Chicago City Watch and City Budget hearings and reports, closing loopholes
This page brought to you by Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference and HPKCC's website, www.hydepark.org. Join the Conference!
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Chicago City Watch and City Budget hearings and reports, closing loopholesThis page brought to you by Hyde Park-Kenwood Community Conference and HPKCC's website, www.hydepark.org. Join the Conference! |
Expect property tax increases starting in 2008. The deficit is already substantial, and there is talk of a raid on TIFs.
The 2005 budget passed in mid December, 2004, full of tax and fee increases (pot. damaging downtown) and some cuts. Alderman Preckwinkle was one of 3 to vote "no" on the total vote and one of 5 on one section.
In mid 2005, the city was trying to close a shortfall of over 100m through a 3% across the board cut for the rest of the year and new fees for 2006.
The proposed 2006 budget is $5.2 billion with no property tax increase but a 20 cent increase in the cigarette tax among other fee upticks. There were even rumors that nonprofits may now be charged for water. This time Ald. Preckwinkle was the only one to vote "No" citing shortcomings in justice and good government. The January 11 Herald has her letter.
Mayor Daley said the budget provides more affordable housing. How the budget will "strengthen the economy and create more well-paying jobs" is hard to discern. He says it "will invest in new and improved streets, alleys and sidewalks" presumably because it gives the first increase in the aldermanic "menu" budget in five years. The balance act draws on "unexpectedly" higher revenues and $75 million from the Skyway accounts. The Skyway money goes to after-school programs, job training for ex-offenders, Meals on Wheels, home heating assistance and service fairs.
The workforce is the lowest in the Daley years, 35,872 less a few more fired. The non police/fire category is down 4,200 since 1989.
Ald. Hairston with Metropolitan Tenants and African American Family Commission introduce and ordinance blocking landlords who do not keep up property from getting city funds until the problems are corrected.
Hairston worked with CHA head Terry Paterson to have a letter sent to building owners saying they cannot receive the subsidy for Section 8 voucher holders if the building is in violation or arrears.
The "Troubled Building Initiative" would provide that 1 to 4 unit residential buildings that have been foreclosed or are vacant and have deteriorated and threaten public health or safety would be acquired by the NHS Redevelopment Corp. and rehabbed or sold including to owner-occupants.
Ald. Hairston and others have reintroduced legislation requiring city council approval for contracts over $100,000 as a safeguard against continued abuses of the city' set-aside programs.
from Herald coverage, September 1, 2004, by Jeremy Adragna
The Mayor praised the property tax cap passed by the state and overhaul of the city hired trucks program. The budget gap is still large- he proposes to fill it in part with a casino.
Topics raised by residents at South Shore Cultural Center included, as always, specific infrastructure needs (sewers, sidewalks, streets, alleys, lighting), police deployment changes, and this year included much fear and complaint about the evolving schools reform plans, Renaissance 2010 and Mid-South Initiative.
The latter will involve closure of many schools and their reopening as charter or private schools after a period of reorganization--Reavis School in Kenwood is already headed in that direction if it doesn't make substantial progress in 2004-5. Parents from Reavis criticized CPS lack of communication and non-transparency on the program and process, including how to move students to new schools. They said low-income students are not welcomed back to closed schools and LSCs are weakened or dissolved in the process. They asked that the process be halted and a new plan be worked out with parents.
As to police deployment and lack of presence complaints, Daley said a major shakeup at the command level is is underway.
Others asked for equal city services.