Editorial: For the love of Leo, hold your horses on seizing the pope's boyhood home, Dolton
Boy, did Dolton need that white smoke rising from the Vatican.
The south suburb just outside Chicago has taken blow after blow in recent years.
Former Mayor Tiffany Henyard's antics led to an FBI investigation and a separate investigation by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was appointed by village board members to look into allegations that Henyard had misused and mismanaged village funds. Tack on brawls in public meetings, and Dolton became a laughingstock, synonymous with dysfunction and corruption.
But then came an unexpected win. Robert Prevost, a hometown boy, came seemingly out of nowhere to succeed Pope Francis as the next pontiff. That's right: Dolton nurtured the Holy Father, now one of the most famous and powerful leaders in the world.
It's brought us all great pride. And now we must urge you, Dolton: Take the win. Take it, celebrate it, be proud of it.
Don't let bad ideas muck it up.
We were surprised and concerned by the news that Dolton plans to acquire Pope Leo XIV's childhood home either through direct purchase or by seizing it through eminent domain.
The house on 141st Place in Dolton had been on the market since January. Once Leo was named pope, owner and Homer Glen-based rehabber Pawel Radzik planned to auction the home in mid-June, with a minimum asking price of $250,000. Radzik paid $66,000 for Prevost's old house and then overhauled it, saying that '80% of it is new — new flooring, new cabinets, new plumbing, new electrical, new kitchen.'
Turns out, Radzik has a very determined would-be owner.
'Dolton is going to be the ultimate buyer,' village attorney Burt Odelson told Crain's Chicago Business earlier this week. It's unclear how the village would use the property, though the idea of turning it into a museum has been floated. The modest three-bedroom house is just a little over 1,000 square feet, and while it would suit a family fine, it's hard to imagine people crowding in for a guided tour.
We much prefer recently sworn-in Mayor Jason House's other ideas to celebrate the village's connection to the Holy Father, which include granting landmark status to the home. We thought it made sense that the village board earlier this week approved naming the stretch of 141st Place that's home to Leo's former residence 'Pope Leo XIV Place.' And we certainly would support any and all protections to make sure nobody demolishes the childhood home of a pope.
But we think it's a bad idea for the village to acquire the house. There's going to be plenty of demand — why not let someone buy it on the open market?
We're particularly skeptical of the idea of using eminent domain to seize the property. The village would have to pay a fair market value if it does, but what's fair? A price tag of $250,000 seems awfully low for a home that suddenly holds so much cultural significance. Eminent domain is meant to serve the greater public good — building schools, roads or infrastructure. Using it to secure a modest home for an uncertain purpose risks setting a troubling precedent, and could expose the village to legal blowback.
Not to mention another important question: Does it make financial sense for Dolton to do this? Lightfoot's investigation revealed that the village's general fund dropped to $3.65 million in debt, a sharp decline from the $5.6 million surplus it held when Henyard took office.
There's a lot Dolton could do to infuse their papal ties into the village's culture that doesn't involve taking on debt and seizing private property.
Hold your horses, Dolton. Celebrate your papal legacy — but do it wisely, transparently, and without burdening taxpayers or overstepping your authority.
Submit a letter, of no more than 400 words, to the editor here or email letters@chicagotribune.com.
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