Could Political Complications Shut Down the Logan Square Farmers Market? [UPDATED]

By Anthony Todd in Food on May 3, 2011 3:00PM

We've been proud to see small, neighborhood-based farmers markets spreading rapidly throughout the city over the past several years. But this is Chicago, and eventually a market would run into the harsh reality of city politics. We've discussed the bureaucratic obstacles to creative foodspaces before, but Gaper's Block reports a new twist - Logan Square Alderman Rey Colon is trying to pull the permit for the Logan Square Farmers Market. Allegedly, Colon is angry about political campaigning (for his opponent in the last election) at the market, by an employee of the managing organization, the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce.

The LSCC insists that Paul Levin, the Executive Director of the chamber, did not campaign for any candidate while he was at work or on their time, and that the chamber itself did not endorse anyone for public office. However, the organization does run the farmer's market, and the association was apparently enough to cause Alderman Colon to oppose their permit. According to Gaper's Block "Colon reportedly contacted the Chamber in recent months, stating that if Levin were removed from his post, they would retain their permit; the Chamber did nothing and went ahead with their application for this summer's market."

Aside from the fact that the market is a huge boon to the neighborhood, and shouldn't be subject to these sorts of political whims, there is the problem of the farmers and vendors, many of whom have paid deposits and have committed to selling at the market. While the complications involved in this situation may warrant some new rules (greater oversight of campaigning at markets, perhaps) Logan Square residents should be deeply concerned that their market could be destroyed by an Alderman who won the election despite any potential negative campaigning.

Update - 2:50 P.M. Tuesday

According to Local Beet and Gapers Block, Alderman Rey Colon "just withdrew his application for opposing the market's permit, but whether the Logan Square Chamber of Commerce will be allowed to run the Market this summer has not yet been decided."