picayune Sentinel has a lot of arch-conservative fuddy-duddies in the ranks. When a group of people have been held down, looked down on, and persecuted by the people in the establishment, sometimes holding hands and singing Kumbaya in an area permitted by the government doesn’t make it. It’s easy for the people whose lives have not been impacted to ignore those types of protests. I’m not suggesting that laws should not be enforced against protestors who violate the laws, but I am suggesting that if there had been no protests that inconvenienced people, we would still have Jim Crow, women still wouldn’t have the right to vote and LGBTQ+ people would still be in the closet.

Zorn — Well, there is that. Those remote, cordoned-off protest pens at the 1996 Democratic convention in Chicago were a festival of feckless haranguing the choir.

Best reads of 2023

I put out the call for people to recommend the best book they read last year (not necessarily published last year.

• Steve Chapman — “The Borrower,” by Rebecca Makkai .

• Lawrence Weiland — “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow,” by Gabrielle Zevin.

• Mary H-O. — “The Wolf at Twilight,” by Kent Nerburn.

• Margaret Benson — “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver .

• Beth Bales — "The Rose Code," by Kate Quinn.

An alternative to brown noise

Pete Prokopowicz — You extolled the virtues of brown noise over white noise, but burnt umber is the most soothing sound color:

Zorn — I have to agree. It’s not an option in my background noise app, but I found it in some long videos such as the above.

Why UChicago?

Rick Weiland — Anybody besides me slightly annoyed at the nickname transition from "U. of C." to "UChicago"?

Zorn — As the parent of a UChicago alum I’m given to understand that the change was meant to distinguish the University of Chicago from The University of Illinois at Chicago Circle (UICC) when it rebranded as the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) in 1982. U. of C. sounded too much like UIC.

For similar reasons, The Illinois Institute of Technology, once known as IIT, rebranded about 10 years ago as "Illinois Tech” to avoid confusion with the ITT Technical Institute, a now defunct national chain of for-profit schools.

Dept. of redundancy department

Jeff Couch — In Monday’s Chicago Tribune there are two articles in the sports section about University of Iowa basketball player Caitlin Clark being knocked down after a game with Ohio State. “Iowa’s Clark accidentally knocked down by fan” on page two and “Clark knocked down by OSU fan” on page 6 , Much of the material is duplicated between the two articles, rendering one of them useless.

This apparent carelessness is not unique. Over the past couple of years, there have been numerous instances when the same information has appeared twice in the same sports section. It increases my disappointment with the paper overall.

Zorn — As I understand it, the “National Sports Report” on page 6 is a package generated for all Tribune newspapers as part of an effort to trim costs. I never knew enough about the production end of the paper to know how avoidable such duplication is, but I agree that it looks careless.

Ya gotta see these tweets!

Here are some funny visual images I've come across recently on social media. Enjoy, then evaluate:

The Magnus Chord Organ Big Book of Easy Funeral Hits is from the Phil-Are-Go blog of fake vintage images. I am including the mushroom joke even though, like some of you, I’m sure, I recoil at the grammatical error.

Vote for your favorite. I’ll share the winner in Thursday’s main edition.

Usage note: To me, “tweet” has become a generic term for a short post on social media.

There’s still time to vote in the conventional Tweet of the Week poll!

Rx for footwear

Bucky got roasted after posting this. My favorite reader response was, “They look like they required a prescription to get them,” by @jimbobbottletop. That’s an insult worth recycling.

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