A federal grand jury indicted Chicago Alderman Carrie Austin (D) and her chief of staff on bribery charges on July 1 for allegedly scheming to get home improvements from contractors who were looking to receive the city’s help for a residential building project in Austin’s ward. Austin, 72, a five-term Chicago alderman, was charged with bribery and making false statements to the FBI. Her chief of staff, Chester Wilson, was charged with bribery and theft of government funds. The approval of a local alderman is crucial for development projects in Chicago. A construction company sought to build a $49.6 million residential property in Austin’s ward starting in 2014, according to the indictment (pdf). Under a deal with the city, the builder was responsible for a number of infrastructure improvements, including new interior streets, street lighting and landscaping. In return, the city committed $10 million in tax increment financing for the …