"San Francisco politicians and civic leaders have found a surprising new source of inspiration: this pragmatic Midwestern city on the shore of Lake Michigan."
San Francisco's mayor wants to bring some of the vibrancy and character of Chicago out west, seeking an attractive, sustainable and lively urban mecca that is appealing to both residents and tourists.
The model city of Chicago has "a civic culture that puts more value on getting things done than on finding consensus -- the opposite of San Francisco's emphasis on community-based planning. Even so, Mayor Gavin Newsom and others say Chicago in many ways is a model for what San Francisco should be."
