I must respond to the Sun-Times article published last week headlined “New Zoning chair Villegas begins chipping away at backlog of stalled projects.”
The Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance is a grassroots-driven initiative that came out of decades of local organizing to protect our communities from the harms of environmental racism.
Zoning Committee Chair Ald. Gilbert Villegas‘ (36th) framing of the ordinance as solely the mayor’s is disrespectful to communities across Chicago that have organized to get to this point and my mother’s legacy.
And Villegas’ assertion that business and labor have not been told about the goals of the ordinance is not true, as I have personally sat through several meetings with labor leaders to discuss these goals and how they will impact communities like mine.
The proposed ordinance is about making sure all Chicagoans have clean and safe water, air and soil. Framing the issue as a choice between business development and community health is false and unfair. We welcome development in our neighborhoods, as long as it is safe for workers and residents. But business as usual is harming those of us who live in sacrifice zones.
The Biden administration intervened, finding Chicago engaged in environmental racism for years and reached a historic settlement with the city in 2023 that pushed then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot to pledge the city would reform its planning, zoning and land-use practices.
The current administration has chosen not to enforce the settlement agreement.
If the City Council chooses to abandon the Hazel Johnson Cumulative Impacts Ordinance, it will align with Donald Trump’s agenda to cut civil rights and environmental protections. I know we are better than that.
Does the City Council want our community members to continue to be poisoned and die slow deaths? Since January, six of my childhood friends have died from cancer.
Shame on Ald. Villegas and other City Council members who don’t support this ordinance. You would think that our lives matter to our elected officials more than allowing industries to continue to pollute and poison our families without ample oversight.
Cheryl Johnson, executive director, People for Community Recovery, and daughter of Hazel M. Johnson, the mother of environmental justice
City Hall needs to put Chicagoans first
The coverage of Ald. Gilbert Villegas’ (36th) debut as chair of the Zoning Committee made me sad.
Fran Spielman’s article seems almost to hold Mayor Brandon Johnson up for ridicule for proposing controls on development to limit the damage to vulnerable communities. To me, requiring that heavy industrial, logistics and recycling facilities “obtain special-use permits or clear the more rigorous review process reserved for planned developments” sounds like a good idea to people living in those communities.
No doubt, there are arguments about the best ways to implement controls on development, as well as the proposed “Last Mile Ordinance,” that establish environmental, labor and traffic standards for last-mile warehouses and e-commerce fulfillment centers. But the scorn directed at any suggestion to control large-scale development makes painfully clear the ideological divide in political leadership.
It’s taken for granted now that the function of government is to serve corporations, not people, and that makes me sad.
Rebecca Wolfram, Lawndale
Steer away from self-driving cars, for now
Once again, we see what has given many Illinois lawmakers and others pause before allowing autonomous vehicles or self-driving cars onto public roads.
Waymo launched its services in some Texas and Florida cities earlier this year. Already, some Waymo vehicles have driven into heavily flooded streets. It seems technology doesn’t always identify this predictable hazard in a region where flash floods are common. Apparently, the automation didn’t get Texas’ public safety message “Turn Around Don’t Drown.”
It’s no wonder many local leaders have taken a measured approach. Chicago is one of the most complex driving ecosystems in the country. From sudden weather shifts and icy roads to dense traffic, construction detours and unpredictable pedestrian behavior, the city requires constant judgment and adaptability. These are conditions where even experienced human drivers must stay alert.
Supporters of rapid deployment often frame caution as resistance to innovation. But that caution is warranted when there have been instances of Waymo vehicles driving past school buses with flashing lights and safety devices deployed for loading and unloading children.
Many autonomous vehicles rely on remote human assistance when encountering uncertainty. Companies have been reluctant to disclose how often this happens, leaving the public without a clear understanding of how independent these systems truly are.
Illinois lawmakers are right to ask those questions before moving forward. What standards of safety must be met? How will failures be handled? And who ultimately bears responsibility when something goes wrong?
Another unanswered question: “What is the rush to deploy these vehicles before they are proven to be safe with third-party independent verification?” The answer: Competing companies are rushing to market, believing that these vehicles will be a billion-dollar business for those who get there first with the technology.
Autonomous vehicle technology may one day deliver meaningful benefits. But it has not yet demonstrated that it can safely handle the full range of real-world conditions, especially in cities like Chicago. Until it does, taking a deliberate, evidence-based approach is not just prudent — it is necessary.
For now, incidents in other cities serve as a clear reminder: Progress should not come at the expense of public safety, and the Illinois Legislature should proceed with caution before allowing self-driving cars on city streets.
Amy Witherite, traffic safety attorney and founder, Witherite Law Group
Russian roulette
Pulling our troops out of Germany, or anything else that depletes our forces in Europe, plays into the hands of Vladimir Putin, and he didn’t even have to ask us.
You’re welcome, Vladimir.
Larry E. Nazimek, Logan Square