From the Gery Chico for Chicago Mayor campaign…
Under Chico, slow pace and brick wall of bureaucracy would no longer stifle job growth
(CHICAGO) Mayoral candidate Gery Chico today pledged to make 24-48 hour permitting a reality in Chicago city government. Chico would inject a new sense of urgency and speed in the notoriously slow permitting process.
“Thanks to the new digital economy, commerce is moving faster than ever. It’s time to move government up to speed,” Gery Chico said. “We’ll break down the brick wall of bureaucracy and make the city permitting process move faster so we can bring more businesses to our city and create more jobs for our citizens.”
Chicago’s permitting process has long been criticized by employers, who cite its sluggish pace as the key obstacle to moving their business to Chicago or expanding the size of their business. Chico has met with small business owners throughout Chicago who have been discouraged from further investment from the costly rules and regulations.
As mayor, Chico would implement and promote an effective 24-48 hour permitting process that allows for businesses to gain the approvals they need in a timely, responsible manner. To make City Hall more business-friendly, Chico would also audit and restructure every department to better support job growth and retention, and he would examine all fees, taxes and associated paperwork and slash unnecessary red tape to reduce the burden on businesses. All processes to protect the health, safety and welfare of Chicagoans would remain in place.
“The complex maze of rules and regulations in this city is strangling our small businesses,” Chico said. “When I’m mayor, we’ll change the lethargic environment at City Hall to a more nimble, creative and proactive culture.”