Reps of Presidential candidates to address Metropolitan Planning Council Annual Luncheon Sept. 8

Speakers will respond to questions from Metropolitan Planning Council about candidates’ strategies for supporting metropolitan regions

Read this release on the Metropolitan Planning Council Web site.

(CHICAGO)….. As Sen. John McCain and Sen. Barack Obama campaign to become the next U.S. President, four out of five Americans living in or near U.S. cities have a vested interest in knowing how each candidate will address the thorny issues threatening metropolitan regions – the nation’s population centers and economic engines.

Some 1,000 Chicago-area corporate, civic, government and community leaders are expected to attend the Metropolitan Planning Council 2008 Annual Luncheon, “Metropolitan Mandate: How the Next President Will Maximize Metro Potential,” to hear how each candidate will support transportation, workforce housing and economic development in U.S. regions, including Chicagoland. The event is Monday, Sept. 8, from noon to 1:45 p.m., at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Grand Ballroom (East Tower), 151 E. Wacker Dr., Chicago.

Ill. Rep. Jim Durkin (R-82nd Dist.) currently is slated to speak for Sen. McCain. Durkin has served as a member of the state House of Representatives for more than 10 years, and co-chairs Sen. McCain’s campaign in Illinois. Henry Cisneros – executive chairman of the CityView companies, former San Antonio mayor, and former Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development – will serve as the surrogate for Sen. Obama.

Through a moderated question-and-answer format, each speaker will explain how his candidate, if elected, would address issues critical to sustaining metropolitan regions.

For instance, given a recent Congressional study showing the gas tax soon will be an unsustainable funding source for the nation’s highway, transit and bridge systems, how does each candidate propose funding environmentally sustainable transportation investments that keep the economy humming?

And, as global competitors such as China and India strategically invest in coordinated metropolitan development, how will candidates support more sustainable communities that make it affordable and convenient for Americans to live near public transit and good jobs?

At the luncheon, MPC also will present its 2008 Burnham Award for Excellence in Planning, which includes a cash prize of $5,000 underwritten by National City Bank, to the Village of Arlington Heights, for Timber Court, a mixed-income condominium development. To learn more about the award, visit MPC’s Web site.

With a history of community involvement that exceeds 160 years, National City’s goal is to be a vital community and economic partner in the development and growth of Chicago communities and businesses. As Chicago’s fourth largest bank, National City has over 126 branch locations to serve customers throughout Chicagoland and continues expanding its network to make banking with National City more convenient. Its core businesses include commercial and retail banking, asset management, mortgage financing and servicing, and consumer finance. National City – Illinois Banking is part of National City Corporation, which is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, and one of the nation’s largest financial holding companies. The company operates through an extensive banking network primarily in Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, and also serves customers in selected markets nationally. For more information about National City, visit the company’s Web site.

Founded in 1934, the Metropolitan Planning Council (MPC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan group of business and civic leaders committed to serving the public interest through development, promotion and implementation of sound planning policies so all residents have access to opportunity and a good quality of life, the building blocks of a globally competitive greater Chicago region.

WHAT:
Metropolitan Planning Council 2008 Annual Luncheon

WHO:
HENRY CISNEROS, Executive Chairman, CityView companies; former San Antonio mayor; former Secretary of the U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development; surrogate for Sen. Barack Obama
ILL. REP. JIM DURKIN, (R-82nd Dist.); Co-Chair, Sen. John McCain’s Presidential Campaign in Illinois; surrogate for Sen. John McCain
MARYSUE BARRETT, President, Metropolitan Planning Council
LEE M. MITCHELL, Partner, Thoma Cressey Equity Partners; Chair, MPC Board of Governors
JOSEPH GREGOIRE, President and CEO, Illinois Banking, National City Bank; Member, MPC Board of Governors; Presenting Sponsor, MPC 2008 Annual Luncheon
ARLENE J. MULDER, Mayor, Arlington Heights

WHEN:
Monday, Sept. 8, 2008, noon to 1:45 p.m. (Reception begins at 11 a.m.)

WHERE:
Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E. Wacker Dr., Grand Ballroom, East Tower

NOTE:
Tickets may be purchased through MPC’s Web site. Media may attend the event free of charge, but should register with MPC Asst. Communications Director Mandy Burrell Booth, mailto:mburrell@metroplanning.org, or 312.863.6018.