Save Chicago Libraries On-Line Petition

Update 29 October 2011 20:20

41st Ward Citizens,
Thank you for signing the petition to Save Chicago Libraries.

Our fight to save the libraries is gaining momentum, with thousands of supporters and some great media coverage. Now please join us in the next step to protect the libraries from harmful budget cuts:
Story Time at City Hall
Monday, Oct. 31 at 10:30 a.m. - 121 N LaSalle St., Fifth Floor
Children are welcome! Bring a favorite book!

We'll deliver our signed petitions to the Mayor's office and bring our message right where it most needs to be heard.
We hope to see you there!

Thanks for your support 

If you don't agree with Chicago Public Library Budget Cuts...  sign an on-line petition and call the alderman.

Chicago Public Libraries needs our help to fight off draconian budget cuts that will cripple our neighborhood libraries.
The current budget calls for the layoff of 363 librarians and staff, or 32% of the library workforce.  
And service hours will be cut eight (8) hours/week.

 http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-10-21/news/chi-aldermen-decry-proposed-library-cuts-offer-few-solutions-20111021_1_library-cuts-funding-libraries-branch-libraries . An amendment to the budget is being drafted now for the full restoration of library services.

Here’s what you can do:
1.  Sign this online petition: http://www.savechicagolibraries.com/ and tell every Chicagoan you know to sign it, too.
2.  Call or visit your aldermen, and ask them to FULLY FUND THE LIBRARY.
3.  Help spread the word! The amendment to the budget will be presented to City Council by November 9. We have a very short window to let our leaders know what we think.

(Vehicle) Sticker Shock

Readers,

I've received many emails requesting a post/forum about the city vehicle sticker increase.  In terms of emails and posts, the most recent concerns around the city budget are: 1.  public safety.  2.  vehicle stickers  3.  library services.

The $60.00 vehicle sticker increase (the price of a city vehicle sticker will go from $75.00 to $135.00 for vehicles weighing over 4000 pounds) is especially concerning to many families who live in the 41st ward.  In this article, Susana Mendoza, the City Clerk brought up specific numbers for individuals/families who will be effected by the sticker price increase, 5995 families in the 41st ward to be exact, and here is the quote from the Tribune:

Told 5,995 vehicles in her Northwest Side ward would get hit with the higher rate, Ald. Mary O'Connor, 41st, said, "Oh, boy, that's 6,000 votes".

Concerning the sticker price increase, is the lack of evidence 4000 pound vehicles do more damage than other cars, as the mayor has asserted.  Additionally, why such a steep increase?  We know the sticker price will need to go up in the future, so why not an incremental increase?

I strongly encourage all of you who are opposed to the vehicle sticker increase, the public safety budget/ number of police officers in the 16th district, the cuts in library services and other concerns related to the city budget proposal to call or email the alderman's office.  Now is the time to let your objections be known. 

Emanuel doesn't back up sticker fee case

Emanuel doesn't back up sticker fee case
Co-author of only report cited says study taken out of context

 October 21, 2011By John Byrne and Hal Dardick
Mayor Rahm Emanuel says there is "compelling" data to support his argument that minivans and SUVs do more damage to city streets and should be hit with higher fees, but as of Thursday, his administration was unable to back up his claim.

The weight debate was a focus of a heated City Council budget hearing, where City Clerk Susana Mendoza questioned the administration's position. Mendoza, whose office administers vehicle stickers, emphasized that she wasn't looking for a fight with the mayor but wanted aldermen to ask the mayor's office, "Where's the evidence behind that?"  the data since Emanuel's budget speech last week, mayoral aides have provided only a transportation study about commercial trucks in Oregon. A co-author of that study suggested Thursday that his research was taken out of context.

"All these light passenger vehicles do very little damage," Portland State University professor Anthony Rufolo told the Tribune.
The lack of details from the mayor's office adds to questions about how he rolled out the proposed increase.
In his budget speech to the City Council, Emanuel said it is estimated that "80 percent of the damage to Chicago's streets is caused by the small share of heavy vehicles like trucks and SUVs. So we are proposing a modest increase for heavy vehicles that do most of the damage."

What Emanuel didn't say was that he was also proposing a lower weight limit for so-called heavy vehicles � a change that would move 184,000 SUVs, minivans and certain sedans into the higher class, where owners would face a $60 increase in the sticker fee to $135.
In defending the move, Emanuel said data show that cars and trucks over a 4,000-pound benchmark are damaging streets.
"If you look at the data, which is pretty compelling, the weight class should be at 4,000, not 4,500," he said.

But Rufolo said his 1999 study cited by the Emanuel administration dealt with how weight taxes changed commercial truck drivers' behavior in Oregon. He said the great majority of road damage is done by heavy trucks like 18-wheelers and buses, and that there's essentially no difference between a 4,000-pound vehicle and a 4,500-pound vehicle.
Emanuel stuck by his guns Thursday without providing any new backup.
"We have data, and it shows it, and other states have taken the same data and actually gone down to 3,500 (pounds for the heavy vehicle limit)," he said.
According to the Federal Highway Administration, drivers in New Jersey are charged $25 to register newer vehicles under 3,500 pounds and $50 for vehicles over that limit. A handful of other states follow similar standards.

Mendoza said it makes more sense to target scofflaws who don't buy the stickers.

"Let's go after the folks who are not in compliance with the law, which would basically, potentially, give us the same amount of money that we would be getting by going after folks who are in conformance with the law," she said.
But Ald. Brendan Reilly, 42nd, said the city needs more money for road repairs.
"No one on the City Council here is interested in socking it to consumers, but I think we've always relied upon wheel tax revenue as an impact fee. If you're causing the wear and tear, you've got to pay up," he said.
"And whether we like it or not, this heavier class of vehicles � and I admit it, these are to serve families by and large � they are creating more wear and tear on our roads," Reilly said. "And we need to find some way for those people who have a greater impact on our infrastructure to pay their fair share."

And Ald. Proco "Joe" Moreno, 1st, said the mayor's plan will encourage Chicagoans to drive smaller, more ecologically friendly vehicles: "There's no debate they take up more room and cause more environmental pollution."

Other aldermen expressed reservations.

"We ask the average family to pay an extra $60 a year for a vehicle that this year was $75," said Ald. John Arena, 45th. "This budget looks at spreading the pain around, but we're not doing that in this case."
Mendoza came to the budget hearing armed with the number of registered vehicles that would be affected by Emanuel's proposal in each ward.

Told 5,995 vehicles in her Northwest Side ward would get hit with the higher rate, Ald. Mary O'Connor, 41st, said, "Oh, boy, that's 6,000 votes."

 

Update:  10/21/2011

Aldermen rip mayor’s proposed library cuts

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter/fspielman@suntimes.com October 21, 2011 12:06PM

Updated: October 21, 2011 2:50PM

Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to reduce library hours and impose “draconian” job cuts that would impact library services at all hours is in danger of being shelved.

Aldermen from across the city made that clear during City Council budget hearings Friday to the applause of library employees who stand to lose their jobs.

They decried the mayor’s decision to reduce corporate fund support for libraries by $10 million—even as the city continues to build new libraries on top of the 59 constructed under former Mayor Richard M. Daley.

They argued that libraries that serve as “safe-havens,” computer and homework centers in many crime-ridden, inner-city communities would be unable to function with 363 fewer “full-time equivalent” employees.

“Three percent of the budget. Fifty percent of the cuts. It makes no sense. It’s ridiculous,” said Budget Committee Chairman Carrie Austin (34th).

Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) said students from schools with “closet libraries” they get to access once a week descend on branch libraries to use computers, get help with their homework and stay off sometimes dangerous city streets.

“Why do we have to hit the little people who help the little people? This is not spread evenly. It’s a travesty that your department has so many people laid off. It’s wrong. It’s unacceptable. We have to do something else to spread the pain. You’re getting killed over there,” he said.

Ald. Ariel Reboyras (30th) said he didn’t know if he could “stomach” the cuts, which would heavily impact minorities and women.

Ald. John Pope (10th) said he was even willing to consider a small property tax increase if that’s what it takes to avoid cuts that make no sense, after the building spree during the Daley years.

“Fifty-nine libraries in the last 20 years. It just seems a waste. We’ve invested hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars and now we’re—not walking away—but not utilizing these state-of-the-art facilities… I don’t want this budget to turn its back on 20 years of investment,” Pope said.

Rules Committee Chairman Richard Mell (33rd) suggested recruiting senior citizen volunteers to staff libraries and going hat-in-hand to the billionaire Pritzker family and other “big hitters” to ask them to ante up the $10 million for libraries the mayor cut.

“We’re all in this boat together. We all have to figure out a way to save libraries. Everybody is looking out[side]of the box,” he said.

Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey acknowledged that the mayor’s plan would trigger 284 layoffs and the elimination of 268 vacancies.

That includes: 24 librarians, four of them branch managers, 11 of them children’s librarians; 112 clerks and all 146 of the remaining “pages” charged with shelving books.

“We will have to assess the staff we have and do the best we can,” Dempsey said. That won’t be easy at a time when “everybody is re-shelving books,” including the commissioner.

The Chicago Sun-Times reported Sunday that the mayor’s plan to lay off 517 city employees and eliminate 776 vacancies would have an inordinate and devastating impact on all library operations—not just on Mondays and Fridays when branch libraries would open at noon instead of 8 a.m.

With the aldermen doing the dirty work for her, Dempsey played the good soldier on Friday.

But she gave a strong hint of the bitter negotiations that preceded the mayor’s budget address.

“I don’t envy the budget director….We made some suggestions. They made some suggestions. Their final recommendations are what you see in the [budget] book,” she said.

Emanuel has said he is well aware of the “important role that libraries play in the educational and cultural life” of Chicago. But the mayor has said he also knows “what other cities are doing, which is closing” libraries.

After Friday’s hearing, the tough and normally talkative commissioner left the City Council chambers tight-lipped.

“Don’t do this to me,” Dempsey told reporters who chased her down the hall.

She added, “I think I was pretty clear in what I said in the chambers.

 

What do you think?

Emanuel to cut Chicago libraries’ hours

By FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter October 11, 2011 12:44PM

Updated: October 11, 2011 12:58PM

Chicago’s public libraries will reduce their hours in 2012, even as the city continues to build new libraries, Mayor Rahm Emanuel acknowledged Tuesday.

Emanuel defended the library cuts built into his 2012 budget, saying they’re a small price to pay at a time when other major cities are closing libraries.

The reduced hours will be concentrated on Mondays and other days and times when library usage is the lowest, sources told the Chicago Sun-Times.

Over the last three years, library usage in Chicago has declined.

“If you think you’re gonna balance a budget with a $637 million deficit that’s about 20 percent out of whack and you’re….gonna do it without controversy, call me. I’m really interested in the idea,” Emanuel said facetiously.

“Do I expect controversy? Sure. But I also know that [New York] Mayor [Michael] Bloomberg, who I have a lot of respect for — they closed libraries. You have to look at the context….The budget I will present will make the tough choices, and it will be honest with the people of Chicago about those tough choices to put our fiscal house in order.”

Emanuel said he understands the “important role that libraries play in the educational and cultural life” of Chicago but also knows “what other cities are doing, which is closing” libraries.

Even with reduced operating hours, the mayor said, “I’m gonna stay committed to the goal of libraries in our communities so our kids have an opportunity to go and to learn not just at school, but at home and in their libraries.”

Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey did not return calls seeking comment on the cuts.

Sources said she has been calling her aldermanic allies in hopes of reversing the impending library cuts.

New York City has cut library spending by 25 percent, a move that’s expected to force the closing of 14 branch libraries next year. Similar cuts are being made in Newark, N.J. (18 percent) and Houston (14.5 percent). Seattle has cut library spending by 7.4 percent and shut down its entire library system for one week at the end of August.

Chicago has 77 branch libraries, along with the Sulzer and Woodson regional libraries and the Harold Washington central library in the South Loop.

With the opening of the new West Town and Altgeld branches last year and the West Humboldt Park, Greater Grand Crossing, Dunning and Little Village branches either completed or planned for this year, the city will have replaced or built 59 libraries since 1989, when former Mayor Richard M. Daley took office.

At last week’s City Council meeting, Emanuel proposed building two more libraries — one of them at 5150 N. Kimball.

Early in his administration, Daley proposed reducing library hours — and closing the Harold Washington Library on Sundays — only to reverse that decision after a barrage of protests.

From that moment on, libraries appeared to enjoy a special protected status with Daley and benefited from a property tax levy specifically for public libraries.

A victory for Chicago Teachers. 


News Thursday October 20th, 2011, 2:32pm

Labor Board Seeking Injunction To Halt CPS Longer School Day Program

The Illinois Education labor Relations Board voted 5-0 in favor of seeking an injunction to stop the Chicago Public Schools Longer School Day Pioneer Program from continuing this academic year. If Attorney General Lisa Madigan, whose office will now receive the case, convinces a circuit court judge to grant an injunction, the program would end for the rest of the school year and the nine schools currently taking part would go back to their original schedules.
CTU President Karen Lewis responded to the ruling with the following comments, released in a statement:

This is a victory for labor and a victory for the law. CPS’ scheme to get schools to convert to a longer school day this year is illegal and today the IELRB found the CBE will irreparably injure labor relations unless it is stopped from implementing its scheme. Today’s ruling says the CBE cannot break the law no matter what its intentions are.
We have repeatedly asked them to settle this case; to sit down and discuss this process; and to help us plan for a longer, better school day next year when this program goes system wide for the 2012/2013 school year. Instead they engaged in illegal, immoral behavior that threatened the future of collective bargaining and of our union. I commend the teachers and school employees who took a stand against this behavior. Today, organized labor won.

CPS responded to the decison with the following statement, stressing that the program will remain in place until a final decision has been made by a circuit court judge:

This is a disappointing decision that is not consistent with either the law or the labor contract between CPS and CTU. CTU’s request would only take time away between teachers and the 4,000 students in longer day pioneer schools today benefitting from 90 additional minutes in the classroom during a time when they are in desperate need of more instructional time. We think this is wrong as do the parents of CPS students who have voted in overwhelming support for a longer school day.
Until this case is taken before a circuit court judge, the principals, teachers and students at schools that have added 90 minutes of instructional time to their day will continue on as is. Students at pioneer schools will receive the additional time they need for math, reading, science, music and art that will help prepare them for success in college and life. We will rigorously defend a longer school day on behalf of all children in our system should this go before a court.
The IELRB will have to make a request to the Attorney General on today's decision. A judge will then have to be petitioned and the case won before that judge in circuit court in order for the Pioneer Schools to roll back the time they've added.

Lewis also refuted the notion that CTU's complaint will negatively impact CPS students.
“What harms our students is 160 schools without libraries; hundreds of schools without air conditioning or heating ventilation; a scaled down curriculum that mandates rampant standardized testing and rote learning; and, a school board that fires its most experienced teachers and disrupts their current school year with a political campaign rather than an a education plan,” Lewis added.

Petition to Overhaul Edison Park Fieldhouse Playlot

Readers,

This sent in by a reader from edisonpark.com.  This initiative is a joint effort of the Edison Park Community Council and the Edison Park Chamber of Commerce.  Take a minute to read it over and sign the on-line petition.

• 
• 

Online Petition by iPetitions.com

FACTS

1. The current playlot at Edison Park Fieldhouse, 6755 N. Northwest Highway, was constructed in 1984.
2. It has a 64% safety rating according to Injury Free Chicago (Children's Memorial Hospital).
3. The Edison Park Chamber of Commerce and the Edison Park Community Council are working together on this project.
4. Current Chicago Park District code does not allow playlots to be named after a living person. John McDonough meets all the criteria except he has not been deceased for a year.
5. John McDonough grew up in Edison Park and is the current Chicago Blackhawks President and CEO.
6. Petitions will be at each ticket booth as well as vendor booths in the Business Expo to encourage the Chicago Park District to allow us to rename a "NEW" playlot after John McDonough.

How about a Community Action Council for Education in the 41st Ward?

Readers,

Take a look at this write up by Sarah Karp, Catalyst Journalist.  She reports on four communities who formed Community Action Councils in their communities to come up with public education action plans based on community vision.  Notice, all four councils were made up of community stakeholders ~ parents, teachers, community leaders.  They were not lead by CPS administration, so action plans created came from community need rather than CPS administrative interpretation of community needs...  a much better forum to create parent and community buy in.

When the alderman speaks of forming a "community education advisory" committee, I sincerely hope she considers a model such as this one - lead by the community, fully recognizing parents as their childrens' best advocates and primary educators

From the article:

Serving students in their community
Because it comes out of the community, Lopez says, it incorporates ideas that outsiders often miss. “How do we harness the social capital of our community and bring it to bear on our schools?” he says. “This is the most comprehensive rethinking of schools that has happened.”

Community Action Councils present their vision of local schools

By: Sarah Karp / October 17, 2011

Imagine this: A community that is viewed as an expansive campus, home to elementary schools that specialize in all sorts of things from Montessori to math and science to language. Parents don't have to apply and pray to win the lottery, but are guaranteed a seat for their child if they live in the neighborhood.

The high school would build on the specialties taught in the elementary schools, to draw in students from the community rather than having them travel far and wide.

This is the vision of the Community Action Council of Humboldt Park, one of four groups that have met for a year to come up with a comprehensive plan for what schools in their neighborhood should look like. Another council, in Bronzeville, has a similar vision. The four councils wrapped up presentations to CPS senior staff members last week.

When they came together last year, during the tenure of former CEO Ron Huberman, the councils were a novel idea. After years of experiencing school closings, consolidations, turnovers and takeovers handed down from above by CPS, a council would come together and create a vision for local schools.

In addition to parents and community advocates, aldermen and other elected officials would serve on the councils to give them some political leverage.

The plans are as different as the communities. Humboldt Park outlined a strategy to meld neighborhood schools and school choice. Englewood focused on creating more structures in schools to beef up parent involvement.

Yet all the groups want more high-quality preschools, and for schools to build on what students are learning as they transition from early childhood programs to elementary school to high school.

No mention of closing, consolidations

None of the plans, however, specify which schools the councils believe should be closed or consolidated, even though the communities--Englewood, Grand Boulevard, Humboldt Park and Austin--have many under-utilized schools.

The fact that the plans don’t include any recommendations for such action underscores how painful and controversial such decisions are, even when schools are virtually empty and low-achieving.

CEO Jean-Claude Brizard has said he will close and consolidate some schools this year; he’s also told the groups he will let them know what he’s thinking.

“I am proud to say that Brizard promised not to make any decisions without talking to us first,” says Chris Harris, pastor of the Bright Star Church of God and the chairman of the Bronzeville council. But Harris notes that hearing what the community has to say is not the same as listening to it.

Puerto Rican Cultural Center Executive Director Jose Lopez says the Humboldt Park council understands that some schools have to be closed, but that, rather than letting those schools sit vacant, they would like them to be used constructively for programs like job training or parent institutes.

He emphasized that the Humboldt Park council was more interested in talking about stopping the brain drain from their communities than about closing schools.

While some CPS officials might have liked for the councils to make specific recommendations about closings and other actions, council members say they wanted to offer up something more visionary.

“We didn’t want something piecemeal,” Harris says.

Serving students in their community
Because it comes out of the community, Lopez says, it incorporates ideas that outsiders often miss. “How do we harness the social capital of our community and bring it to bear on our schools?” he says. “This is the most comprehensive rethinking of schools that has happened.”

Lopez says the Humboldt Park council wants the schools in the community to be able to serve students seamlessly, from preschool through college. Julio Urrutia, deputy director of the Puerto Rican Cultural Center, says that the council wants Clemente to be the anchor of the community and to offer dual-credit programs with colleges, such as Northeastern University.

Making the neighborhood schools, such as Clemente High, more attractive is the critical factor in stemming enrollment loss. Clemente is down more than 1,000 students since 2006.

"We talked about why are we losing kids at that level?" Urrutia said."Where are we failing?"

The plans don’t ask for, or speak against, charter schools, though CPS leaders who are supportive of charters might have been hoping the groups would get behind the idea.

Harris says the Bronzeville council supports any school that educates children well, but wants resources poured into neighborhood schools. He notes that there’s little evidence that charter schools are, on the whole, better than neighborhood schools, yet he understands why some parents choose them.

He points to Woodson South, where he is on the local school council. On one side of the building is a University of Chicago charter school, with smart-boards and new books and parents who can bring their children to school in a Mercedes-Benz, he says.
Charter schools and selective enrollment schools, such as King High School, can frustrate parents because students are chosen for them, creating a situation where students are forced to walk past good schools to go to worse ones.
 “At the end of the day, do not put a school in my community and tell me my kid can’t go,” Harris says.

Potential impact
It’s anyone’s guess what the district’s leadership will do with these plans. Since the groups began meeting, Huberman left, Interim CEO Terry Mazany came and went, and new CEO Brizard has taken over. Robert Runcie, the former chief administrative officer who spearheaded the process, has also left CPS.

Brizard’s administration is still digesting the plans and is not ready to comment on them, according to a spokesperson.
But there are signs that the process could have at least some impact.
While Brizard is not beholden to the councils, he and his senior staff did take time to meet with them and listen to their presentations. And amid hundreds of layoffs in central office, the former principal who has overseen the council process, Bill Gerstein, remains on board.
Other communities, such as Roseland, are starting to meet to come up with plans as well.

Public pressure, too, could put pressure on the district to listen. In Humboldt Park, the plan was unveiled and approved at a community summit meeting attended by 300 people.

Harris says the Bronzeville council also worked with the chief of schools, Sean Stalling, who oversees area high schools, and Shawn Smith, who oversees area elementary schools.

The Humboldt Park council also included ideas about how to lengthen the school day, which is at the top of Brizard's agenda. Rather than add many more minutes to subjects such as math and reading, the Humboldt Park council would like to see community groups and neighborhood institutions such as the fire department work with teachers to integrate some real-life, hands on lessons.

“Why would we do the same things, and students are [already] bored to death?” Lopez said.


Note: Catalyst Chicago is still waiting on copies of all of the community action plans. After saying they would provide them on Wednesday, CPS officials have not done so. Once they do, we will post in full

Chicago Parks in the 41st Ward



"Hortus in Urbe" translates to "Garden in a City"

 Parks in the 41st Ward

Take a look at the Chicago Park District's 2011 - 2015 Capital Projects Construction Plan.  I read through the 40 page document and found just a couple of minor restoration projects listed for 41st Ward parks.  No major renovations or new green spaces.  Interesting.

Here is the link to the report:

http://www.cpdit01.com/resources/capital-construction.cip/general-information/2011%20-%202015%20Capital%20Improvement%20Plan.pdf

There have been significant increases in population numbers, especially for children ages 0 - 18 over the last decade, within the 41st Ward.   Has park space been expanded or improved?  Have extra park programs been added?

How about a long overdue indoor or outdoor ice rink for the 41st ward?  The nearest Chicago Park District indoor ice rink is located at California and Addison, McFetridge Park (the only indoor ice rink for the entire North Side of Chicago), about seven miles away. 

How about martial arts, dance, art and music programs through the Chicago Park District for the 41st Ward?  Why do families living in the 41st ward have to pay for recreational & sports programs privately?  Take a look at some of our neighboring suburban park districts and the phenomenal park programing they have available for children...  and families in surrounding suburbs are paying the same or less for public park services.

Send comments and ideas...

Chicago Alderman Wants To Ban Plastic Shopping Bags

Chicago Alderman Wants To Ban Plastic Shopping Bags « CBS Chicago

CHICAGO (CBS) — The days of taking your purchases home in a plastic bag may be numbered in the city of Chicago.
A push is under way to make it illegal for city stores to pack up your goods in those bags, CBS 2’s Mike Parker reports.
Chicagoans use and throw away an estimated 3 billion plastic bags each year. And they’re not hard to spot being carried by shoppers all over town. Unfortunately, they’re also easy to spot everywhere, after they’ve been used and tossed. There seems to be a bumper crop this fall.

“India has banned them to the point where if you’re caught using them, you go to jail. Now, I’m not proposing that,” 1^st Ward Ald. Proco Joe Moreno says.
Moreno wants a new ordinance prohibiting big retailers from providing plastic bags to customers. Stores would be fined from $150 to $250 if they did not obey the law.
The billions of bags used in Chicago are not merely eyesores, Moreno argues. To make them takes 12 million barrels of oil each year, and they’re difficult to recycle. Plus, they can clog up the sewer system.
“I went out and talked to the guys that actually do it,” Moreno says. “They pull out hundreds of plastic bags out of our sewers. So, it’s costing the city money.”
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is promising to battle the proposed bag ban.
“Certainly consumers are using them. They obviously want to continue to use them, so we continue to provide them,” spokeswoman Tanya Triche says.
Moreno says if the outright ban doesn’t fly in the Council, he’ll go to Plan B: charging a tax of 10 cents on retailers for every plastic bag they buy. He figures that could bring millions of dollars in revenue to the city and put pressure on stores to stop using the bags.

2012 City of Chicago Budget Released Today

2012 budget is out.  A number of cuts and new fees.  What do you think?

Budget highlights:

• 1400 police officer vacancies will be eliminated.  100 police cadets will be hired in 2012.
• Three Chicago Police District Buildings to close and consolidation of Chicago Police & Chicago Fire Department Headquarters
• Water bills to double over four years.  Not For Profits to pay for water, too.
• 500 city workers to be laid off
• Chicago Public Libraries to decrease hours ~ 8 hours/week.
• Hotel taxes and parking garage fees to go up.
• City Sticker fee for SUVs to go from $75.00 to $135.
• 900 traffic lights retrofitted with LED bulbs.
• Garbage collection to move to a "grid system"
• 30 million dollar TIF surplus to go to CPS for School renovations

Aldermen Mixed on Budget

by HUNTER CLAUSS and DAN MIHALOPOULOS | Oct 12, 2011

As they had done so many times for Mayor Richard M. Daley, aldermen stood and applauded at the end of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first budget speech since he was elected to succeed Daley.
And the longest-serving City Council member, Ald. Edward Burke (14th Ward) predicted that a “clear majority” of aldermen would approve Emanuel’s 2012 budget proposal with little change, despite the raft of initiatives that were politically unpalatable in better economic times.
“We’re at a point now where the city’s finances are in such serious condition that the city government simply can’t do business the way it’s done business over the years,” said Burke, who endorsed an Emanuel rival in the February mayoral election but since has made peace with the new mayor.
Although the balanced budget plan relies on a long list of fee increases that would impact the pocketbooks of Chicagoans, Burke noted that the revenue-generating moves include a hotel tax hike and a surcharge for parking downtown.
“They’re not taxes that affect the homeowners,” he said. “They’re basically increases that affect commuters, and it’s an attempt, I believe, to spreading the responsibility of funding this government beyond the city limits.”
Ald. Patrick O’Connor (40th), who is Emanuel’s unofficial council floor leader, said the new mayor, unlike Daley, does not budget on the assumption the economy will improve. “It’s more apparent that we don’t have the luxury of not making some of these decisions at this point,” O’Connor said.
Aldermen will hold public hearings beginning in a week, grilling each of Emanuel’s Cabinet members before voting in December on the city’s taxing and spending plans for next year. For most of Daley’s tenure, he enjoyed lopsided and often unanimous votes in favor of his budget plans. Council members rarely sought to even amend the budget.
But opposition to some parts of the new administration’s 2012 proposal surfaced immediately.
City Clerk Susana Mendoza, whose office issues city stickers, said she was “adamantly opposed” to Emanuel’s plan to increase city sticker fees for sport-utility vehicle and truck owners. Mendoza said she will lobby aldermen to kill the fee hike, to $135 from $120, because she said it would affect “soccer moms.”
Mendoza also criticized the mayor’s process for rolling out the idea. “I just found out about this increase today, which probably isn’t the best approach to get a job done,” she said.
Ald. Brendan Reilly, whose 42nd Ward includes the downtown area, said he opposed Emanuel’s proposed increase in the city’s hotel tax. City officials said the total hotel tax would rise to 16.4 percent from 15.4 percent now, or $1.78 added to the average nightly rate for a room.
“None of these revenue options are attractive to anyone,” said Reilly, who is vice chairman of the council’s Budget Committee, which runs the budget hearings. “We want to make sure we avoid any unintended economic consequences by raising these taxes.”
Emanuel’s plan to close three police stations received a cool response from aldermen whose wards would be affected.
Ald. Will Burns (4th) said he was concerned the closing of the Prairie police station would lead to more crime in his ward.
“I’m not defending the building,” Burns said. “What I’m defending are officers who know that community, who have relationships with the community.”
Ald. Roberto Maldonado (26th) said he did not buy Emanuel’s claim that closing police stations would allow the police department to add more officers to the streets.
“To me, that is disingenuous,” Maldonado said. “You might have more police officers coming out of that district, but you’re going to have a much larger geography to serve.”
Ald. Proco “Joe” Moreno (1st) said he believed the closure of a station in his ward was tantamount to punishment for successful efforts to keep crime down in the area on the city’s near Northwest Side.
“We’ve had a neighborhood that has had great success in the last 15 years or so and they should not be punished for that success,” he said.
But Ald. Walter Burnett (27th) said he supports Emanuel’s plan to close police stations. He said a station covering his ward would see more officers as a result of the closings.
“I’m not as married to buildings as I am to services,” Burnett said.
Police Supt. Garry McCarthy and Chicago Public Schools CEO Jean-Claude Brizard, both Emanuel appointees, attended the budget speech. Brizard lauded the mayor’s plan to funnel $30 million in funds from Chicago’s tax-increment financing districts to the schools. Brizard said he would use the money for improving school facilities
“It’s a great beginning,” Brizard said. “It’s a welcome addition to our war chest.”
The Chicago Teachers Union and some aldermen have called on the city to provide even more TIF dollars for schools than Emanuel proposed.

Recycling in the 41st Ward: A few Updates

Where is the 41st Ward in the Managed Competition?

The 41st Ward Will be in Zone #1 serviced by a private firm, Waste Management (Click on the link below for the map and calender)
http://www.cityofchicago.org/content/dam/city/depts/doe/general/RecyclingAndWasteMgmt_PDFs/BlueCart/WM_Postcard_1.pdf

From the City Website: 

Unless otherwise notified, if you have curbside garbage service, your blue cart will be emptied the same day as your garbage. Please put your blue cart at your curb on your specific collection day.
If you have alley garbage service, your blue cart will be emptied during the week of collection. Please put your blue cart in the alley during your entire collection week.

Materials that are accepted in the Chicago Blue Cart Program & Recycling Drop-off Centers:

• Glass: jars and bottles
• Metal: cans, aluminum foil and pie tins
• Paper and Cardboard (flattened): Cereal boxes, paper towel rolls, cardboard (flatten all boxes), junk mail, magazines, catalogs, telephone books, paper bags, office paper and file folders, newspaper and inserts, paper greeting cards, wrapping paper
• Plastic: bottles and containers (# 1-5, 7 accepted), plastic beverage rings
• Waxy cartons: Aseptic packages and waxy cartons (milk, juice, soy cartons)

Note:  I called the City of Chicago Recycling Program last Friday, asking when the new blue carts will be arriving and I was told, "We don't have the schedule yet". 
I was told to call the Ward Streets & Sanitation Office at 312.744.2331 for updates.

 From the Chicago Recycling Coalition:

Managed Competition: What Does It Mean?
For the next six months, beginning Monday, October 3, the future of part of Chicago's recycling is being determined by "managed competition." The Emanuel Administration has modified the Daley Administration's plan for privatization and turned it into a plan that will pit three groups in a head to head to head battle for the right to run all or part of Chicago's recycling program: Department of Streets and Sanitation workers, Waste Management and Sims Metal Management Municipal Recycling. 

Under the Daley plan, the city was divided into six service areas, all of which were to be outsourced to  private companies. Mayor Emanuel modified that plan by assigning two of those areas to city employees to see whether they can effectively compete with private companies. Waste Management is responsible for three areas and Sims has one. The City is giving all three groups exactly six months to prove that they can handle Chicago's recycling efficiently and, at the same time, help cut into the city's massive budget deficit. At that time, reportedly, a cost-benefit analysis will determine which group(s) will continue to handle recycling.

The Chicago Recycling Coalition is concerned about the many questions are still unanswered about the managed competition, including the exact criteria for the cost-benefit analysis. For example, the city can generate revenue by selling materials collected by the Department of Streets and Sanitation. This is only true of those zones serviced by the city rather than by the private contractors. We do not know, however, if revenues from those sales will be counted in the cost-benefit analysis.

In addition, we are concerned about the fairness of the competition, as well as how transparently it will be executed. We also wonder, as do others, whether six months is enough time to determine whether a recycling group should be locked in for the next seven years. We will continue to report on these and other issues over the next few months. If you have questions, comments or observations that you wish to share with us, please post them on our Facebook page.

To make things clear, the blue cart program applies to residences of four units or fewer, sometimes called "single family residences." How the Emanuel Administration will deal with business and residential high rises (more than four units), is still anybody's guess. But even if you live in a single family residence, chances are that you still don't have a blue cart. There are about 359,000 of you in Chicago. When will those arrive? Still uncertain, though the city has reportedly awarded a $25 million contract to Chicago United Industries to purchase as many as 550,000 more containers, which would cover the areas not currently served by the blue cart program. 

 For more comprehensive information about recycling in your part of the city, click here to go to the City of Chicago website.

16th District Commander to Speak at the Norwood Chamber of Commerce Membership Meeting

<>FYI:  You will need to RSVP to attend, and note:  questions only from chamber members

Event Day: Wednesday Event Date: October 19th, 2011 Event Time: 12:00 pm

Subject:

MEMBERSHIP MEETING

Event Description:

EVENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT NORWOOD CROSSING HERITAGE ROOM, 6016 N. NINA ******************************************************************************* GUEST SPEAKER: 16TH DISTRICT CPD COMMANDER DAVE MCNAUGHTON ******************************************************************************* Commander McNaughton will provide first hand information regarding emergency and first response procedures. The Police Department is implementing "saturation" patrols in order to ensure law and order in our neigborhood. The Commander will answer questions from Chamber members. If you wish to attend this meeting please RSVP: 773-763-3606

Like many of you, I really don't know what to believe anymore.  Last week, Supt. McCarthy tells us it would be unconscionable to hire more police, and this week he tells us he will hire them next year.  Was he telling the truth then, or telling the truth now?  Who knows?  I'm tired of the political dog and pony shows.   Tired of politicians making important decisions based on what's best for their political careers.  Tired of the mayor's incessant numbers games.

City to hire new police officers next year, Supt. McCarthy says - Chicago Sun-Times

City to hire new police officers next year, Supt. McCarthy says

BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter fspielman@suntimes.com October 6, 2011 2:02PM

Mayor Rahmn Emanuel and Chicago Police Dept. Supt. Garry McCarthy announced the redeployment of additional Chicago police officers to communities across Chicago Thursday, October 6, 2011. | Rich Hein~Sun-Times

Chicago will hire more police officers next year for the first time since September 2010, Police Supt. Garry McCarthy said Thursday, letting the cat out of the bag on Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s first budget.

Less than a week ago, McCarthy said it would be “unconscionable” to hire more officers until he has finished retooling the Chicago Police Department and maximizing the performance of the officers he already has.

On Thursday, he changed his tune.

“We are going to be hiring more. We’re putting that into the budget. The issue is, how many we can hire and when we can do it,” McCarthy said, refusing to reveal specifics.

McCarthy cut off the conversation when asked whether the 2012 budget the mayor will unveil Wednesday would save $93 million by eliminating 1,400 police vacancies.

The sketchy promise of more hirings was not enough to appease Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) President Mike Shields.

“How many and when? Is it after the NATO and G-8 [summits in May]? We’re not prepared for thousands of protesters coming into Chicago. We can’t absorb them if we can’t handle 14-year-olds getting murdered,” Shields said.

Emanuel campaigned on a promise to solve a severe manpower shortage by adding 1,000 officers not now on the street, 250 of them newly-hired with funds generated by tax-increment-financing (TIF) districts.

Asked Thursday whether he intends to hire more officers, the mayor would only say that he was “aware of what I said” during the campaign.

A two-year hiring slowdown has left the Chicago Police Department more than 2,300 officers-a-day short of authorized strength including vacancies and officers on medical leave and limited duty.

Former Mayor Richard M. Daley’s final budget called for hiring 200 additional officers — nowhere near enough to keep pace with attrition — but the officers were never hired.

McCarthy told the Chicago Sun-Times in late August that he had been asked to cut at least $190 million from the Police Department’s $1.3 billion budget and would get only half way there by eliminating vacancies.

Last week, he retreated from that position, saying, “I don’t want to eliminate positions. I want to hold on to them and not fill them,” then hire officers when economic conditions improve.

Budget Director Alex Holt subsequently told Chicago Sun-Times columnist Mark Brown that the 1,400 police vacancies would be placed “essentially in a reserve account.”

Even without new hirings, Emanuel claimed Thursday to have delivered on his campaign promise to put 1,000 more police officers on the street.

The 138 police officers that put the mayor over the top will be made available by hiring civilian detention aides to replace sworn officers and by closing police lock-ups in four police districts: Shakespeare, Albany Park, Town Hall and Rogers Park.

The civilian detention aides will be hired in mid-November at a cost of $4.4 million. The union representing 72 laid off Loop traffic control aides will get first dibs on those jobs, under a settlement with their union, SEIU Local 73.

Emanuel got mildly annoyed after being reminded that more than half of the 1,019 additional street officers he claims had already been working on the street in specialized units.

“I’m only 132 days into a four-year term. But, 1,019 officers have been applied from where they were before to the street,” he told a news conference at the Chicago Lawn district, where crime is down by 25 percent.

“There’s only one question that matters to me: It’s the question that matters to people in their neighborhood, at their kitchen table and when their kids are at school: ‘Is my community seeing the type of safety I need?’ “

Shields argued that the shift from specialized units to beat patrol has led to a reduction in pro-active policing.

“All they’re doing is answering 911 calls and doing a few traffic stops,” he said. “If I was a drug dealer, I would be doing cartwheels with this new crime strategy knowing there’s less of a chance I’m going to be stopped.”

Watch the City Council Meeting LIVE, Today at 10am.

Watch the City Council Meeting, LIVE...

Go to the City Clerks Website:  http://www.chicityclerk.com/  Click on the City Council tab, then the City Council Meeting Video tab.


City Council Videos

Live City Council Meetings

     • Next City Council Meeting: October 5, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. You can watch the meeting live here.

The Responsible Budget Ordinance Press Conference

Hey, Hey, Ho, Ho ...Corporate Welfare Has Got To Go!  See You Tube Video... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaeTD2bwjG4&noredirect=1

Grassroots Collaborative together with Alderman Waguespack announce the introduction of the Responsible Budget Ordinance.

RESTORE TIF DOLLARS to City Services like CPS, CPD, Parks and Libraries too - YES


Meet the aldermen who support children, working families first and foremost:

Several other Aldermen were present in support: Alderman Bob Fioretti (2nd ward), Alderman Foulkes (15th ward), Alderman Moreno (1st ward), Alderman Sposato (36th ward), Alderman Arena (45th ward), Alderman Burns (4th ward), Alderman Moore (49th ward), and Alderman Smith (43rd ward)  

---

The aldermen will introduce the legislation at Wednesdays City Council meeting.

Post your Property Tax Increase Nightmare Stories Here

Property Tax bills have arrived....

It Keeps Getting Better: The Inspector General Exposes a TIF Scam

Wow, I'm shocked...

 Chicago's TIF Scam: Kids Don't Matter

Posted by Ben Joravsky on Tue, Oct 4, 2011 at 5:11 PM

Just when I think I've figured out every little detail in the ongoing $500 million a year TIF debacle, along comes a new one.
In this case, kudos to Inspector General Joe Ferguson for blowing the whistle on an interesting arrangement in which unnamed officials in former Mayor Richard Daley's administration successfully convinced TIF recipients into donating to After School Matters, a charity founded by Maggie Daley
Where to start? And you know, it's just a start. I have a feeling this deserves far more than one blog bit.
Okay, not wanting to trash After School Matters.
Cause I'm sure there's a lot of people there who do lots of wonderful things for kids — like exposing them to music, art, drama, dance, etc. — though you should read Deanna Isaac's story to judge for yourself.

But....
Let's just try to put this whole thing into perspective.
The mayor takes roughly $250 million a year in desperately needed property tax dollars from our nearly bankrupt public schools and feeds them into a slush fund.
He then disperses money from that fund to well-connected developers and or corporations who don't really need a public hand out at all.
And they in turn donate money to the mayor's wife's favorite charity, which promotes after-school programs in the arts for children whose schools are too broke to have their own art programs. Because the mayor takes $250 million a year in desperately needed property tax dollars....
And so we go round and round in the TIF circle game.

Okay, sorry. I'll slow down. Let me take my pills. Breathe, Ben, breathe. Ah, feeling better already....
You know, not every town around here runs like Chicago. Why I can think of some where they just spend pretty much whatever it takes to have the best art/music/drama school programs money can buy.
In the New Trier school district, for instance, where Mayor Rahm happened to go to school.
Can you imagine, by the way, if they ran an arts program in Wilmette like the one they have in Chicago? Where they pretty much did away with art and music in the public schools and had the kids depend on the kindness of strangers who donate to the mayor's wife's favorite charity?

Somehow I think the good folks in New Trier wouldn't go for that.
And like I always say — if it was good enough for Mayor Rahm, it should be good enough for all kids.
Speaking of Mayor Rahm, he shows no signs of wanting to meaningfully change the TIF scam. By my count he could hire over 100 art and/or music, drama teachers just with the $7 million in TIF funds he intends to give to the developer who's building a grocery store in Greektown.
That grocery store happens to be across the street from another grocery store. Cause — as well all know — what Chicago really needs is more grocery stores in Greektown!
Anyway, thank you Mr. I.G. for shining a little more light on the TIF scam. Gives us one more reason — as if any more were needed — to blow this program up once and for all.

Free Flu Shots in the 41st Ward and Across the City

2011 CDPH Influenza Vaccination Clinics

 41st Ward Sites in Red

Monday, October 3

Mather’s More Than a Café, 33 E. 83rd Street, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Kelvyn Park Senior Suites, 2715 N. Cicero, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Norwood Satellite Senior Center, 5801 N. Natoma, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Tuesday, October 4

8th Ward Office, 8539 S. Cottage Grove, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

11th Ward-McGuane Park, 2901 S. Poplar, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Wednesday, October 5

30th Ward Office, 3348 N. Milwaukee, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Mather’s More Than a Café, 7134 W. Higgins, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Auburn Gresham Satellite Senior Center, 1040 W. 79th Street, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Thursday, October 6

48th Ward-Broadway Armory, 5917 N. Broadway, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Chatham Satellite Senior Center, 8300 S. Cottage Grove, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Renaissance Court, 78 E. Washington, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

 Friday, October 7

Chicago Police Dept - Area 3, 2452 W. Belmont, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Austin Satellite Senior Center, 5071 W. Congress, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Tuesday, October 11

Northwest Regional Senior Center, 3160 N. Milwaukee, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Central West Regional Center, 2102 W. Ogden, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Mather’s More Than a Café, 3235 N. Central, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Wednesday, October 12

25th Ward Office, 2439 S. Oakley, 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

17th Ward Office, 7811 S. Racine, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Northeast Regional Senior Center, 2019 W. Lawrence, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Thursday, October 13

Garfield Ridge Satellite Senior Center, 5674 S. Archer, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

North Center Satellite Senior Center, 4040 N. Oakley, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

23rd Ward-St. Daniel the Prophet, 5340 S. Nashville, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Friday, October 14

31st Ward- St. Genevieve Church, 2451 N. Lamon, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Saturday, October 15

49th Ward Office, 7356 N. Greenview, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

19th Ward-Mt. Greenwood Park, 3721 W. 111th Street, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Monday, October 17

12th Ward-Calmeca Academy Fine Arts, 3456 W. 38th Street, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Chicago Police Dept - Area 1, 5101 S. Wentworth,  9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Tuesday, October 18

44th Ward-Lincoln Park Plaza, 600 W. Diversey, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

5th Ward-Don Nash Center, 1833 E. 71st, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Chicago Police Dept – Area 2, 727 E. 111th Street, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Wednesday, October 19

37th Ward Office, 5346 W. North, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Abbott Park Satellite Senior Center, 49 E. 95th Street, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

21st Ward Office, 9612 S. Halsted, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Thursday, October 20

Pilsen Satellite Senior Center, 2021 S. Morgan, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Chicago Police Dept - Area 5, 5555 W. Grand, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

13th Ward- West Lawn, 4233 W. 65th, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Friday, October 21

Chicago Police Dept.- Headquarters, 3510 S. Michigan,  9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

10th Ward-Knights of Columbus, 11207 S. Ewing,  9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Saturday, October 22

41st Ward St Joseph Church, 5000 N. Cumberland, 9:00 AM to 2:00 Pm
Alderman O’Connor’s 41st Ward Family Health Fair
Free Flu Shots will be administered and a number of exhibitors
will be on hand offering a variety of services including:
Vein Clinic with Screening
S.M.I.L.E. ( CPR Training)
Skin Cancer Screening
Cardiology (Heart Health)
Stroke/Heart Attack Education
Information on Bariatric Surgery

Sunday, October 23

24th Ward-Greater Galilee Church, 1308 S. Independence, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Monday, October 24

40th Ward Office, 5850 N. Lincoln, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

32th Ward Office, 2657 N. Clybourn, 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM

Tuesday, October 25

14th Ward-Polish Highlanders, 4808 S. Archer, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

29th Ward Office. 5755 W. Division, 9:00AM to 3:00 PM

50th Ward Office, 2949 W. Devon, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Wednesday, October 26

Portage Park Satellite Senior Center, 4100 N. Long,  9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Chicago Police Dept - Area 4, 3315 W. Ogden Ave., 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Thursday, October 27

38th Ward Office, 5817 W. Irving Park, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

46th Ward-Weiss Memorial Hospital, 4646 N. Marine Drive, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

 Friday, October 28

1st Ward- Nazareth Family Center, 1127 N. Oakley, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Englewood Satellite Senior Center, 653 W. 63rd Street, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Saturday, October 29

Kennedy King College, 740 W. 63rd Street, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Truman College, 1145 W. Wilson, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Monday, October 31

27th Ward Office, 1463 W. Chicago, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Southeast Regional Senior Center, 1767 E. 79th Street, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Tuesday, November 1

3rd Ward- Apostolic Faith Church, 3823 S. Indiana, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Thursday, November 3

Renaissance Court, 78 E. Washington, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Saturday, November 5

Arturo Velasquez, 2800 S. Western, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Daley College, 7500 S. Pulaski, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Wright College, 4300 N. Narragansett, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Monday, November 7

39th Ward Office, 4404 W. Lawrence, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Tuesday, November 8

Northeast Regional Senior Center, 2019 W. Lawrence, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

18th Ward Office, 8146 S. Kedzie, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Wednesday, November 9

Northwest Regional Senior Center, 3160 N. Milwaukee, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Saturday, November 12

47th Ward-Sulzer Library, 4455 N. Lincoln, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

33rd Ward Office, 3649 N. Kedzie, 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Monday, November 14

20th Ward Office, 6357 S. Cottage Grove, 12:00PM to 3:00 PM

34th Ward Office, 507 W. 111th Street, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Tuesday, November 15

Southwest Regional Senior Center, 6117 S. Kedzie, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Wednesday, November 16

WestTown Satellite Senior Center, 1613 W. Chicago, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

36th Ward- Hiawatha Park, 8029 W. Forest Preserve, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Friday, November 18

Southeast Regional Senior Center, 1767 E. 79th Street, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

9th Ward-Metropolitan Family Center, 235 E. 103rd Street, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Tuesday, November 22

28th Ward- Garfield Center, 10 S. Kedzie, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Friday, December 9

26th Ward-Rebano Church, 2435 W. Division, 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Biking in & around the 41st Ward

 

The map above is from the Chicago Department of Transportation website, and it illustrates existing and proposed bike lanes in & around the 41st Ward. ( click on the map to enlarge).

The Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Meeting (MBAC) group has been meeting for almost five years.  The last meeting was held on September 14, 2011 and these are links to the minutes from the meeting as well as a video tape recording of the entire meeting:  (click on links).

The last MBAC meeting:

• September 14, 2011 - Video recording pt. 1, Video recording pt. 2

The next MBAC meeting:

WHAT: Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Meeting

WHEN: Wed. Dec. 14, 3PM - 4:30PM

WHERE: City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle, Room 1103

Check out the Chicago 2015 Bike Plan at:                                                                                                      http://www.bike2015plan.org/pdf/bike2015plan.pdf 

Comments?

A Securities Transaction Tax for Chicago? One Tax that Would Help Overburdened Chicagoans

What is a Securities Transation Tax (STT)?

A securitites transation tax (also known as a Financial Transaction Tax, under a broader umbrella) levies a tax on financial market trades of stocks, bonds, derivatives, and similiar financial transations.  A STT is not a taxing of the financial institutions themselves. Instead, it is charged only on the specific transactions that are designated as taxable.   We could start to rebuild the city budget with a one cent/share STT tax in Chicago. 

The City Council should be considering a STT tax before any other tax that will further burden the average Chicago taxpayer.  This tax won't hurt the average citizen, we can only benefit from it. 

STT has been fully implemented in 15 other countries and has had a positive financial impact for those countries that include England. 

Billions of shares are traded in Chicago, daily.  The amount of the tax would probably be somewhere around one cent/share ~ this could possibly generate $200 million + more for the city budget. 

The positives:

• The average Chicago citizen won't have to pay it, but will benefit.
• The tax reduces speculation and makes the banking system safer (less volatile).
• Its a tiny tax that accrues a huge amount of revenue.

The negatives:

• Some people will argue that traders will go elsewhere to trade, move to another city, etc.  To that, it is said, go, because traders don't contribute to the tax base and are parasites to municipalities, receiving tax breaks & free city services.  They don't contribute one penny to the city budget, but cost us plenty.

A great example:  last year the Mercantile Exchange received 15 million dollars in TIF funds to renovate their building, including the bathrooms.  So, the Mercantile Exchange received 15 million of taxpayer dollars that was suppose to go to economic development for struggling communities.  The Merc is on target to make two billion dollars in profit this year.  Does the Mercantile sound like they need economic development!!?

The STT tax has been monikered the "Robin Hood" tax because it takes from the rich, to benefit the poor.  Lets analyze this last statement juxtaposed with city politics...  The mayor will most likely have issues with a tax like this because he will receive major pressure from his political sponsors, whom have made millions, even billions in commodities and trade ( and the mayor himself through "Investment Banking").

Our mayor seems quite comfortable implementing tax increases for us:  property tax increases, a new city tax increase, etc...  Lets see if he will tax his pals.

What do you think?