Support Pours In for Hot Dog Lady of Elmhurst

Usually this time of year Pam Uslander is getting her pushcart permit in order so she begin selling hot dogs, but the Elmhurst City Council has put her season on hold indefinitely as council members delay voting on proposed changes to the city’s pushcart ordinance.

A plan to eliminate two of the four designated pushcart locations, including the spot where Uslander has been operating for the past 23 years, wants to move her spot across the street to the City Centre.

Members of the city’s Public Affairs and Safety Committee think that the Hot Dog Lady’s current location may be a safety hazard, especially if construction on a proposed a six-story parking garage a block and half away ever gets underway.

Willis Johnson, owner of the York Theatre, denies he is “leader of the charge” to move Uslander because she is interfering with businesses leasing commercial properties from him.

The Elmhurst City Council voted 7-5 Monday evening to postpone the debate over the city Pushcart Ordinance until April 21.

Uslander has gather over 1,000 signatures on a MoveOn.org petition which she has submitted to Mayor Steve Morley and other council members asking that the Hot Dog Lady of Elmhurst be allowed to keep her spot.

Meanwhile, support pours in for the Hot Dog Lady of Elmhurst.

Tommy D:  “Just another day of poor priorities in a rich town, whose politicians pockets are lined by developers. Their more worried about the hot dog lady than our constantly flooding streets and homes do to overdevelopment and under-developed infrastructure. But they can put the taxpayers on the hook for paying for a completely unneeded parking garage costing millions. If our city does not remain vital to business, nobody will need to park there rendering it useless. This is all aside from fact that a portable cart cannot possibly be a safety risk of any kind. This is ludicrous politics in action.”

Chris Byrnside: “The Hot Dog Lady isn't stopping people from patronizing businesses in downtown Elmhurst. Constant flooding near the underpass -does ..... weekly power outages - do ..... and the annoyances of traffic - does. Bullying a pushcart vendor may make a few Elmhurst snobs, feel more important ( than they really are ), but solves no actual issues. I doubt that this new parking garage will be beneficial to anyone ... except the builder & politician's pockets ... Who do Elmhurst politicians think, will be parking in these lots? I'd assume, from factual data, that these lots will be used by train commuters - who are not in Elmhurst to shop ... nor have the time to need a sit-down restaurant ... or to pay $7 for popcorn at the York Theater. But I'm sure that some, maybe most (?), would like to get a quick, $3 hot dog - on the run.”

Doremus Jessup: Willis Johnson the Mr. Potter of Elmhurst. Can we please build you a six story parking garage at taxpayer expense. Oh you want to push around the hot dog vender, okay Elmhurst at your service. Can we kick some puppies or yell at the elderly on your behalf? You can see the Zoning Board, Zoning Committee, and no doubt the City Council will approve this monstrosity of a parking garage on Addison with Willis Johnson as its biggest benefactor. Good bye Pleasantville, hello Pottersville …

ConcernedElhmhurstTaxpayer: Ridiculous that the City has to hassle the hot dog lady. Absolutely absurd, the City Council should give this poor lady a commendation for being there. Come on, city government, move on to bigger and better stuff. Let's hope the idiots that run the city wise up and allow this lady to run her business.