The Pub-dogs completely scooped us yesterday! We hear Alderman Schmidtzkrieg (1st ward) may have been their source for the "confidential" documents they have posted. We hear Schmidtzkrieg also provided copies to the local press.
We give Schmidtzkrieg a big hairy high-five for open and honest government, but we've got to say, "WTF?! Is the PRU Crew chopped liver?!"
All in good friendly competition. By whatever means the people of Park Ridge have access to information about the actions of their government, we're okay with that.
If you haven't had a chance to read the Pub-dog's Adding Insult To Injury post, we strongly encourage PRU readers to pay a visit to PublicWatchdog.org.
Here's a Pavlovian excerpt to get you started:
Adding Insult To Injury
Last week we wrote about how lame-duck City Mgr. Tim Schuenke was aiding and abetting Alderpuppets Robert Ryan and Tom Carey in their proposed giveaway of as much as $2.4 Million of our money to Napleton Cadillac and PRC LLC, even as he was proposing a $600,000 deficit budget for 2008-09 and warning of future financial problems. (“Another Done Deal?”)
But Schuenke apparently isn’t content simply to throw away our money – he and his allies, including Mayor Howard Frimark, also want to keep us in the dark about how it’s being done.
Let’s start with the Napleton/PRC fiasco. Even though the agenda for tonight’s City Council meeting shows that the Sales Tax Rebate Agreement is scheduled for a vote, the City/Schuenke have deprived the public of the ability to read and consider for themselves the terms of that agreement by not posting it on the City’s website (as of 12:01 a.m. today). Although PublicWatchdog published that agreement [pdf] on January 11 (“The Napleton $2 Million Secret”), that’s no substitute or excuse for the City Manager leaving it off the City’s website of materials related to tonight’s meeting – unless, of course, his goal is to keep the public in the dark.
And that’s not the only thing on tonight’s agenda that Schuenke, et al. seems intent on concealing from us...more>
--------------------------------------------
The PRU Crew had planned for today to provide our readers with a report on last night's city council meeting. But our sources are reporting some bizarre behavior on the part of council members. So we are going to hold off, try to confirm what we've been told, and see what the Wednesday rag has to say.
We can tell you that Mayor Howard cast a tie-breaking vote that gave his generous contributor, Napleton Cadillac, the $2.4 million deal the car dealership was seeking.
January 29, 2008
Super Scoopers!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Last night's council meeting was not pretty. Once again the citizens of Park Ridge have been sold down the river and a privately owned business has come out smelling like a rose. How interesting that one alderman went on a rant about not buying a Cadillac from Napleton and two minutes later voted to give Napleton a windfall. What a boob!
I am ASHAMED that I did not attend the meeting. Details please...
I think it is a shame that there weren't more folks at the meeting...but there were enough, and all who spoke, spoke against the Napleton gift.
If anyone should be ashamed it's the dunderheads who ran for office saying they would represent the interests of the people of Park Ridge. HOward, Bach, Allegretti, Ryan, Carey... those are the folks who should be hanging their heads in shame today.
Wow.
Howard cast the tie breaking vote giving a millionaire millions more while us citizens pay for the city's budget deficient. I hope last night is remembered come election time. Howard just gave whoever runs against him a HUGE club to bash him over head.
And Bach, telling Napleton how he lied to and disrespected the council and that Bach would never give Napleton any of his own money by buying a car from Napleton again, NEVERTHELESS having no qualms about giving Napleton millions of OUR tax dollars. (Hey Don, your words don't match your deeds. But you can still repent. How about a motion to reconsider! You voted with the majority, so you can do it. Ask Dipietro how.)
And Carey, a finance committee member, who could not understand that $120k plus $80k is the same as $100k plus $100k, even tho' ol' Howard told him he "had to understand it!" and then, because he did not understand it, not voting at all!
I am only amazed by how this came to be, not by the result. After all, we all voted for a smaller government that watches out for the tax payer, right?
what would it take to get a recall election? it happened in Calif. a few years ago when they recalled the governor. you'd think on our small level, we could get it done.
All I wanted to know is if we got sold out by the Council again. How much red ink will be on the books now? Frimark voted for more? That is all I need to know.
The paper said we had a "Current" 600,000.00 deficit. Add the newest 400,000.00 deficit (generous gift to Napleton)plus remember we currently are paying off the bond debt interest of 45 - 50 million of our total city debt.
Not only did Howard vote Yes for it. But it was discussed at the meeting last night that Howard took a 1000.00 donation from Napelton in 2005 for his campaign fund and Howard negotiated the agreement with Napelton!
Hate the sin and love the sinner.
Mahatma Ghandi/Don Bach
Did anybody check out the discussion on the Fire and Police pension funds on 1/28/08? We’re talking about a $600,000 deficit, giving away money in tax breaks and whining about contributions to the only great benefit left for those who put their lives out there?? What are they thinking! The aldermen do not speak for me, I support the pension funds and hope officers who are driving around and respond to my emergency at 2 am know that. I know Park Ridge is the supposed land of stolen lawnmowers and no violent crime yet as I recall a man was gunned down in front of his house and an infant died at the hands of the caretakers in 2007, sounds like a murder hike to me! We ask the cops to work in closets, not write tickets and not to complain about there treatment by their Chief. Now we are going to outright oppose increases in contributions? Thank goodness those things are protected by law. PRU, maybe look into they city “not paying the bill” for sometime into one or both of those funds? PRU, you got some homework to do, please.
Post a Comment