Audience: About 125 people
Moderator: Phil Loftus, VP Edgebrook Community Association
Interesting Tidbit: Mary O'Connor stated Alderman Doherty gave back $700,000 to the city that was allocated to the 41st Ward.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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Gavin stated she is independent and non-partisan, but said she wants to continue to share the ward office with Republicans, McAuliffe and Sivestri at the same inaccessible location (along with taking money from Republicans). IINO (Independent In Name Only)
ReplyDeleteI noticed none of the candidates would admit they are Republican (41st or 45th).
ReplyDeleteMaurita has stated she has voted Democrat in previous elections so I do not consider her a strict Republican.
ReplyDeleteI was surprised/angry when O'Connor revealed about the $700,000. Would like to see some proof before fully believing it as Gavin staunchly denied it. If it ends up being true, shame on Doherty.
Did O'Connor say she would move in with the 66% income tax increase man? I would rather my alderman office with the guy who voted against it. Did O'Connor also tell you that the SEIU, which is backing her big, favors section 8 housing and taxing your pensions and favored the income tax increase. If the money thing is true, I wonder what strings were attached to it? Did any one tell O'Connor Doherty is retiring?
ReplyDeleteI'm confused. We are talking about Maurita Gavin, Alderman Doherty's Administrative Assistant - she has worked for the lone Republican Alderman for 10+ years and is now independent? Give me a break.
ReplyDeleteTo 10:21 PM: I agree 100%. Also veracity has not exactly been an O'Connor strong point.
ReplyDeleteShe was hired 10+ years ago as a favor to help her out because her husband (the ward superintendent) passed away...NOT because she was a supporter/member of the Republican organization in the ward...and that is a FACT.
ReplyDeleteNo wonder 41st ward streets and lights are falling apart - the money earmarked to replace them went to Lincoln Park, Lakeview and Buck Town thanks to Alderman Doherty giving back $700,000 to the City. Unbelievable. See why we need transparent government and a WEBSITE, to post information like spending, in the 41st Ward!
ReplyDeleteI noticed what wasn't said. Gavin never said one word about hosting public forums, meetings or advisory boards (except for the existing zoning board). No mention about seeking community opinions or surveys. Voters/community residents input or ideas not anywhere in her plans.
ReplyDeleteThe 45th Ward candidates were both excellent public speakers.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if I agree with everyone saying that our ward has gone into disrepair and is falling apart because Doherty and Daley weren't best friends. Look over at the 45th...our infrastructure and upkeep has been much better than their's has and Pat Levar has been their alderman the last 20 years--and he is a huge Daley guy.
ReplyDeleteGavin (finger in the wind): Today is a good day to be independent.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I think Mulroe should move in with them too. Save the tax payers money and all the elected officials would be in the same area which would be good for the citizens. Since when did 41 become such a hate filled partisan ward. Regardless of party, they should all have the residents' interest first and foremost on their mind. Elected officials should serve their constuents and not the party leadership or special interests that finance them. This whole election is sad. No wonder this state is so messed up at every level. Whoever wins is going to be hated by at least a 1/3 of the ward. Life has changed (and not for the better) in what I used to consider the best ward in the city. I'm originally from the fighting 47th and trust me when I say the wounds inflicted upon family and friends will not be easy to heal.
ReplyDeleteThe fellas from the 45th were both excellent speakers with very well defined plans for the ward. Both value citizen input and promised surveys, participitory governance, transparency and community participation. And I thought both of them had a better handle on finances, property tax assessments etc..
ReplyDeleteGavin was on the defensive even in her opening statement with accusatory statements that immediately turned me off. O'Connor presented new ideas and encouraged the 41st Ward to be pro-active rather than a reactive ward.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know why our Ward money was given back to the city!
ReplyDeleteI would like to know as well, 8:49! I would also like some kind of proof of it. Completely unacceptable.
ReplyDeleteI was at the Harlem Foster Homeowner's Association Forum last year for the Mulroe/Doherty debate and Doherty said he gave back $33,000 to the city from his ward budget. If you do the math $33,000/year x 20 years, that is $660,000...
ReplyDeleteSo, why would he give money back to the city (our tax dollars for ward purposes)? Our streets are full of pot holes and the parks have old equipment, no indoor pool, ice rink, etc?
ReplyDeleteWhy doesn't some one make O'Connor support her false assertions? I seem to remember a few years ago an article in the Sun Times singling out Alderman Doherty as one of the few Alderman who returned money to the city instead of using it to lease a car for himself like so many other Alderman were doing. I don't knnow where O'Connor is coming up with $700,000 but any money returned was money returned instead of using for personal gain or spending on new equipment for his office that wasn't needed. Why spend the tax payer money on a new computer when the computer you have works fine. It had nothing to do with pot holes or any thing else for the ward. And it did not go to fix other wards pot holes. I would have thought a "business women" would appreciate sound fiscal policy that protects the tax payer money. No wonder the city is in such horrible finacial shape with so many officials like O'Connor who will just spend our money on them selves. Not to mention play fast and loose with the truth. And of course Doherty is retiring.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to all the whys: because it is not true.
ReplyDeleteto 2:03 P.M: O'Connor/Mulroe experiment is expensive with the tax increases.
ReplyDeleteI attended the ECA forum last night, and am a 66 y/o retired special ed teacher.
ReplyDeleteI have many thoughts about what I heard, but what hit home for me was Gavin's assertion that "some seniors are technology shy" when she has been an administrative assistant for an Alderman for 15 years and couldn't manage to put up a simple website in all those years?
No one answers the phone, can't park anywhere near the office and no website. Someone should file an ADA lawsuit about that public office and how inaccessible it is for everyone, including seniors.
I think Gavin should retire along with Alderman Doherty.
I remember hearing about Doherty giving ward money back to the city too, and I remember he said it was to because he was a financial conservative. Personally, I think he should have asked the taxpayers if it should be returned, especially since there are so many areas in the ward that are looking run down.
ReplyDeleteAlso, most of us taxpayers who pay taxes are financially conservative too, and would have liked not to pay high property taxes, only to see our money returned and used by other communities.
Reporters and other random people: I know nothing about the $700,000. Please call Mary O'Connor, Brian Doherty or Maurita Gavin.
ReplyDeleteI can clearly see which way this blog is leaning as all the comments being allowed to be posted are anti-Gavin and my pro-Gavin comments seem to never be posted.
ReplyDeleteI am in no way affiliated with the Gavin campaign. I am just a Gavin supporter. If the O'Connor supporters can have their say over and over again, you should allow my pro-Gavin posts to be posted on a consistent basis. They have all been fair and respectful.
It would seem that fairness would dictate that folks should contact Mary O'Connor at 773-609-4141. She made the assertion.
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I can think of when it comes to Doherty returning money is their separate "expense account" that is used on rent, extra payroll, office supplies, etc. In 2009, Doherty spent around $66,000 of his $73,280 alloted (http://councilexpenses.apps.chicagotribune.com/ward/41/) which mean he returned around $7000 back to the city for that year.
ReplyDeleteThe $1.3 million that is alloted to each ward is what is used for upkeep (streets, park, etc). If Doherty returned ~$700,000 of that money over his 20 years, then we have a problem.
This story requires further investigating.
I clicked on the city link. There is a line by line detail of every curb, street, gutter, school etc. dollar spent. Goes back three years. So I guess all this detail everyone says they want has been easily available all along.
ReplyDeleteYeah, the city link provided to you by the blog. Not posted on the Ward website, every ward in the city has but us. Accessibility - 0% in the 41st ward.
ReplyDeleteThe current office of Doherty McAuliffe and Silvestri is truly a one stop shop of excellent service whether it be city, state or county. INACCESSIBLE? Downtown Edison Park with a huge parking lot. Very easy to find and my issues were solved 95% of the time. Ill bet if Gavin wins, she will continue to provide us with good service and O'Connor doesnt have clue what shes in for if she pulls this off. I didnt like her when she was at the Chamber and to be honest .. she didnt do a good job then. Ive heard around town that her business is going down the tubes and thats why shes been running for alderman for over 2 years. O'Connor supported Mulroe for our State Senator and he in turn raised our taxes 66% because Cullerton bought the seat for him. And Mulroes partner in Park Ridge, Senator Kotowski should just hang it up now...hes toast. Id like to seem him explain why he voted for the Madigan/Cullerton tax increase when he goes door to door. His name is all around town and DONE AND OVER.. they both should be ashamed of themselves. DONT BE FOOLED!!! O'CONNOR WILL DO AS TOLD ! Weve always enjoyed a slight indepence from the machine in our ward. The Doherty McAulffe Silvestri and Dudycz at one point gave us that independence. Gavin will continue that. O'Connor plain and simple with follow in the footsteps of Mulroe and Kotowski and do as told.
ReplyDelete