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MarySue Barrett »

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Metropolitan Planning Council cultivates leaders
Spring makes me feel happy, thanks to the sprouting plants in my parkway garden and along Chicago's verdant boulevards and downtown planting beds. This spring, I've been busy in MPC's "garden," recruiting and interviewing talent to join our growing team: I’m thrilled to welcome Debra Spencer…
Next City op-ed: Chicago needed an investment partner, so it’s building one itself
Why has the Chicago Infrastructure Trust generated outsized interest? For starters, I can’t think of many mayors beyond Rahm Emanuel who can produce former President Bill Clinton for a local press announcement. Yet there he was on March 1 of last year, lauding his former staffer (and former…
Let's fix some leaks! IDNR’s proposed updates to Lake Michigan permit process a good first step; region should go even further
It’s Fix a Leak Week, an annual, national campaign to encourage Americans to grab a pair of pliers (or hire a plumber) to fix running toilets, dripping faucets and other household leaks that add up to an estimated 11,000 gallons of water wasted each year in each U.S. household. To encourage…
Bus-only lanes a smart step toward easing Chicago commutes
Reliability. When it comes to the work commute, it doesn't matter whether we drive, take public transportation or ride a bike — reliability is the No. 1 quality we're looking for, according to several recent reports, including the local Regional Transportation Authority's Customer…
Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s APA award well deserved
Congratulations to the staff and board of the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) for earning the American Planning Association’s (APA) first-ever National Planning Excellence Award for a Planning Agency. The award “honors the work of a public sector planning agency that…
Stagnation, progress in Chicago trigger ideas for President Obama's second term
In the weeks since the election, I've been pondering how the outcome will affect my world. On a personal level, will I ever again experience the pride of a U.S. president who hails from Chicago and who I have the pleasure of knowing? Doubtful. Professionally, I heave a sigh of relief that the…
Putting our toolbox to work in a tough economy with congestion pricing
A recent New York Times op-ed by Robert H. Frank made me stop and think. In his article, Frank, economics professor at the Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, confronts the myth of “painful economic choices the nation is said to confront.” He argues that when it…
Chicago's Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs a proactive strategy
As the presidential debates mark the last stretch of the election season, the slow path of economic growth and job creation is weighing heavily in the minds of voters. The candidates have presented vastly differing plans for the best way to create more jobs and a stronger economy. We here in…
Kudos to MPC's Board members named to Crain's Who's Who 2012
MPC is fortunate to have a dedicated, talented and diverse core of volunteers whose expertise and advice inform our work every day. Whether they serve as members of our Board of Governors or Resource Board, participate on one of our Committees, or are an Executive Advisor, these individuals play a…
Housing, economy on the agenda at Latino Policy Forum breakfast Oct. 9
Policy reform is rarely easy, in part because excuses for maintaining the status quo are just too readily available: “Who’s going to pay for it?” “The political appetite just isn’t there.” And the perennial favorite, “Well, it’s an election year…

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