Press Release

Contact: Phil Molfese, 312-541-1600 

Ald. Stone Represents Chicago In China

(Chicago). Alderman and Vice Mayor Bernard L. Stone represented the City of Chicago at the Third High Level Forum of the World Mega Cities Development, September 20 – 22, in Nantong, Peoples Republic of China.  The forum brought together leaders from more than twenty-two (22) cities and seventeen (17) countries to discuss the importance of cultural understanding and communication.

From the discussions and exchange of ideas emerged the Nantong Declaration which expressed the participants’ commitment to fostering cultural exchange and understanding as an important step toward collective economic progress.  In the first speech by a delegate, Alderman Stone echoed the theme of the Forum when he asserted, “Each day the world grows smaller as communications and technology advance....It is my hope that, as we begin this 21^st century, it will be a century of understanding between people and cultures which will benefit all mankind.”

Upon his return from the Forum, Alderman Stone reflected on the experience, “China represents perhaps the world’s most important emerging market,’ he stated, ‘understanding and appreciating our differences while embracing our similarities is the first step in positioning ourselves to take advantage of this economic and trading opportunity.”

Click image for High Resolution Picutre

Alderman Stone presenting the Mayor of Nantong,
China with a flag of the City of Chicago.

R E S O L U T I O N 

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago has title to a great number of parcels of real estate throughout the Chicago area which are surplus and are not in use and are either vacant or improved and lying idle; and

WHEREAS, said parcels as a result of being owned by the City of Chicago are not currently on the tax rolls and therefore do not contribute in any way to the economy; and

WHEREAS, the City of Chicago has currently a shortfall in excess of $217 million dollars; and

WHEREAS, there does not exist a current inventory of real estate owned by the City of Chicago; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED, that all departments of the City of Chicago, under the direction of the Department of General Services and the Department of Planning, are directed to inventory all vacant parcels and other parcels lying idle to create an inventory of real estate owned by the City of Chicago for the purpose of offering for sale to the general public at public auction these parcels which will in turn create a two-fold purpose of meeting not only the current budget shortfall, but in fact bring in additional funds and return many parcels of real estate to the tax rolls and benefit the economy of the City of Chicago, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this inventory shall be completed within 90 days from date of this resolution.

                                                                                   
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BERNARD L. STONE
Alderman, 50^th Ward