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June 01, 2009
A telling quote
Edifice 9 | City Hall, originally uploaded by afunkydamsel.
In the wake of the disastrous Chicago parking meter deal, some aldermen are proposing a new ordinance that would require a 15-day waiting period before votes on the sale of public assets over $100 million. This comes after Mayor Daley made an agreement to lease the meters to a private company for $1.2 billion over 75 years, and then gave the City Council two days to consider it. The response? It passed by a 40-5 vote.
As part of the deal, the new company doubled and tripled rates in many areas. Shenanigans ensued. Then some more ensued.
Now City Council wants to review the whole thing, despite the fact they were the yahoo's who approved the deal after barely looking it over. Smooth move, ex lax.
The 15-day waiting period is just a way to make sure something like this can't happen again. Predictable, some aldermen aren't for this new ordinance. One is Bernie Stone, who's been an alderman longer than most of us have been alive. Here's what he had to say about it:
"If there are insufficient facts, you say, 'There are insufficient facts, we need more time,' " Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) said. "Are we children, that we need these hard and fast rules?"
Really? You tell me. You sell the meters for 75 years, with barely thinking about, because Daley basically decided that's what he wanted. If City Council wants to stop acting like Daley's stooges, then yes, maybe you can stop being treated like children.
entry no. 1385
Posted at June 1, 2009 10:50 PM
Comments
Gee, is that waiting period similar to the one in the local landmarks ordinance, the one that has failed to prevent several "protected" historic buildings from being torn down? If the mayor's office wants to ram its next ill-advised privatization scheme through City Council, ramming is exactly what they'll do. Given how blindly the council gives Daley whatever he wants, there's no reason to think that their decisions will be any wiser after waiting 15 days.
Posted by: Pete at June 2, 2009 11:41 AM