Chico promises western access to O'Hare if elected, then to tax resulting entertainment district

Mayoral candidate Gery Chico on Friday rolled out an innovative idea to honor his promise not to put "another brick on the back" of Chicago taxpayers: a special taxing and entertainment district on the west side of O'Hare International Airport.

Western access to O'Hare has been an elusive dream for decades, but actual progress has moved at a snail's pace.

If elected mayor, Chico promised to make it happen, possibly underground, then impose a special sales tax on the hotels, bars, restaurants, convention centers and other development generated by that western access with revenues to be shared between Chicago and the communities in DuPage County.

He likened the idea to the special taxing district in the area surrounding McCormick Place and said it would generate "tens of millions of dollars" for both the city and the suburbs.

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