This Will Only Hurt A Little Bit!

In today's Journal & Topics we read:



Not that Lutheran General Hospital should be able to dictate tax policy in the City, but we are in agreement with Mayor Howard's statement that LGH has been a "good partner" to the City.

We are also pleased with the modest reduction of 1.4% in the property tax increase. But we note that an increase is still an increase, and we were much more taken with the bold proposal of Alderman Wsooooolman (7th Ward) when he suggested that the City eliminiate the property tax increase.

Our PRUdos to Alderman Schmidtzkrieg (1st Ward) for attempting to give attention to our infrastructure needs, which is what we believe to be one of the most basic purposes of government.

Unfortunately there are still those in City government who just don't get it.

As reported in the second news item linked above, "Ald. Robert Ryan (5th) disagreed with removing the Vision 2025 study characterizing it as "the most important part of our budget." Ryan said, "Planning dollars are cheap dollars. It allows us to get organized. I really don't think we can afford to be short-sighted."

That's right, people. The 5th Ward's Benedict Alderman Ryan believes some goofy "Vision 2025 study" is the "most important part of our budget." It seems that Benedict Alderman Ryan will leave no "expert" unconsulted and no consultant unpaid.

Where's a brick wall when your head needs one...

Lesson #2: Pay Attention or Pay Up!

Back in early October, we told you about the City Council's Finance & Budget committee. In that piece we said, "We sure do hope the Lord of the Manor is paying attention, because his won't be the only ass that could get bitten by something that creeps up from behind."

And some serious budget issues have crept up, which is why the Finance and Budget committee will be conducting a Finance and Budget COW - Committee of the Whole (.pdf) tonight in the City Council chambers.

With the surprise announcement of Napleton Cadillac's closing, additional expenditures for the police department audit, some goofy "vision plan" thing, the expense of improving air quality at the "new" Public Works Service Center, and Lutheran General Hospital's lack of cooperating on an increase in the parking garage tax, the City Council has a lot to discuss and much bloody red spending to staunch.

As quoted in an online update by one of the local rags, the Lord of the Manor, 2nd Ward Alderman Rich DiPietro said, "There will have to be some compromises made Monday night...I anticipate a lively discussion."

Like we said, things can creep up from behind.

And as an old bus driver used to say on a route once travelled by one of our crew, "Keep an eye on your pocketbooks, ladies and gentlemen, we have some special guests on board today."

Suckers-R-Us!

Last week we linked to the Burbcopschicago post, $afety Fir$t. The piece was about Red Light Cameras. But we also wanted PRU readers to become aware of the many officers who seem to feel they, themselves, are also being used as revenue generating machines for over-spent municipal budgets.

The Burbcops' post noted the cynicism of politicians who tell the public they are concerned for traffic safety matters, while behind the scenes the issue seems to be all about revenue generation.

So PRU readers, let's play a game -- The PRU Crew calls this game, "Suckers-R-Us."

Start...If you were an alderman, and you were on a city council that had to find a way to generate revenue to help reduce an unexpected city budget general fund deficit of $600,000...

Question #1...Would you vote to increase taxes?

Question #2...Would you vote to increase the parking tax by $1 per car at one of your largest local employers, say...a local hospital?

Question #3...Would you then think about that increase for a few days?

Question #4...Would you remember the amount of revenue that local hospital contributed to the city budget through the recent construction and permit fees the city collected -- the contribution that local hospital made to the new paint job on your town's water tower -- the money that local hospital gave to your constituents for repaving one of your ward's streets?

Question #5...Would you feel regret for having to increase the parking tax on that local hospital's employees and visitors?

If you answered "Yes" to question #5, go back to Start and begin the game again...

If you answered "No", proceed to the next question...

Question #6...After thinking about the increased parking tax, would you hit upon the idea that employees and visitors may try to avoid paying that extra dollar by trying to find parking in the residential area surrounding that local hospital?

Question #7...What would you do then?

Question #8...Would you send an email to the Public Safety committee chairman suggesting that the police department patrol the area to make sure no traffic safety issues arise from the possibility of more cars being parked throughout the neighborhood?

If you answered "Yes" to question #8, go back to Start and begin the game again...

If you answered "No", proceed to the next question...

Question #9...Would you send an email to the Public Safety committee chairman suggesting that the police department patrol the area to make sure your constituents aren't being inconvenienced by people parking too close to, or blocking, driveways?

If you answered "Yes" to question #9, go back to Start and begin the game again...

If you answered "No", proceed to the next question...

Question #10...Would you send an email to the Public Safety committee chairman suggesting that the police department be aware of a "revenue generating opportunity" surrounding the local hospital, because the hospital's employees and visitors may be looking to avoid paying the increased parking tax?

If you've gotten to question #10 and you answered "Yes", congratulations!

You could be a Second Ward Alderman.

Hey! Mr. Milissis! How'd you score?