Sun to Set on the Bridgeport Empire

Daley announces he will not run for re-election.

Mark this day down as the day everything changed in Chicago.

And nothing changed.

From Crains:

Mayor Daley says he won't run again
September 07, 2010

(AP) — Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley says he's not running for re-election after decades in office.

Daley said Tuesday he's been thinking about not running for several months and has become comfortable with his decision over the last several weeks. Daley says "it just feels right." Daley says the time to move on "is now.
...

So why did this happen?

My guess is money.

Needless to say, no one who knows is willing to talk on the record, but everyone who works for the Man on the Fifth Floor knows that Chicago city government is in real financial trouble.

My guess is money...because the City is literally in hock, and it will very shortly no longer be able to pay the vig and continue to provide even minimal services without selling off the parks, the water, the sky, the air, the neighborhoods of Pilsen, Roger's Park and Austin...and all those pretty median-strip planters that for some reason we needed.

My guess is money...because the special, one-time-only pots of cash Daley got by selling off the city's Skyway and parking meters (at pawn-shop rates) and which were supposed to last for decades have instead been used to keep the Hizzoner's Administration propped up for a couple of years and is now all but gone. And the Olympics money-tide ain't coming to raise all of our boats.

My guess is money...because the ability to hire more professionals is just about the only thing that anyone believes can curb the City's rising gan problems, really fix ongoing disaster of the Chicago Public School system and solve looming labor unrest.

My guess is money...because over the previous two and next 3-4 years, while those on the City's various Clout Lists will keep their gigs, the City's Number One output will probably end up being thousands of exhausted, laid-off and extremely pissed-off ex-employees looking to blab (If you are one such and wish to share your story, EMAIL ME at driftglass00 AT yahoo DOT com. Confidentiality assured.)

My guess is money...because governing the Great City is going to quickly get considerably less fun and more embarrassing-audit-and-ugly-headline intensive.

Also, Richard Daley's beloved wife Maggie has been seriously ill for a long time and that takes a huge toll, but on balance, it appears to your 'umble observer that Hizzoner is getting out before city collapses beneath him.

So let the irresponsible speculation begin...

...starting here.

1. Since Da Mare plucked Ron Huberman from relative obscurity at the police department several years ago (where he was in charge of setting up the City's massive surveillance system. hmmm.) to save Hizzoner's bacon from the massive "Hired Truck" scandal that was taking down so many of his pals, clout brokers and top lieutenants, Huberman has been considered by many Da Mare's de facto protege. In exchange for keeping Daley's secrets and staying blood-loyal, Huberman has been rotated in and out of some of the most powerful and high-profile positions in local government, fast enough to let him throw a little paint on the walls and claim the title of Hero Reformer...and out the door and onto the next job before any the long-term stink from his failed reforms can stick to him. And when he came out as gay last year, the final, obvious impediment to his rise to the Big Chair was removed. Never bet against a man who has a gun, nine Blackberries with every major player on speed dial, and a pocket-full of other people's secrets.


2. Rahm Emanuel would rather gnaw his own arm off -- on the Sabbath and with cheese -- than let the previous scenario occur. His anti-Dean strategy of fucking the base and snuggling up to Blue Dogs and wingnuts has turned into a giant shit sammich from which the Democratic Party is about to take a very big bite. The path to his political salvation runs through the Fifth Floor of City Hall.


3. There are several hundred other dukes and duchesses of the Chicago power elite who woke up with political wood this morning with their heads filled with fantasies that they would not have dared to dream about a week ago. Look for a scrum.


4. Expect a rash of departmental reorganizations all the way up and down the food chain that will quietly accompany this announcement. These re-re-re-re-organization will be to reward and protect friends and allies either by promoting them into better positions, or by removing them from the line of fire. Some of these moves have probably already begun (from the Sun-Times):
   
   

   Daley gets heat on pick for CPS education post
   Touts top aide, daughter's former principal, for job
   Comments
   
   July 10, 2010
   
   BY FRAN SPIELMAN AND ROSALIND ROSSI Staff Reporters
   
   Mayor Daley is encountering some resistance in his effort to make the founder and former principal of his daughter's Catholic elementary school the new chief education officer for the Chicago Public Schools, City Hall sources say.
   ...
   
   Caron is the $147,060-a-year commissioner of the city's new mega-Department of Family and Support Services. Although she worked briefly in CPS as special assistant to then-schools CEO Arne Duncan, one CPS source said "the ideal candidate'' for chief ed officer under schools CEO Ron Huberman would be "a highly respected minority educator from within.''
   ...



5. Da Mare held onto office for as long as he did by running his Administration like the French Royal court.
   
   All power was consolidating into his hands. All possible future rivals were co-opted or smothered in their political cribs. The interests of the rich and landed were always protected. As I wrote here ("...And a Father Runs Through It")
   
   this is a Machine and the Machine will not change.


6. Whatever happens, Illinois House Speaker Mike Madigan will remain the most powerful person in Illinois and any new Chicago mayor will exist at his sufferance.


7. Whatever happens, Illinois State Senate President John Cullerton will remain the second most powerful person in Illinois and any new Chicago mayor will exist at his sufferance.


8. If there were a viable Republican Party in Chicago, this might actually be interesting. As-is, don't expect Sister Sarah to come to town pimping some 3rd tier teabagger's "common sense freedom solutions" anytime soon.


9. Given that virtually every program in Chicago is titled "Mayor Daley's This or That" expect a boomlet in the stationary and sign-painting industries.


10. Between long, saccharine protestations of public appreciation for the reign of Da Mare, the abruptly-delayed public budget hearings this year
    

    Public hearing on city budget delayed
    
    Chicago taxpayers will get a chance next month to tell Daley administration officials what they think the priorities should be in the new city budget.
    
    The first hearing was supposed to be tonight at the South Shore Cultural Center, but it has been moved to Sept. 9.
    
    The other two hearings will be held Sept. 10 at Westinghouse College Preparatory High School, 3223 W. Franklin Blvd., and Sept. 16 at North-Grand High School, 4338 W. Wabansia Ave

    
    may well turn out to be lively as fuck!

In other news, the Chicago City Council will meet in emergence session later this week to consider changing the City motto from "Urbs in Horto" to "Après moi le deluge"

More later, unless I decide throw my hat into the ring, in which case much more later.

But of course, if I'm gonna take on Ron, Rahm and the horde of well-funded otherlings that will be sweeping along behind them, I will surely need a Mighty War Chest...