Public Watchdog.org

Let The Marketplace Work

12.22.11

Ald. Jim Smith (3rd) has one particular distinction not shared by any other Park Ridge alderman in at least 20 years: he was elected as a write-in candidate. 

That’s because the residents of Park Ridge’s 3rd Ward – including Smith, apparently – didn’t care enough about being represented on the City Council to actually put a candidate on the ballot by the customary process of filing petitions signed by registered voters from that ward.  So after the petition filing period closed, Smith registered as a write-in candidate within the time prescribed by Illinois election law. 

Needless to say, he won – presumably on the strength of nothing more than his own vote. 

Since then, Smith has occasionally displayed a bit of a Libertarian streak, most recently by his invocation of the 1st Amendment in defense of this blog from the City’s unconstitutional flag ordinance that former mayor/perennial opportunist Howard Frimark demanded to have enforced by the City (through the imposition of a $500,000-plus fine) back in July of this year. 

Mindful of that Libertarian streak, we were puzzled to hear about Smith’s recent discussion with a developer for the Whole Foods supermarket chain, in which it sounds like he tried to dissuade Whole Foods from opening a store here. 

According to an e-mail sent by Smith to City Council members and City officials , he admitted to speaking with the developer after the latter appeared at the December 15th Appearance Commission meeting to present a pre-application for a 30,000 square foot store at 225 W. Touhy, the site of the vacant American Farm Bureau building. 

After inquiring about whether the developer would be seeking Tax Increment Financing (“TIF”) from the City and receiving a negative response, Smith then asked the developer if he knew of plans for Mariano’s Fresh Market to open a 68,000 square foot store on Touhy at Cumberland.  When the developer answered in the affirmative, Smith “expressed skepticism that a 30,000 square foot store could successfully compete with a much larger store that close.” 

Smith also expressed his concern that if a Whole Foods came to town along with Mariano’s, it could damage the business of Jewel, Trader Joe’s, Dominick’s and several Uptown shops.

Whoa, Smitty!

We’re all for the City Council – and the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Appearance Commission – casting a suspicious eye at questionable businesses whose presence might not be in keeping with the character of the community, or might be outright undesirable.  While exactly what kinds of businesses would fit that description can be somewhat subjective, Whole Foods definitely is not one of those.

And because it’s definitely not one of those, Ald. Smith’s “skepticism” about it entering our “market” sounds to us like government meddling, if not outright anti-competitive protectionism.

If Whole Foods and/or Mariano’s believe they can succeed in a market already served by Jewel, Dominick’s and Trader Joe’s, more power to them.  That they are planning (so far, at least) to do it without hitting up the City’s taxpayers for a TIF or other type of handout is better still.  We don’t need Ald. Smith or any other public official substituting his “market judgment” for that of people who seem willing to pay their money and take their chances in our community.

Over the last decade Park Ridge has struggled mightily to attract retailers, with very limited success.  With two new attractive retailers seriously considering an investment in this community, now is not the time to take in the welcome mat.    

To read or post comments, click on title.

13 comments so far

Great reporting and great analysis. Good reminder, too, that government interference isn’t limited to just bizarre regulations and kinky tax breaks.

In other words Smitty, keep your trap shut.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only when discouraging retailers. Otherwise, we encourage Ald. Smith’s input at Council meetings.

Whole Foods has over 300 stores, almost 50,000 employees and a market cap of over 12 billion but Smith thinks they have no idea how to target locations for new stores?!?!?! That’s right…they just throw darts at a map!!!

They have to be laughing their ass off in Austin!!!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Agreed. But even if the prospective retailer was Todd’s Tile Warehouse or Ziti Is Us, the same should be true.

I echo 5th Ward Taxpayer: Excellent analysis Dog!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thanks

I will be happy if either Mariano’s or Whole Foods locates here. Both would be a home run, especially if it doesn’t cost us $20 million like Uptown did.

Let the marketplace work indeed. This is infuriating (and not the first infuriating, ill-informed move he’s made). I hope he didn’t scare them off. Any word if Whole Food’s proposal is still on the table?

EDITOR’S NOTE: So do we, although we have heard nothing further. And to the point of another commentator to this post, if Whole Foods really is interested in locating in Park Ridge, Ald. Smith’s skepticism shouldn’t scare them off.

There’s only so much of the pie here…
Let’s also focus on the continued ” Tax and Spend agenda ” by the pirates of Park Ridge.
The jolly roger is flying at full mast these days from 505!

What will Judy say next…..

Enough is enough!

EDITOR’S NOTE: What (and whose) “Tax and Spend agenda” are you talking about?

Hey, caller no. 7, that’s a familiar sounding rant from the crazy corner of Park Ridge. Good to hear from you.

Only so much of the pie here…tax and spend agenda…jolly roger flying full mast…what would Judy say… WTF? Are you off your meds? What are you getting at? You know, even if you had a point it is lost in your nonsensical ravings and the lack of coherence in anything you write.

Really, what is your point?

My family and friends would love to have a Whole Foods in Park Ridge. I hope the Alderman don’t figure out a way to screw this one up.

EDITOR’S NOTE: As we said in response to previous comments, we trust that if Whole Foods is serious about locating in Park Ridge, nothing Ald. Smith said to their developer’s rep. will dissuade them.

There’s so much to go around – yet those Rino’s know better …..right!
The deep cover agents for the Maine
Township Dem’s that is…..
What a side show you have here….

EDITOR’S NOTE: Is this supposed to be free verse, or just obtuse?

Let’s extend a hand shake here today.
Peace on earth good will towards all men.
Thank you.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Kumbaya. Now go away.

Is 743 just 914 coming back for seconds?

EDITOR’S NOTE: It would appear that way.

There is no question that Marianos will pull customers away from Jewel – and for good reason. Better service, better prices, better produce, better meat, it is quite simply a better place to shop than any of the Mega Chains. And by the way – the size of the pie is not fixed. Fresh Market and Marianos will draw more people from other communities seeking an upscale market. Great for Park Ridge.

EDITOR’S NOTE: By “Fresh Market,” we assume you are referring to Whole Foods. But we agree that it could/should be great for Park Ridge.



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