If so, thank Barack Obama for helping to make it possible:
Barack Obama's a swell guy, always willing to help out Chicago museums with federal taxpayer money… whether they need it or not.
In 2007, after he began his presidential campaign, Obama sought a $1 million federal earmark for the Chicago Children’s Museum to build a new facility. The museum, as of the end of fiscal 2007, had revenue in excess of expenses of $23 million, and net assets of $37 million.
If a museum is sitting on millions in profits, shouldn't they spend some of that before taxpayers nationwide are asked to kick in?
(That's from Jim Geraghty.)
Most people in the city don't actually want the museum to move, but darned if they can always find a way at the ballot box to keep re-electing the politicians who screw them.
Showing posts with label Cook County government. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cook County government. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Cook County Board still loves those new taxes
An effort to repeal the punitive new sales tax in Cook County failed yesterday. I like how those who want to let people keep more of their money are irresponsible:
Peraica took most of the heat. Commissioner Earlean Collins said Peraica's move was "all talk." Other board members criticized Peraica for being "irresponsible" by trying to repeal the tax in the middle of the year.
"To vote in favor of the repeal of the sales tax today would be to send our government to bankruptcy court possibly or to stop essential services," Commissioner Roberto Maldonado said.
Right, and what services are so essential? Certainly not the black hole that is the county hospital system. The county has no business throwing money at poor people and illegals who want free medical care.
Board President Todd Stroger was predictably modest about his efforts in the position so far:
When the rather long-winded arguments were over, Board President Todd Stroger said he is irritated by the constant criticism of his administration.
"I'm doing what's best for the people. That's how I'm running the government. And until this place falls apart, then I'll step up and say, you know what, I screwed up," Stroger said. "But until then, I'll tell you I'm doing a damn good job."
Sure you have, Todd, what with the hiring of your cousin as the budget director (I'm sure she is perfectly qualified, but she just happens to be related to you) and the ridiculous tax increases, one of which gives us this:
On July 1, the county's portion of the sales tax increased 1 percentage point -- a penny on the dollar -- to 1.75 percent, giving Chicago the highest sales tax in the country at 10.25 percent.
Let's not forget he wanted 2%!
We'll see if people remember this next election. I'm sure they won't, since Republicans are too mean for some people to ever vote for them. Add that to blacks monolithically voting for Stroger, and you have a mini dynasty. Great.
Peraica took most of the heat. Commissioner Earlean Collins said Peraica's move was "all talk." Other board members criticized Peraica for being "irresponsible" by trying to repeal the tax in the middle of the year.
"To vote in favor of the repeal of the sales tax today would be to send our government to bankruptcy court possibly or to stop essential services," Commissioner Roberto Maldonado said.
Right, and what services are so essential? Certainly not the black hole that is the county hospital system. The county has no business throwing money at poor people and illegals who want free medical care.
Board President Todd Stroger was predictably modest about his efforts in the position so far:
When the rather long-winded arguments were over, Board President Todd Stroger said he is irritated by the constant criticism of his administration.
"I'm doing what's best for the people. That's how I'm running the government. And until this place falls apart, then I'll step up and say, you know what, I screwed up," Stroger said. "But until then, I'll tell you I'm doing a damn good job."
Sure you have, Todd, what with the hiring of your cousin as the budget director (I'm sure she is perfectly qualified, but she just happens to be related to you) and the ridiculous tax increases, one of which gives us this:
On July 1, the county's portion of the sales tax increased 1 percentage point -- a penny on the dollar -- to 1.75 percent, giving Chicago the highest sales tax in the country at 10.25 percent.
Let's not forget he wanted 2%!
We'll see if people remember this next election. I'm sure they won't, since Republicans are too mean for some people to ever vote for them. Add that to blacks monolithically voting for Stroger, and you have a mini dynasty. Great.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Think twice before buying something
Today the new giant sales tax in Chicago (and the rest of Cook County) begins, thanks to political lightweight Tood Stroger:
The tax is estimated to bring in more than $440 million in new revenue.
I doubt it. Enough people like me are pissed off about it that they will make as many purchases as possible outside the county.
I've written it before and I'll write it again: when you elect liberal Democrats, you can't complain when they raise taxes. It's what they do.
The tax is estimated to bring in more than $440 million in new revenue.
I doubt it. Enough people like me are pissed off about it that they will make as many purchases as possible outside the county.
I've written it before and I'll write it again: when you elect liberal Democrats, you can't complain when they raise taxes. It's what they do.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Do you dislike the huge taxes in Cook County?
Board member Tony Peraica wants to do something about it. Apparently the Board's ability to raise taxes as it pleases comes from a special status the state legislature granted Cook that no other county in the state has. Here's the kicker:
Rescinding Cook County’s home rule authority would require voter approval for future tax increases. In the recently passed FY 2008 budget, the Cook County Board passed a massive half-billion tax increase to shore up an alleged $280 million deficit. On the same day this tax increase was enacted, a federal court monitor’s report lambasted the county for continued rampant illegal patronage hiring.
Go for it, Tony!
Rescinding Cook County’s home rule authority would require voter approval for future tax increases. In the recently passed FY 2008 budget, the Cook County Board passed a massive half-billion tax increase to shore up an alleged $280 million deficit. On the same day this tax increase was enacted, a federal court monitor’s report lambasted the county for continued rampant illegal patronage hiring.
Go for it, Tony!
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Reaction to the county sales tax hike
Here is a great wrap-up of some of the reaction to last week's vote to increase the Cook County sales tax. (Note: the link may be subscriber-only, in which case I'm not sure how I got through and saw it.)
I agree with the first part. When Cook County government is dominated by (basically) the city political machine, why should the suburbs have to go along with it? I would want to secede too, because it just doesn't make sense to pound the residents of Palatine or Schaumburg with taxes to support the county hospital system, which almost no one out there uses. It's just for all the poor people and illegals in the city to get free medical care. A commenter nails it:
At least I’m lucky enought to have health insurance. Many “middle class” families just can’t afford it, yet they have to pay for health services to Chicago’s poor that they themselves have to do without. And, in this era, I really don’t see the link between Chicago and the suburbs … other than going to a sports event, most suburbanites just don’t go to the city any more. The jobs (what’s left of them) are in the burbs. So, why are we saddled with subsidizing Chicago’s squalor???
I think that the suburbs should split into 2 or 3 additional counties. There are more people in the suburbs than in the city, yet the county seems to operate primarily for the city’s benefit and at the expense of the burbs. But, we all know that this will never happen, since Daley and company will never let their cash cow be led off to another pasture.
I agree with the first part. When Cook County government is dominated by (basically) the city political machine, why should the suburbs have to go along with it? I would want to secede too, because it just doesn't make sense to pound the residents of Palatine or Schaumburg with taxes to support the county hospital system, which almost no one out there uses. It's just for all the poor people and illegals in the city to get free medical care. A commenter nails it:
At least I’m lucky enought to have health insurance. Many “middle class” families just can’t afford it, yet they have to pay for health services to Chicago’s poor that they themselves have to do without. And, in this era, I really don’t see the link between Chicago and the suburbs … other than going to a sports event, most suburbanites just don’t go to the city any more. The jobs (what’s left of them) are in the burbs. So, why are we saddled with subsidizing Chicago’s squalor???
I think that the suburbs should split into 2 or 3 additional counties. There are more people in the suburbs than in the city, yet the county seems to operate primarily for the city’s benefit and at the expense of the burbs. But, we all know that this will never happen, since Daley and company will never let their cash cow be led off to another pasture.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Now everyone knows we are taxed up the heinie
The Wall Street Journal has an editorial today railing against Chicago's new nationwide high sales tax of 10.25%. Here's the kicker, where they point their fire toward Cook County:
Not so coincidentally, the $426 million that the county optimistically expects to collect each year will also fund somewhere between 700 or 800 new patronage jobs, and maybe more, which were lobbied for by the public-employees unions. A scathing report from a federal court monitor, released Friday, depicts rampant abuse in county hiring practices. Laurence Msall, president of the nonpartisan Chicago Civic Federation, argues that the county already spends its $3 billion budget irresponsibly, pointing to more than $100 million in possible reforms.
Mr. Msall notes dryly that the county is "not only refusing to tighten its belt, it's acting as if it doesn't have to wear a belt." Then again, it'd be business as unusual if patronage were somehow extracted from Chicago's machine politics. Too bad for the city's actual businesses and residents.
Not so coincidentally, the $426 million that the county optimistically expects to collect each year will also fund somewhere between 700 or 800 new patronage jobs, and maybe more, which were lobbied for by the public-employees unions. A scathing report from a federal court monitor, released Friday, depicts rampant abuse in county hiring practices. Laurence Msall, president of the nonpartisan Chicago Civic Federation, argues that the county already spends its $3 billion budget irresponsibly, pointing to more than $100 million in possible reforms.
Mr. Msall notes dryly that the county is "not only refusing to tighten its belt, it's acting as if it doesn't have to wear a belt." Then again, it'd be business as unusual if patronage were somehow extracted from Chicago's machine politics. Too bad for the city's actual businesses and residents.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Here comes your tax increase
There is just too much to write about the ridiculous 1% sales tax increase passed by the Cook County Board. Needless to say, I find it incredibly wasteful and expensive, just like the whole Cook County government.
Here's a quote from the guy who provided the crucial 9th vote for the tax increase (Larry Suffredin). Be aware of the economic illiteracy in a statement like this:
"Chicago now has the unfortunate notoriety of having the highest sales tax in the country, and our region will now be a more expensive place to visit, live, work and operate a business," said Jerry Roper, head of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. "The people of our region should be outraged."
Suffredin scoffed at that.
"I've heard them say that for 30 years," he said. "I look downtown and only see cranes."
That's the guy whose vote gives us the highest sales tax in the country at 10.25%. Here's the list of votes for you to remember for the next Cook County elections:
In favor (9)
William Beavers
Jerry Butler
Earlean Collins
John Daley
Joseph Mario Moreno
Joan Murphy
Deborah Sims
Robert Steele
Larry Suffredin
Against (8)
Forrest Claypool
Liz Gorman
Gregg Goslin
Roberto Maldonado
Tony Peraica
Mike Quigley
Tim Schneider
Peter Silvestri
Basically, the Republicans are all against it, along with some Democrats. The liberal Democrat wing of the Board voted for it.
I am going to do my damndest to make as many of my purchases as possible outside Cook County, either via the internet or in Indiana (only 6% sales tax). That way they don't get my money, even if it costs me extra time or extra money for gas. I realize I'm supposed to report those pruchases on my tax return, but Todd Stroger and the Cook County government can, in the words of Eric Cartman, suck my balls.
Here's a quote from the guy who provided the crucial 9th vote for the tax increase (Larry Suffredin). Be aware of the economic illiteracy in a statement like this:
"Chicago now has the unfortunate notoriety of having the highest sales tax in the country, and our region will now be a more expensive place to visit, live, work and operate a business," said Jerry Roper, head of the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. "The people of our region should be outraged."
Suffredin scoffed at that.
"I've heard them say that for 30 years," he said. "I look downtown and only see cranes."
That's the guy whose vote gives us the highest sales tax in the country at 10.25%. Here's the list of votes for you to remember for the next Cook County elections:
In favor (9)
William Beavers
Jerry Butler
Earlean Collins
John Daley
Joseph Mario Moreno
Joan Murphy
Deborah Sims
Robert Steele
Larry Suffredin
Against (8)
Forrest Claypool
Liz Gorman
Gregg Goslin
Roberto Maldonado
Tony Peraica
Mike Quigley
Tim Schneider
Peter Silvestri
Basically, the Republicans are all against it, along with some Democrats. The liberal Democrat wing of the Board voted for it.
I am going to do my damndest to make as many of my purchases as possible outside Cook County, either via the internet or in Indiana (only 6% sales tax). That way they don't get my money, even if it costs me extra time or extra money for gas. I realize I'm supposed to report those pruchases on my tax return, but Todd Stroger and the Cook County government can, in the words of Eric Cartman, suck my balls.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Cook County budget update
By state law, the county must have a budget in place by Friday. Board President Stroger won't negotiate with anyone else on the Board, but at least it looks like his big expansion of the county government won't happen:
Commissioners and labor union leaders say Stroger will get the votes if he:
• • Scales back his plan to increase spending 7 percent and add 1,100 new employees to the payroll.
• • Agree to a long-discussed plan to give up control of the county hospital system to outside professionals.
• • Commit to a more modest sales tax increase than the 1.25 percentage point increase he's holding at.
The issue is that the board lives in a bubble that is inflated with their own sense of self-importance. If the county government disappeared, with its functions rolled into other levels of government, would it matter? Clearly not. Tony Peraica and the fiscal conservatives understand this, but Stroger and the liberals don't.
And here I am again, feeling like Al Bundy and campaigning against a 2 cent beer tax increase:
On the table and set for a vote today are tax plans that could ultimately end up costing you more to buy a plane ticket, a drink at a bar, a car, hotel room, clothing or other merchandise.
As a final point, the problem any time a level of government raises the sales tax is that sales taxes go up every year anyway as the prices of goods go up. Raising the rates is just a figurative kick in the junk of the wallet.
Commissioners and labor union leaders say Stroger will get the votes if he:
• • Scales back his plan to increase spending 7 percent and add 1,100 new employees to the payroll.
• • Agree to a long-discussed plan to give up control of the county hospital system to outside professionals.
• • Commit to a more modest sales tax increase than the 1.25 percentage point increase he's holding at.
The issue is that the board lives in a bubble that is inflated with their own sense of self-importance. If the county government disappeared, with its functions rolled into other levels of government, would it matter? Clearly not. Tony Peraica and the fiscal conservatives understand this, but Stroger and the liberals don't.
And here I am again, feeling like Al Bundy and campaigning against a 2 cent beer tax increase:
On the table and set for a vote today are tax plans that could ultimately end up costing you more to buy a plane ticket, a drink at a bar, a car, hotel room, clothing or other merchandise.
As a final point, the problem any time a level of government raises the sales tax is that sales taxes go up every year anyway as the prices of goods go up. Raising the rates is just a figurative kick in the junk of the wallet.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Todd Stroger likes to waste our tax money
From the guy who wanted to raise the Cook County sales tax by 2 percentage points to pay for his wasteful level of government, here is his latest scam of taxpayers:
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is laying the groundwork to turn to taxpayers for more money to help in his struggling public relations efforts.
In a proposal to the County Board, Stroger's hospital chief asks for $120,000 for a five-month contract with a clout-heavy PR firm to spread the good word about the hospital and its services.
Very nice of him to want to take more taxpayer money for something like this. He is truly appalling, and everyone who voted for him should be ashamed of themselves (but I know they are not).
Let's summarize:
The county hospitals are wasteful and expensive, and there isn't enough tax money coming in right now to keep them going in their current state.
Stroger's solution is to spend more money to publicize to poor people county hospital services they may not be using.
So they can't afford what they do now, but he wants to have to spend more? That just doesn't make sense. It sounds to me that he just wants to have as much power as possible in his county government.
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger is laying the groundwork to turn to taxpayers for more money to help in his struggling public relations efforts.
In a proposal to the County Board, Stroger's hospital chief asks for $120,000 for a five-month contract with a clout-heavy PR firm to spread the good word about the hospital and its services.
Very nice of him to want to take more taxpayer money for something like this. He is truly appalling, and everyone who voted for him should be ashamed of themselves (but I know they are not).
Let's summarize:
The county hospitals are wasteful and expensive, and there isn't enough tax money coming in right now to keep them going in their current state.
Stroger's solution is to spend more money to publicize to poor people county hospital services they may not be using.
So they can't afford what they do now, but he wants to have to spend more? That just doesn't make sense. It sounds to me that he just wants to have as much power as possible in his county government.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
County sales tax increase is dead
Thanks, Cook County Board President Stroger, for showing everyone what you were really about (don't worry, though; the monolithic black vote will keep you in office because you are "one of them"). I give a hearty thank you to the rest of the Board for having to common sense to kill what would have been a crippling tax increase. Here's the whole (short) article:
The Cook County Board of Commissioners shot down a series of small tax increases Wednesday.
Along the way, board President Todd Stroger's plan to hike the sales tax by 2 percentage points died an unofficial death.
Still left unresolved is how to fill a $238 million hole in a budget that must be passed by Feb. 28 -- or risk a shutdown of county government.
Next week, elected officials will be asked to show how they will cut 10 percent from their budgets to make ends meet.
That reduction comes on the heels of 17 percent budget cuts last year.
So there were 17 percent cuts last year, and the county didn't collapse into a hell like in Mad Max. Why not try cutting 10 percent again? Maybe they could stop giving away prescriptions at county hospitals, or they could try eliminating wasteful and unnecessary departments (as I've detailed previously).
The Cook County Board of Commissioners shot down a series of small tax increases Wednesday.
Along the way, board President Todd Stroger's plan to hike the sales tax by 2 percentage points died an unofficial death.
Still left unresolved is how to fill a $238 million hole in a budget that must be passed by Feb. 28 -- or risk a shutdown of county government.
Next week, elected officials will be asked to show how they will cut 10 percent from their budgets to make ends meet.
That reduction comes on the heels of 17 percent budget cuts last year.
So there were 17 percent cuts last year, and the county didn't collapse into a hell like in Mad Max. Why not try cutting 10 percent again? Maybe they could stop giving away prescriptions at county hospitals, or they could try eliminating wasteful and unnecessary departments (as I've detailed previously).
Sunday, December 2, 2007
The County government is really arrogant
But of course if you've kept up this blog, you know that.
It seems that on Friday there were some protesters at the County Board meeting hoping to stop budget cuts (and thus, increase taxes). How did they get to the Board meeting? Take a guess:
Cook County taxpayers paid Friday to shuttle in demonstrators to support a tax hike.
Just before a county budget hearing, a van from the county-owned Provident Hospital dropped off pickets set to rail against job cuts proposed by the County Board.
It seems that on Friday there were some protesters at the County Board meeting hoping to stop budget cuts (and thus, increase taxes). How did they get to the Board meeting? Take a guess:
Cook County taxpayers paid Friday to shuttle in demonstrators to support a tax hike.
Just before a county budget hearing, a van from the county-owned Provident Hospital dropped off pickets set to rail against job cuts proposed by the County Board.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
County Budget News
Holy smokes, things got interesting yesterday at the County Board meeting. Commissioner William Beavers said that, well, here are some of the key quotes:
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger can't get his budget passed "because he's black," his floor leader angrily charged Tuesday.
Commissioner William Beavers said "if Todd was a white man, he wouldn't have half these problems," further alleging "this is a remake of the Harold Washington days" at City Hall, where racially fueled votes often ended in 29-21 decisions.
"Who's gonna control the county -- white or black -- that's all this is," he said.
Beavers railed on that one of Stroger's top critics, Commissioner Tony Peraica, "hates everybody who's black ... all black elected officials," going on to say Peraica used to beat up black people growing up in the Bridgeport neighborhood.
This is the last desperate act of black liberals when they don't get what they want and white people are involved. They are used to pulling the race card to make conservatives cower, but it has become completely ridiculous and no longer has an effect on them. The saddest thing is that when they throw around accusations like this (when it's obvious race isn't a factor, ideology is), it makes it less and less likely that any white person is going to take a charge of actual racism seriously. That's something black liberals can blame on themselves.
Is Peraica against everything that the black commissioners propose? Likely he is, and I'm glad. It's not his fault the black commissioners (like Beavers and Stroger) are big tax-and-spenders, while Peraica is trying to stop them from continuing their rampage of fiscal irresponsibility. This makes the simple-minded (or extremely cynical and desperate, or maybe even paranoid and insane) Beavers think Peraica hates black people.
One last quote from Beavers (excuse the poor grammar):
Yet, prompted by a reporter's question, Beavers yelled not to forget that he's "the hog with the big nuts and I'm gonna tell you what it is."
Sure you are, William.
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger can't get his budget passed "because he's black," his floor leader angrily charged Tuesday.
Commissioner William Beavers said "if Todd was a white man, he wouldn't have half these problems," further alleging "this is a remake of the Harold Washington days" at City Hall, where racially fueled votes often ended in 29-21 decisions.
"Who's gonna control the county -- white or black -- that's all this is," he said.
Beavers railed on that one of Stroger's top critics, Commissioner Tony Peraica, "hates everybody who's black ... all black elected officials," going on to say Peraica used to beat up black people growing up in the Bridgeport neighborhood.
This is the last desperate act of black liberals when they don't get what they want and white people are involved. They are used to pulling the race card to make conservatives cower, but it has become completely ridiculous and no longer has an effect on them. The saddest thing is that when they throw around accusations like this (when it's obvious race isn't a factor, ideology is), it makes it less and less likely that any white person is going to take a charge of actual racism seriously. That's something black liberals can blame on themselves.
Is Peraica against everything that the black commissioners propose? Likely he is, and I'm glad. It's not his fault the black commissioners (like Beavers and Stroger) are big tax-and-spenders, while Peraica is trying to stop them from continuing their rampage of fiscal irresponsibility. This makes the simple-minded (or extremely cynical and desperate, or maybe even paranoid and insane) Beavers think Peraica hates black people.
One last quote from Beavers (excuse the poor grammar):
Yet, prompted by a reporter's question, Beavers yelled not to forget that he's "the hog with the big nuts and I'm gonna tell you what it is."
Sure you are, William.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
What's up in Chicago and Cook County?
Intrepid readers of this site may wonder why I haven't been posting any updates on the ridiculous budget battles (such as they are) for the governments of the city of Chicago and Cook County. The reason is that nothing is happening, as far as I can tell.
I use the Sun-Times almost exclusively for news updates, and they haven't had anything lately. Either they are too involved covering the guy who obviously killed his last two wives or budget work hasn't been going on.
LO AND BEHOLD, as I went to the Sun-Times site for a general link above, there is some news for the city today. It's really nothing special or interesting, except that we seem to be getting closer to a resolution of the budget negotiations. I'll just repeat that when a bunch of big-spending nany-staters control the local government, this is what you get. There is never any mention of cutting taxes that are too high on everything, and cutting spending is absurd to them. I hope everyone enjoys their new libraries.
The Leviathan grows unabated...
I use the Sun-Times almost exclusively for news updates, and they haven't had anything lately. Either they are too involved covering the guy who obviously killed his last two wives or budget work hasn't been going on.
LO AND BEHOLD, as I went to the Sun-Times site for a general link above, there is some news for the city today. It's really nothing special or interesting, except that we seem to be getting closer to a resolution of the budget negotiations. I'll just repeat that when a bunch of big-spending nany-staters control the local government, this is what you get. There is never any mention of cutting taxes that are too high on everything, and cutting spending is absurd to them. I hope everyone enjoys their new libraries.
The Leviathan grows unabated...
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
10/31/07 CTA and county news update
Now the city is going to take desk-duty cops and have them hang around schools that will be most affected by the elimination of certain bus routes. That's a good idea, in as much as it has the police actually working to reduce the influence of gangs in bad areas. Gee, Mr. Mayor, what a brilliant idea!
Meanwhile, the county government is up to its usual shenanigans in hiring. It's the usual wasteful patronage stuff that won't go away until voters realize that a Stroger may not be the best guy to run the county. I'm not holding my breath since blacks here vote so monolithically.
UPDATE: How could I miss this the first time around? Here's the usual extreme sob story of the day, courtesy of intrepid Sun-Times reportes Ben Goldberger. Apparently, someone who lives in THE SUBURBS is going to be affected my CTA cuts and fare increases. Gee, no kidding. Here's the good stuff:
By the time he returns home at the end of the day, Riggins, a married 20-year-old with no car and a full-time job, has transferred at least four times -- and spent nearly $10. And that's just when he's stationed at a West Side hospital. Some days he's assigned to jobs in Oak Park, Orland Park, Melrose Park, Tinley Park, Cicero or the Loop. Mass transit is the only way he has to get to any of them.
"It's costing me a pretty penny, costing me too much," Riggins said Tuesday. And as someone wholly dependent on the CTA, Riggins says the doomsday fare increases scheduled to take effect Sunday put a tight squeeze on an already limited budget.
"I'm going to have to stop doing everything I used to do for fun. If I want to eat, that's out of the question right now. It's costing me too much. Something's really got to change."
"This is a big part of my life," Riggins said of the CTA, "and I'm mad at the governor for not getting down there and signing that bill. He had plenty of time, and they say if he doesn't get it signed by January it's going to get even worse. And with winter coming, man."
Now what's not mentioned in the story? How about this: why doesn't he have a car? Has he had a bunch of DUI's or does he blow all his money on fancy stuff? Who knows? I'm guessing it's not because the car fairy hasn't yet left one under his pillow yet like she's done for everyone else.
So an extra $2 to $4 a day is going to cut out all of his fun money? This also isn't questioned, but rather it's taken for granted to be true. I don't believe it. Even granting that it would be true, this guy has clearly made some terrible life choices to even be in this position. I don't have a lot of sympathy for him.
The real problem is that he's allowed himself to become so dependent on cheap, publicly subsidized transportation. That's NOT a reason for forcing taxpayers all over the state to prop up a wasteful beaurocracy.
Meanwhile, the county government is up to its usual shenanigans in hiring. It's the usual wasteful patronage stuff that won't go away until voters realize that a Stroger may not be the best guy to run the county. I'm not holding my breath since blacks here vote so monolithically.
UPDATE: How could I miss this the first time around? Here's the usual extreme sob story of the day, courtesy of intrepid Sun-Times reportes Ben Goldberger. Apparently, someone who lives in THE SUBURBS is going to be affected my CTA cuts and fare increases. Gee, no kidding. Here's the good stuff:
By the time he returns home at the end of the day, Riggins, a married 20-year-old with no car and a full-time job, has transferred at least four times -- and spent nearly $10. And that's just when he's stationed at a West Side hospital. Some days he's assigned to jobs in Oak Park, Orland Park, Melrose Park, Tinley Park, Cicero or the Loop. Mass transit is the only way he has to get to any of them.
"It's costing me a pretty penny, costing me too much," Riggins said Tuesday. And as someone wholly dependent on the CTA, Riggins says the doomsday fare increases scheduled to take effect Sunday put a tight squeeze on an already limited budget.
"I'm going to have to stop doing everything I used to do for fun. If I want to eat, that's out of the question right now. It's costing me too much. Something's really got to change."
"This is a big part of my life," Riggins said of the CTA, "and I'm mad at the governor for not getting down there and signing that bill. He had plenty of time, and they say if he doesn't get it signed by January it's going to get even worse. And with winter coming, man."
Now what's not mentioned in the story? How about this: why doesn't he have a car? Has he had a bunch of DUI's or does he blow all his money on fancy stuff? Who knows? I'm guessing it's not because the car fairy hasn't yet left one under his pillow yet like she's done for everyone else.
So an extra $2 to $4 a day is going to cut out all of his fun money? This also isn't questioned, but rather it's taken for granted to be true. I don't believe it. Even granting that it would be true, this guy has clearly made some terrible life choices to even be in this position. I don't have a lot of sympathy for him.
The real problem is that he's allowed himself to become so dependent on cheap, publicly subsidized transportation. That's NOT a reason for forcing taxpayers all over the state to prop up a wasteful beaurocracy.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
10/30/07 updates on county and city government
We've had a lull lately in our local governments and their budget battles, but it appears that each Cook County Commissioner gets a 27% increase for his office:
Commissioner Tim Schneider said he never asked for, nor will he take, the $90,000 in extra salaries Stroger is offering his office, saying the county's "in dire straits" and the board should "keep county government at the most efficient level we can" by giving back extra money.
Commissioner Joan Murphy said "maybe [Schneider] doesn't do the amount of work the rest of us do."
"Feel free, if you want, to give yours back, but I'm keeping mine," she said.
Murphy later apologized to Schneider for the verbal attack.
This perfectly sums up the attitude of these guys. Keep in mind this isn't an increase to actually provide more county services (such as they are). They are only to fund commissioner offices and staff. I realize that Murphy apologized (and thus it's not really fair to pick on her for her comments), but the idea that a fellow commissioner wants to save money for taxpayers means he's not doing as much work is infuriating. The only work I see any of them doing anyway is spending and taxing, so maybe a little less of that "work" would be good thing.
Meanwhile, it's not the city budget that's in the news, but the CTA. Yes, yes, the threatening cuts are on the way. Blah, blah. The vast majority of riders are completely unaffected. You know what bus routes are being cut? The goofy, circuitous routes that only run at rush hour or during special events for the benefit of a few people. The sob stories ring pretty hollow:
Daley used Mather High School, 5835 N. Lincoln Ave., as the backdrop for a news conference called to "put a face on" the 39 bus routes on the chopping block.
One of those routes, the No. 93 California, runs right past Mather. If the route is eliminated, junior Christina Correa and hundreds of her classmates will be forced to walk in the dark to Western four blocks away or to Kimball six blocks from their high school.
California and Western are exactly one-half mile from each other. I walk further than a half mile EVERY DAY I take the Blue Line from my house. So do a lot of people, and then think of those who walk even further. And yes, it gets dark and we all have to deal with it. Buck up, kids, and walk with friends. Geez, if there are hundreds of you who do it you won't have any trouble finding some people to walk with you!
Apparently there's also the issue of putting a casino downtown to help fund the city's budget. Anybody who thinks this is a good idea should walk around Las Vegas some time. I don't mean on the Strip, but off of it or downtown (off of Fremont). As much as I love Vegas, those casinos bring with them many problems. Think there's already too much crime and homelessness in Chicago now? Just wait until that thing opens up. It's not worth having easy, quick access to a blackjack table after work.
The riverboats tend to isolate themselves from it to an extent, but even those cities have problems from the boats.
Commissioner Tim Schneider said he never asked for, nor will he take, the $90,000 in extra salaries Stroger is offering his office, saying the county's "in dire straits" and the board should "keep county government at the most efficient level we can" by giving back extra money.
Commissioner Joan Murphy said "maybe [Schneider] doesn't do the amount of work the rest of us do."
"Feel free, if you want, to give yours back, but I'm keeping mine," she said.
Murphy later apologized to Schneider for the verbal attack.
This perfectly sums up the attitude of these guys. Keep in mind this isn't an increase to actually provide more county services (such as they are). They are only to fund commissioner offices and staff. I realize that Murphy apologized (and thus it's not really fair to pick on her for her comments), but the idea that a fellow commissioner wants to save money for taxpayers means he's not doing as much work is infuriating. The only work I see any of them doing anyway is spending and taxing, so maybe a little less of that "work" would be good thing.
Meanwhile, it's not the city budget that's in the news, but the CTA. Yes, yes, the threatening cuts are on the way. Blah, blah. The vast majority of riders are completely unaffected. You know what bus routes are being cut? The goofy, circuitous routes that only run at rush hour or during special events for the benefit of a few people. The sob stories ring pretty hollow:
Daley used Mather High School, 5835 N. Lincoln Ave., as the backdrop for a news conference called to "put a face on" the 39 bus routes on the chopping block.
One of those routes, the No. 93 California, runs right past Mather. If the route is eliminated, junior Christina Correa and hundreds of her classmates will be forced to walk in the dark to Western four blocks away or to Kimball six blocks from their high school.
California and Western are exactly one-half mile from each other. I walk further than a half mile EVERY DAY I take the Blue Line from my house. So do a lot of people, and then think of those who walk even further. And yes, it gets dark and we all have to deal with it. Buck up, kids, and walk with friends. Geez, if there are hundreds of you who do it you won't have any trouble finding some people to walk with you!
Apparently there's also the issue of putting a casino downtown to help fund the city's budget. Anybody who thinks this is a good idea should walk around Las Vegas some time. I don't mean on the Strip, but off of it or downtown (off of Fremont). As much as I love Vegas, those casinos bring with them many problems. Think there's already too much crime and homelessness in Chicago now? Just wait until that thing opens up. It's not worth having easy, quick access to a blackjack table after work.
The riverboats tend to isolate themselves from it to an extent, but even those cities have problems from the boats.
Friday, October 19, 2007
10/19 updates on fiscal government stories
Yes, I know the record is broken and the dead horse has been beaten. If you want to skip these posts, go ahead. I think it's important to follow this stuff.
Not much today from the county except an announcement of public hearings on President Stroger's big plans for his tax grab. Feel free to show up and pester him with questions. I may take an afternoon off to do just that.
As for the city, the alternate "sources of revenue" are beginning to come out. Something about billboard fees for now. The last sentence is a real laugher, though, regarding staffing in the city government:
Johnson was unfamiliar with the water certification issue but promised to look into it. He also disclosed that 1,372 vacant positions created by the May hiring freeze that exempted police and fire could be eliminated from the budget, saving $9 million.
"Everything is on the table -- even that one. But people do have to understand that cutting vacancies is going to be limiting service. We're sort of cut to the bone already," Johnson said.
Not much today from the county except an announcement of public hearings on President Stroger's big plans for his tax grab. Feel free to show up and pester him with questions. I may take an afternoon off to do just that.
As for the city, the alternate "sources of revenue" are beginning to come out. Something about billboard fees for now. The last sentence is a real laugher, though, regarding staffing in the city government:
Johnson was unfamiliar with the water certification issue but promised to look into it. He also disclosed that 1,372 vacant positions created by the May hiring freeze that exempted police and fire could be eliminated from the budget, saving $9 million.
"Everything is on the table -- even that one. But people do have to understand that cutting vacancies is going to be limiting service. We're sort of cut to the bone already," Johnson said.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
10/18 updates on fiscal government stories
I know I'm becoming a broken record here, but Cook County Board President Stroger's arrogance is breathtaking. Here's his new plan, which adds back in the 2% increase in sales tax (bringing the total to 11% in the city of Chicago):
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger admits he wants more of your tax dollars than he really needs to operate his government every year.
But, he argues, it's more fiscally responsible to ask for more now, so as not to have to keep coming back to ask you for more year after year.
I don't think he understands what fiscal responsibility is. It means being a good caretaker of taxpayers' money that he's been entrusted with, not taxing too high to pay for his bloated, corrupt government. But here's the kicker:
Cook County Board President Todd Stroger admits he wants more of your tax dollars than he really needs to operate his government every year.
But, he argues, it's more fiscally responsible to ask for more now, so as not to have to keep coming back to ask you for more year after year.
I don't think he understands what fiscal responsibility is. It means being a good caretaker of taxpayers' money that he's been entrusted with, not taxing too high to pay for his bloated, corrupt government. But here's the kicker:
Besides, he adds, if he can get more from you now, he might even be willing to give back some of it later...
"There simply are not enough cuts left to fully close our budget gap while maintaining vital services," Stroger said, saying that the common practice of elected officials coming back each year to ask for taxpayer funds is too cumbersome and results in only "patchwork taxes."
He predicts he could repeal the gas and parking taxes in future years -- and simply rely on adding 2 percentage points to the sales tax to provide, year after year, necessary funds for county government. Because a sales tax wouldn't be approved until later in the year, the county wouldn't realize a full year of its benefits, leading to the need for other taxes in 2008, he said.
Anybody who thinks he's ever going to advocate cutting a tax doesn't pay attention to politics. He's a liberal Democrat whose appetite for spending is so great that he can never have enough tax money. The issue is that if the county is bringing in all this tax money, they are going to spend it on something. The best thing to do is starve the beast, not give it more money and make it fatter. Luckily, a majority of the county board is against his plan.
The news in the city government is also interesting, although less eventful. Apparently, some aldermen are finally going to represent their constituents rather than just rubber-stamp everything the mayor wants:
Now there's another sign that a City Council long known as a rubber stamp is preparing to flex its collective muscle: Daily meetings of the Progressive and Independent Caucus.
From six to 15 aldermen have been meeting privately this week to get expert briefings about city departments scheduled to testify during City Council budget hearings later the same day.
The more they learn from housing, health and environmental advocates, the more pointed their questions of the mayor's cabinet members.
That's good news, since they are the city's legislative branch. They don't represent the mayor, and hopefully this is a small step in the direction of breaking up the machine politics here.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
10/17 updates to local fiscal government stories
You know, I really don't like biased editorializing masquerading as reporting in the news section of a paper, but sometimes you have to call a spade a spade. That's what happened today in the Sun-Times regarding the Cook County hospital system, in a follow-up to yesterday's report that (surprise!) health experts could run the system better than politicians:
In one ear, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has health-care officials imploring him to relinquish control of the county hospital system to a panel of medical experts who can run it better than any group of politicians.
In the other ear are politicians and hangers-on urging him to think twice about giving up control of 7,000 jobs and millions of dollars in contracts at a hospital system long seen as ground zero of the county patronage dumping ground.
Now that's a reporter putting his opinions in a piece, but it's true. In anything the government controls, politics is going to trump all else. That's an immutable law, and anyone who doesn't think it's true is delusional. Anyway, the whole article is short and worth reading.
In other news, Mayor Daley has given up on his property tax hike:
By talking compromise, the mayor is simply facing reality: There is no way he can get the 26 votes he needs to approve the largest property tax increase in Chicago history.
What I don't understand is how residents can get so cranky about a property tax increase, but they don't seem to care about the multitude of other taxes that are going to be imposed. it's one of those mysteries, I guess:
Aldermen who have endured five days of heat from their fuming constituents made that perfectly clear during day one of City Council budget hearings. In fact, they tripped over themselves to propose property tax alternatives.
Then there is the Mayor's Quixotic (or so I hope!) quest for more libraries:
On Tuesday, Daley was asked point-blank what he would do if he can't get the 26 votes he needs to approve a separate property tax levy to maintain and build public libraries.
"I don't know. I don't know yet. It's very controversial. . . . How can we get that down to a smaller amount that you can basically fund libraries," he said.
I just don't understand. Why libraries? He must be losing it. I guess with no more expensive parks to build and with his insane 2016 Olympics dream thankfully going down the tubes (and thus, no huge projects to build with it), he needs something else big to piss away our money on. How about a legacy as a fiscal conservative who reigned in wasteful spending?
In one ear, Cook County Board President Todd Stroger has health-care officials imploring him to relinquish control of the county hospital system to a panel of medical experts who can run it better than any group of politicians.
In the other ear are politicians and hangers-on urging him to think twice about giving up control of 7,000 jobs and millions of dollars in contracts at a hospital system long seen as ground zero of the county patronage dumping ground.
Now that's a reporter putting his opinions in a piece, but it's true. In anything the government controls, politics is going to trump all else. That's an immutable law, and anyone who doesn't think it's true is delusional. Anyway, the whole article is short and worth reading.
In other news, Mayor Daley has given up on his property tax hike:
By talking compromise, the mayor is simply facing reality: There is no way he can get the 26 votes he needs to approve the largest property tax increase in Chicago history.
What I don't understand is how residents can get so cranky about a property tax increase, but they don't seem to care about the multitude of other taxes that are going to be imposed. it's one of those mysteries, I guess:
Aldermen who have endured five days of heat from their fuming constituents made that perfectly clear during day one of City Council budget hearings. In fact, they tripped over themselves to propose property tax alternatives.
Then there is the Mayor's Quixotic (or so I hope!) quest for more libraries:
On Tuesday, Daley was asked point-blank what he would do if he can't get the 26 votes he needs to approve a separate property tax levy to maintain and build public libraries.
"I don't know. I don't know yet. It's very controversial. . . . How can we get that down to a smaller amount that you can basically fund libraries," he said.
I just don't understand. Why libraries? He must be losing it. I guess with no more expensive parks to build and with his insane 2016 Olympics dream thankfully going down the tubes (and thus, no huge projects to build with it), he needs something else big to piss away our money on. How about a legacy as a fiscal conservative who reigned in wasteful spending?
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
No 11% sales tax, but...
...apparently there are no limits to Cook County Board President Stroger's imagination when it comes to new taxes. Here are some alternatives now that his 2% sales tax hike was shot down:
Property taxes would be hiked to pay for the Forest Preserve District. To pay for county government, Stroger is considering doubling the county gas tax to 12 cents a gallon, doubling the downtown parking tax to about $40 for monthly users and possibly renewing a push for an increased sales tax, just weeks after commissioners shot down a 2 percentage point hike.
Awesome. And what's this money going for?
There are likely to be hundreds more employees added to the county payroll to meet public safety needs. "It looks like we're off our diet," Commissioner Tim Schneider said.
No kidding! Anyway, how's that hospital system going (you know, the one that gives away drugs to anyone who shows up)?
Adding a wrinkle to the budget debate is a critical presentation today from the health community concluding that the county hospital system has been so mismanaged, control should be put in the hands of an independent, medical panel.
Good luck with that.
Property taxes would be hiked to pay for the Forest Preserve District. To pay for county government, Stroger is considering doubling the county gas tax to 12 cents a gallon, doubling the downtown parking tax to about $40 for monthly users and possibly renewing a push for an increased sales tax, just weeks after commissioners shot down a 2 percentage point hike.
Awesome. And what's this money going for?
There are likely to be hundreds more employees added to the county payroll to meet public safety needs. "It looks like we're off our diet," Commissioner Tim Schneider said.
No kidding! Anyway, how's that hospital system going (you know, the one that gives away drugs to anyone who shows up)?
Adding a wrinkle to the budget debate is a critical presentation today from the health community concluding that the county hospital system has been so mismanaged, control should be put in the hands of an independent, medical panel.
Good luck with that.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
From the man who wants to raise the sales tax by 2 percentage points
We must have a sales tax increase right, Commissioner Stroger? I'm sure there's no more wasteful spending or corruption to root out.
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