The Record ·

City Hall has 5 new lobbyists but your potholes are still here

Okay so, your neighbors are still getting drowned out by the sky, and the potholes are still eating cars alive, but it looks like City Hall is busy with… electrical work? Nah nah nah, let me explain.

### Your city is buzzing but not about what you think

Chi-Town on the wire — you already know. So, like, I’m looking at the latest from City Hall, and what pops out? We got five new lobbyists just registered for 2026: Sara Barnes, Scott Borstein, Graham Grady, Carol Stubblefield, and Langdon Neal. Five of 'em, all in the mix, right? Makes you wonder what big deals are brewing that need *that* many people talking to our aldermen.

Meanwhile, what are everyday Chicagoans calling about? The top 311 complaint, after "information only," is still aircraft noise — almost 9,000 requests. Nueve mil! That's like, almost nine thousand people saying, "Hey, I can't hear myself think over these planes!" And potholes? Still a major problem with 2,487 complaints. But what’s City Hall approving permits for? Electrical work, like, for $5,819 and $10,500. And a $450,000 tuckpointing job. Not exactly fixing the noise or the bumps in the road, ¿verdad? It's like we're fixing the facade while the foundation's still shaking.

What to watch for: who are these new lobbyists representing? And will anyone at City Hall connect the dots between all these aircraft noise complaints and actual policy changes? I'm not holding my breath, but I'm watching.

Luz Elena Camacho, MiTL Sports Desk.

You wanna hear more about this? My tía and I get into it every morning on the show — check it out at mornings.live.

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