And we're happy to oblige --
Kick up your feet and have a fun weekend!
March 6, 2009
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Irreverent and Unrepentant Satire and Irony
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- Mayor's salary = $12,000 per yr
- City Clerk's salary = $9,000 per yr
- Alderman's salary = $1,200 per yr
- 2010/11 annual budget = $52.7mm
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51 comments:
Is that Howard avoiding the issues?
Anonymous 904,
No way...Howard's never been that classy, graceful, or coordinated in his life...
...and he's surely not any kind of pleasure to watch in action...:::shudder:::...
That's Howard and his girlfriend Jim Alegretti shaking a leg because they finally got Frimark's favorite bank (5th/Third...or is that Fifth/3rd) a location in Park Ridge. Plans are moving forward to change our city's slogan to "The Cayman Islands of the Northwest Suburbs." And who wouldn't rather see a brand new, shiny bank sitting where one of Park Ridge's oldest establishments once served meals and good times to our grandparents, parents, children and church groups?
I am so glad Mr. Frimark (just practicing saying his name without the word "Mayor" attached) got his wish before he left office. It was a hard won battle, starting so long ago when we all fought the Mayor, his pals at Norwood Builders and others when they tried to ram a bank with a drive-through down our throats at the corner of Touhy and Washington. Seems like only yesterday that we said "WHAT PART OF NO DON'T YOU GUYS UNDERSTAND?" and he sheepishly recoiled back under his rock. But we knew he would rise to fight another day. Not out in the open...in the backrooms with his pals at 5th/Third(Fifth/3rd?) and we were right!
Have a great after-life Mr. Frimark. Don't let the door hit you on the ass on your way out.
Jack:
I guess I should begin by saying that I too just don't get the whole bank thing. I almost never have a need for an actual bank location and yet they continue to pop up all over the place. With what it must cost to acquire the land, build and staff a bank I just cannot ses how so many locations makes any sense. Close all of them as far as I am concerned.
That being said, it is the rest of your post and it's implications that really have me interested. Along with your post, there was a letter writer in yesterdays HA who had me really scratching my head. She basically said the bank owns the property and is forcing Bailey's to close. You seem to be saying that this is all Frimark's fault - blame him for Bailey's closing.
Maybe I am missing something but isn't this a basic business transaction. A bank is looking for a location in PR - god knows why. They have discussions with Bailey's about purchasing the property. Bailey's decides to accept the offer knowing that he will have to close his resturant. As far as I can tell Bailey's was not forced to do anything. If they had not accepted the offer they would still be open.
What I am really hoping you can flesh out for me is Frimark's involvment. The space must be zoned commercial so a Bank would qualify. I cannot see how a Bank would have a dramatic negative affect on traffic in the area. It would probably be less traffic compared to the Lunch or Dinner rush at Bailey's. I cannot see a noise issue.
So if Bailey's wanted to sell and the Bank follows all the requirements for a business in PR what would you have Frimark do?
There are plenty of reasons to not vote for Howard but I am really scratching my head on this one.
I'm with Anonymous March 6, 2009 2:05 PM. If Baileys wants to take the money from the bank and run, then good riddance. From the sound of things, Bailey's isn't being thrown out, it's abandoning ship.
Has anyone seen Howard's mailer? While I would rate it's level of credibility equal to a lower end time share marketing brochure, at least we know that it is possible to include NINE photographs of one person in a four page flyer. In that regard, it's similar to the Spokesman.
I am a little troubled by the photo that seems to include the Maine South principal and the Maine South football coach. I wonder if these individuals are endorsing the mayor by allowing their pictures to be used in this campaign material? I mean, one would assume, hope and pray that the Frimark campaign cleared the use of this image with Mr. Claypool and Mr. Inserra first.....Right?????
While we seem to be on the subject of “things I do not understand” I have some questions for the folks on the south side of town.
Did you know there was an airport near Park Ridge when you moved here?
I moved to PR over 35 years ago and live near Maine East and LGH and was fully aware of the airport. I can stand in front of my house and watch the planes. In fact if you look closely you will see that the flight path is between ME and LGH and takes in Franklin school as well. Get over it, Park Ridge is near the airport and it is not going away no matter how much money you want to spend to try and change things.
We wasted $600,000 unaccounted dollars once. Let's not do it again.
AJ
I meant that Frimark has ALWAYS supported 5/3 in their quest so it seems odd that THEY are the recipient of that property and not, say, another business that actually pays taxes. Banks do not generate sales tax. Frimark seems to love banks in his town. Maybe he could get his pal Mr. Napleton to put one on his old Caddy dealership property. Talk about a business that just "folded".
WHO has the money for another bank in PR? In this economy when banks are getting money from the govt just to stay afloat, why are they opening more branches?
I doubt very much the 5th/Third thing will come to fruition. Yes, they have the property. I don't think they will build the branch any time soon.
I understand that the Bailey's folks got a deal they just couldn't refuse and decided to hang it up. Good for them. They have served us well in this town and deserve to enjoy their retirement. Nonetheless, we will miss them.
And to those of you who think Frimark had ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with this deal...you are going to be very sad when reality hits you in the face.
Bailey's first deal would have been Howard offering more than the property's value to build his underpass. He also would have probably taken the napelton lot on the East as well. Too bad Howie didn't pull that one off!
can I ask a favor? Instead of cryptic dancing around the issue, can you just come out and say it?? WHat exactly are you aware of that happened?
AJ, I couldn't agree more. Bravo.
Jack:
I am sorry but I have another question. Again, maybe you know something that you as yet have not said. On multiple occasions on the blogs I have found myself in a position of appearing to "defend" Frimark. That is not my intent and I certainly hope Schmidt for a variety of reasons.
In your last post you say "it seems odd that THEY are the recipient of that property and not, say, another business that actually pays taxes". Recipient?? You act as if the property was bestowed upon them by someone (Frimark)? Is it not possible that, looking for a PR location, they made an offer for the property and the owner decided to sell? Are you saying that there were other businesses that has an interest in that property? What were they?
A business wants to buy a property in PR. A business decides to sell. I am all for uncovering corruption but you have yet to provide any information that would lead me to believe that this was not a basic business transaction.
To Anonymous (the one who keeps asking me to tell what I know):
My point is that businesses can buy property in PR without the "approval" of the mayor but there have been an awful lot of properties bought and built on WITH his backing in this town. He is a pal of 5/3. He showed that previously. Good for Bailey's if they got a great price for the property. No problem with that.
If you think there isn't a connection between Mr. Mayor and the Bailey's land deal...just give it time. If 5/3 is involved, so is Frimark. And, once again, Bailey's paid a lot of taxes into PR's budget coffers. A bank (any bank) will not. There are two businesses I would never patronize: Napleton (for asking for and getting a 400,000 dollar tax deal in order to stay and then blithely decinding "never mind" and closing TWO dealerships in town. I would rather drive a Yugo than buy a car from any of his stores. And the other one is 5/3 bank. After their back-door antics in concert with our good neighbors at Norwood Builders (the folks behind increased density and height in Executive Plaza) in order to get a drive through shoved through at Wasington & Touhy, in a school zone nonetheless. Anyone who buys a car from Napleton after he gave the town the book should have their head examined. I think I made myself clear.
Businesses do not 'pay' sales tax; they collect and remit it...so I don't get the whole bank and Bailey thing either. Unless you're saying that Howie got some kind of benefit by pushing for a bank and cost is sale tax dollars generated by another busiess?
As far as the Napleton sales tax deal, I suggest you all good 'sales tax revenue sharing agreements'. They are very common these days, (thank you Arthur Anderson who negociated the first one with Vernon Hill)...so while I can't stand Howie, these are the businesses that are forcing them down the municipalities throats.
A few years back Springfield looked at outlawing them, but that would entail grandfathering in existing agreements, which would hurt us when trying to attract new business. If you really want to make them go away, you have to boycott those business, both in and out of Park Ridge that have them. Shall I provide a list?
Anonymous March 7, 2009 9:45 PM:
Saying that "Businesses do not 'pay' sales tax; they collect and remit it..." is just a stupid way of articulating a distinction without a difference. The bottom line is that some businesses generate sales tax and others don't - irrespective of whose pocket the tax is paid from.
The reality is that Bailey's did, and 5/3 won't.
You gratuitously throw in "while I can't stand Howie" and then defend bad things he has done, like his attempted giveaway to Napleton. Interesting.
Business can't "force" tax revenue sharing down the municipalities' throats. What they do is "play" mismanaged municipal govenments and the incompetent (or corrupt) officials into giving them these financial concessions.
And talking about boycotting businesses who get revenue sharing is ridiculous.
Does anyone know why Frimark's web page isn't being updated? It still is showing events that happened over a week ago in upcoming event.
Jack:
Thanks for the reply. I still do not get it and you seem unwilling to be more specific (like for example the connection between Howie and the Bank). I will do as you advise and wait and see.
On another note, the rain gods are certainly going after Howie!!. Who on earth could drive around PR this afternoon and still vote for him??
8:24, Yes, we on the South side DID know we lived near an airport. The difference is that we bought homes AWAY from the jets and they have been IMPOSED on us AFTER we bought our homes. We can see SEVERAL lanes of planes and hear them at 3:00 a.m., and SMELL them all day and night. You CHOSE your property. We have had ours STOLEN. Now it is time for you to "get over it". The last time I checked, folks still had the right to disent. That's about all we have left now thanks to Frimark.
We just got a call from the Maine Township Democrats. Yeah, I'll support THEM! 400 planes a day from Daley's Gestapo takover and they NOW want SUPPORT?
We received Frimark's flyer too. "A breath of fresh air"....I'm glad SOMEONE is able to enjoy that. We CAN'T because of Mr. Frimark's ineptness, laziness, lack of interest in issues that effect residents, his "no show" at meetings, and neglect. Gee, when Frimark had the meeting with Daley, was he given a good reason to turn his head?????? There's a question he could answer....if he took questions.
It's Sunday afternoon and the streets are flooded again. Probably a lot of basements as well. I'd like to see our city come up with a plan to take care of this problem. Howard? Dave? Wayne? Anyone?
Anon at 2:41-thank you for this post. I am sick and tired of the people on the NW side of PR telling us in the Belle Plaine corridor to get over it. Our property's use was stolen from us with the new runway. WE DID NOT HAVE THIS INCESSANT AIRPLANE NOISE FOR THE NEARLY 18 YEARS WE HAVE LIVED HERE. How do you not understand that anon 8:24 on 3/7. You chose to live under a flight approach pattern-we did not. This is a huge difference which you seem unable to grasp. You get over yourself. Our town's government is obligated to represent our interests as well and try to salvage something from this nightmare.
I've got water in my basement....anyone else?
I love how flooding has come to be expected and accepted in this town.
Crazy.
To those of you whose homes and streets are flooded once again, WHY WHY WHY are you supporting Frimark? he promised 4 years ago to address this issue and nothing was done. He was busy with his back-door dealings.
He was unable to deal with REAL issues--airport expansion, flooding, casino licensing/location and more. So WHY WHY WHY do you have "Frimark" signs on your lawn?
Actually, you don't need to respond. I know why. And he is laughing all the way to the bank. Which bank, I don't know. there are so many choices these days.
Mouse....
No Liemark sign in my lawn.
Two Schmidt signs though!
KS
Hey, maybe we can have that video clip of " Singing and dancing in thr rain" with Gene Kelly.
Only keep in mind that its really us who have to dance in the rainwater
each time it rains.
Thank you Howard for such a great time as being our Mayor.
Thank you Ald. Don B. who does not have the stones to say now to you.
Thank you too "foamy" for being the civilian that you are....
Ah yes....folks we walk by faith and not by sight!
Thank you.
Message to Howard Frimark:
To openly hurt a family here in Park Ridge with your foul mouth ..is an act of a coward.
Your recent comments have lowered you to the bottom of the pit.
What a piece of work you are.
anon 8:18 am:
WHat did I miss? What did he say?
PRU.ADMIN suspected that if the comment about Mayor Howard's latest garbage got posted then the next logical path would be "What was it?"
The Crew understands that Mayor Howard has again demonstrated his complete lack of decency -- most recently as it relates to someone's kids. The attack on that person's kids is just more bullshit from Mayor Howard in conducting his petty political games.
Because juveniles are involved, we will not post any comments with details of what Mayor Howard's accusations have been. Nor will we post any comments with details refuting what Mayor Howard has said.
Innocent by-standing family members, personal issues, and especially kids are off limits.
PRU-if you won't give details then you should not have posted 8:18 am's comments. 8:18 should have gone directly to Frimark or given more details in their post. This is baiting-nothing more.
Anon@9:40 --
Sometimes deciding what to post and what not to post is a difficult judgement call.
You are entitled to your opinion about what the commenter should have done.
We chose to print the commenter's post as it was submitted. We are choosing not to delete it.
You can choose to view it as baiting. We choose to allow it to remain in the public view to let people know what some volunteers are enduring because they dare to oppose Howard Frimark.
Anon @ 9:45 on March 8th..you may not think much of the distinction between collecting and remitting versus paying; but trust me, business DO see the distinction. One comes out of their pocket, the other doesn't.
Yes, the agreements are cards that business play...my point is if the towns we are competing with to get businesses here, we are not going to be competitive.
As these agreements become more and more popular, it's only going to get worse.
PRU--you show absolute class by not getting into details on that story.
Anonymous at 9:40--you do not want to know what he said. Just know that he's a mean bully who sees that there are no consequences to his actions.
Clearly there is a group here who are "insiders". Something happens and the e-mails start to fly. I am not in that group so, with all do respect, this one gets a zero on my score card.
I read the post this morning and some of the follow ups which would indicate that Howard Frimark is, in fact, Satan. Anony-mouse, you tell me "just know he is a mean bully...." If I came here and typed a claim about a person with nothing but my word to go on would you consider it information on which you would base a decision? I have read many of your posts - you are too smart for that. Of course you wouldn't!! Similiar to "Frimark campaign steals signs", or "it's Frimark's fault Bailey's closed", this is just noise.
Not having the advantage of being on the inside, I choose to look at the issues. Two of these smacked me in the face yesterday as I was up to my knees in water, clearing a sewer drain while the "commuter" planes flew over my head. On these issues, Frimark gets a zero on my score card.
3 more inches in the next 36 hours Howard. Hello?? Hello??
Anonymous @ March 9, 2009 10:23 AM
Consider this REMEDIAL "Sales Tax 101. Retailers collect the sales tax as agents for the governmental bodies, which means that the money they remit "comes out of their pocket" only as government money to which they were never entitled because they were only its temporary custodian.
As others have written before both here and on Watchdog, Park Ridge can't afford to get into bidding wars with other communities over how much tax money it can afford to give away to lure some retailer or other into town. If you've got to pay them to get them here, they probably don't really want to be here in the first place, so what's the point?
And there are more than a few economists who say that cities/towns "buying" businesses for their communities is often just bad economics.
But you probably know that from having watched the value of your Beanie Baby collection plummet.
Anon at 1:01...
Wow, 'Beanie Baby' collection?
You don't know who you're talking to....clearly.
Let me type it slowly for you......sales tax does not come out of retailers pockets. It's money collected, held in trust, and then remitted. The laws are different with respect to trust taxes.
There is a big difference between giving an entity a tax incentive that relates to taxes that it owes versus trust taxes that it remits.
I'd explain it to ya, but you're clearly not interested in learning or thinking.
If you were, you'd know that we actually agree on the core issue.
Have a nice day.
Thanks to whichever (whomever?) anonymous person posted the explanation of how taxes are collected: We agree. Businesses don't pay taxes, they generate them then the city gets the money.
Banks don't generate taxes. Restaurants do. They also (in the case of Bailey's) pay dearly for liquor licenses. Restaurants generate "revenue" for the city. Banks do not. All hail PR, the Caynman Islands of the Northwest burbs.
do the Caymans flood every time it rains?
Business also make offers for other businesses and/or land. Some buisnesses choose to accept those offers. Life is funny that way!
Then said business goes to the city to have the zoning changed so they can put through a drive through. Our hero's could have stopped this right then and there. Guess what happens??
Every Alderman votes to allow the change (including the next Mayor or PR). There was not a single objection. No discussion of tax base. No discussion of traffic flow. Nothing!
Sorry, Jack, I still do not see the corruption but I will, as you say, wait and see.
Lastly, as I mentioned before, I do not get the bank thing but you act like this is something unique to PR. Do you drive around the burbs? Niles? Skokie? Glenview? Northbrook? The explosion of Bank locations is not unique to PR.
Thanks again for your last post. I am saying pretty clearly that banks do not generate revenue from sales taxes. Nothing more. I do not live in Niles, Des Plaines, etc. I live in Park Ridge. We have more banks per capita than we need, in my opinion. Just my opinion. We're getting another fod establishment (DD/Baskin Robbins) on NW Highway soon if the city approves it. It will ADD to the city's revenue. A new 5/3 bank will not. As far as "corruption" goes, I never said that word. But if you connect the dots across our town: Uptown Shops (half empty after Norwood pleaded for higher density), vacant land and buildings owned by Napleton (after they asked for and got a tax break TO STAY), and more shenanigans like the police being dispatched to Oberwiess to quell a potential petition drive...well, it isn't a pretty picture under his honor's rule. Say buh-bye, Howie. The clock's tickin'!
You know how to make the air traffic over the south side even worse? add ground traffic from the tacky Casino. You know how to make annoying jet noise seem pleasant? add police and ambulance sirens chasing the drunk drivers and their victims. Now add higher property taxes to employ additional police and fire to combat the crime corruption and general sleaze that will ooze out of this pace 24/7. Do we need a "Entertainment" business that requires a large staff of armed guards on their premises? Who will protect our kids and our property from the sleaze that frequents the Casino? get ready, Park Ridge is about to become Joliet with high taxes
Sounds like most of these posts and chatter are coming unhappy people.
Sounds like this ship is headed for the rough waters - again.
It seems to me that we need to find a safe port and change out the crew that has been guiding us in the wrong waters.
Yes, Howard and his band of pirates
have cost this city a pretty penny.
3 million in the hole, high tax base, flooding during each rain - now,aircraft congestion - and more coming, no leadership at the helm.
Its time to bring this ship folks!
A new skipper and crew can and will help.
Stop the infighting and come together for this election cycle.
Stop from becoming what we are not - the bickersons.
Thank you.
PRU, I agree that Howard Frimark should keep his mouth shut about someone's kids. Though even PRU has to admit Howard Frimark isn't telling anything anyone doesn't already know about those kids.
Anon 10:48,
How low can you go? Geeze even the MOB has a rule about kids. THEY ARE OFF LIMITS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What people may or may not have known, (for the record, I didn't know anything about those kids), is really not the point. As the mayor, he should have should display some sense of decorum and propriety.
The truth hurts!
10:21
Exactly what "truth" are you talking about? I ask because there seems to be some distortion of the "truth" these days.
anon 12:39:
It is easy. Anything negative said about your candidate is a lie. Anything negative said about is the said about his opponent is the truth.
If it a positve thing you simply reverse it.
The truth hurts!
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/parkridge/
news/1470185,pr-maine-south
-weapons-drugs-031209-s1.article
hmmmmmmmmmm....here I was wondering what you all new that I didn't. If my assumptions about the last post and the link provided are correct, I guess now I know.
So not only are there accusations that the Mayor somehow used this information to "openly hurt a family" but now it ends up posted on a blog.
com⋅pas⋅sion –noun 1. a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.
Now excuse while adjourn to the bathroonm to vomit.
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