It would be interesting to have a 10 year cap/sunset agreement on ANY government agreement.
The Fed Chair already has a 10 year appointment, so extend it to contracts, leases, and even laws.
There are a few things that might need longer but in those cases, buying or going without (where someone doesn't want to sell) might be a better option.
But who's going to invest in parking meters if you have to recoup that in 10 years? It would seem the only way out is by placing it in the hands of the body that actually needs it, the Chicago administration in this case. But that didn't work, bringing us back to square 1, or measures from a higher authority, effectively overruling the city's voters.
Parking is a subset of transportation and transportation is a core competency of a city administration.
There needs to be deeper questions asked of why can't Chicago fulfill one of it's core competencies. And why is that that a outside, private investment firm can do a better job than the city itself.
The answer can't be "well they just can't do it, so go ahead and outsource it". What next? we outsource elections and schools? Lord knows we already outsourced criminal justice in the form of private prisons). Where does our society end in 100 years of this path?
100? You're an optimist. But the only way is placing strict rules on governance, both public and private, and enforcing them. Once the corrupt politicians and bribing CEOs are sent to prison, changes will come.
The Fed Chair already has a 10 year appointment, so extend it to contracts, leases, and even laws.
There are a few things that might need longer but in those cases, buying or going without (where someone doesn't want to sell) might be a better option.