My Blog

Category: Mayor’s Race

  • Church Groups Getting Public Money

    Here’s something:

    Faith-based groups that have become the face of community support for Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s controversial plans to lengthen the school day and close failing schools also receive millions of dollars in grants from his administration.

    …

    One of the key players touting grass-roots support for Emanuel’s agenda is the Rev. Roosevelt Watkins, a minister and longtime ally of former Mayor Richard Daley who has seen an uninterrupted flow of contracts to provide services to Chicago Public Schools students. …

    A roughly one-month, $1 million contract was awarded for this spring to three groups, including HOPE, for a program designed to keep children off the street during school breaks. In June, Emanuel’s then-newly appointed schools CEO, Jean-Claude Brizard, lauded the Safe Haven, Safe Summer program, which the district said involved about 100 churches.In July, Watkins’ group was among 10 community organizations that collectively received a one-year, $6.3 million Safe Passage contract to watch over children going to and from school and to defuse potential conflict, according to public records.

    via Chicago Tribune.

    If CPS is giving all this money away to religious groups for after school programs then there should be no problem moving to a voucher system and giving CPS money away for during school programs.

    This could be the birth of a nice school choice program for the city.

  • The Supreme Court Decision

    I realize this is now old news but it is worth mentioning that the decision of the Illinois Supreme Court placing Rahm on the ballot is going to have far reaching consequences.  Justices Freeman and Burke appear to be the only members of the court with any vision:

    Suffice it to say, therefore, that this court has not always spoken clearly on what is meant by residency, and the majority should acknowledge this fact. This is why both sides in this dispute can contend that their respective positions are supported by decades of precedent. Indeed, contrary to the majority’s assertions, the only thing that is well established in this case is the confusion that has existed on this subject. The majority today now makes clear that residency for all purposes is the equivalent of domicile. The majority, therefore, should overrule those portions of Pope, Park, and Clark which hold to the contrary.  …

    Finally, it should be noted that today’s decision will raise questions beyond the facts of this case. Because the court holds that residency has one settled meaning, and that meaning rests on a person’s intent, today’s decision will have implications for residency requirements for in-state tuition, residency requirements for municipal employees such as police officers and firefighters, residency requirements for school districts and other similar situations. This court should be prepared to address those issues as firmly and expeditiously as we have done today.

    I can tell you that the police officers I know are already moving forward, with or without, the FOP to begin taking advantage of this decision.  Chicago police and firefighters will no longer have to live within the city limits as long as they express any intent to someday return.  I’m sure that was not the intent of this decision, but that’s where we stand.

    So, what’s going to happen now?  Sometime over the next few years a police or firefighter residency case will wind its way through the courts.  And when it gets to the Illinois Supreme Court, my prediction is that it will find some way to reverse itself on this decision.

    This decision is for Rahm and Rahm alone.  This decision will forever be know as Rahm’s law.  It applies to no one else.

    This is the sorry state of politics in Illinois.  Someday I’ll write more about why judges should not be elected.  I will use this case as the starting point of the discussion.

  • The Rahm Situation, Part II: The Sword

    He who lives by the sword dies by the sword.
    — Matthew 26:52

    Surely it is folly to suggest that Rahm is getting any less than he fully deserves.  When you live your life in politics and have so playfully toyed with so many peoples lives as he has, things just have a way a catching up to ya.  There is such a thing as karma.

    Obama got elected to his first office in Illinois by knocking his opponents off the ballot.  When Obama and Rahm entered the White House they had no interest in working with anyone in any party on any issue.  The quote was something like, “We won, they lost.”  So much for being a team player.

    I guess the issue is that no one should feel bad for Rahm.  He’s a big boy and knew what he was getting himself into.

    There’s letters seal’d, and my two schoolfellows,
    Whom I will trust as I will adders fang’d—
    They bear the mandate, they must sweep my way
    And marshal me to knavery. Let it work;

    For ’tis the sport to have the enginer
    Hoist with his own petard, an’t shall go hard
    But I will delve one yard below their mines
    And blow them at the moon.
    — Hamlet

    More than once Rahm fancied himself Claudius the King.  Is it not just fitting that the game he has played so well for years has handed him this moment?

    I don’t know how it’s going to end; only the Illinois Supremes do.  But Rahm is an excellent politician.  This little set-back will not knock him out of the game.  It can only delay his entry.

  • The Rahm Situation, Part I: Enforce the Law

    The surest way to get a bad law repealed is to enforce it strictly.
    — Abraham Lincoln

    While editorial boards, talking heads, and policy wonks from near and far are condemning the recent Appellate Court decision removing Rahm from the ballot based on emotion, there has been little discussion in the media as to what the law actually says.

    It’s time we acknowledge, our city and state governments have passed a lot (a LOT) of poorly worded, half-baked laws.  As someone who’s read a few laws in their day I can tell you that many of our laws as so poorly written that even our best judges struggle to figure out what the law really is.  This leads to more appeals and costs everyone money.

    I read both the majority opinion and the decent of the Appellate Court.  Then I reviewed the actual code.  In the end, I believe the Appellate Court got it right.  There are two requirements to run for office in this city and one of them is residency.  As John Kass wrote his headline today, “The law, at least, doesn’t care who sent ya.”

    Further, I’m against judicial activism.  I believe judges should rule as the law “is” and not what they think the law “should be.”  We should follow Lincoln’s advice and strictly enforce the law as it is written.  And then, we should change the law, so that we don’t have this problem again.

  • Position on TIFs

    Well it took some doing, but I have completed my policy on TIFs.

    This is critically important to the sustainability of the city moving forward.  We cannot survive continuing to go further and further into debt year after year while our schools are failing and the TIF funds are growing bigger and bigger.  We need to assess what it would take to shut-down the TIFs, eliminate all of the overhead, take what is needed for debt service, and give the rest of the money back to the operations and schools budgets where it belongs.

    It’s worth pointing out that currently no one else running for alderman in the Second Ward is advancing such a position.  Alderman Fioretti and all the other candidates are taking the position that TIFs are necessary for development, which I so easily prove false.

    I’m waiting for the media to wake-up to this issue and begin asking the tough questions.  Hopefully someone will start soon… before it’s too late.

  • Unions Investment in Chicago (Elections)

    Four years ago, SEIU spent almost $2.5 million in Council races, spearheading a union effort that helped depose Daley allies like Madeline Haithcock, Shirley Coleman and Dorothy Tillman. Asked about the budget for this election, Balanoff said SEIU expects to be involved “at the same level as last time.” Total expenditures by SEIU and other labor groups, including the CFL, could top $4 million, union sources told the CNC.

    (Full story here.)

    Just ask yourself, why would unions spend $4 million of their members money on municipal elections?  Because it’s worth it.  They get an excellent return on their investment.

    The union makes millions in political donations and they get multiple millions in return.

    So who’s looking-out for the taxpayer?

  • Meeks unsure who’s a “Minority”

    Mayoral challenger James Meeks scrambled Thursday to put out a political fire touched off by his suggestion that only African Americans should be eligible for city contracts set aside for minorities and women.

    (Full story here.)

    Of course the Reverend knows what a minority is.  It’s those who will vote for him.  No one else matters.

  • Meeks vs. Tax Law

    Meeks says he’s long been mindful of the rules laid out by the Internal Revenue Service, but it’s clear he chafes at restrictions that prevent churches and other charitable groups from endorsing and contributing to political campaigns.

    “I am running for office, and you know that. … I can take all the money I want from the National Rifle Association, from the pharmaceutical companies, from the riverboat people, from the tobacco industry and from the liquor industry. I can take all the money. … I can take it, it’s legal. But I can’t take one dime from a church,” he told the Salem Baptist congregation.” Something is wrong with that picture.”

    Churches are prohibited from such political activity as a condition of maintaining their highly beneficial tax-exempt status with the IRS.

    (Full story here.)

    Well, if Meeks don’t like the law, then he can incorporate his church as a for-profit, begin paying income tax and property tax, and maybe even go public and deal with the SEC filings and disclosures.  They he can give his money to whomever he likes, and as much of it too.

    But for a guy who a few years ago admitted that his “church” was going to buy a jet plane to complain about his tax treatment is laughable.  Open up the books reverend and let’s see where all the money’s coming from and going to.

  • Media on TIF does not understand TIF

    Media tries, fails to explain why TIF is so confusing:

    [E]ven Mr. Orr and top aides [are] unsure exactly how much money is in Chicago’s TIF coffers.

    …

    There are now 158 TIF districts in Chicago, and they generated $519 million last year, Mr. Orr said. In all, there may be a shade over $1 billion in unspent TIF money.

    While Mr. Orr contends it’s a “travesty” that most Chicagoans are clueless about all that money, one can’t dispute that TIFs are central to development, especially downtown. And it’s hard to dispute how they allow municipalities to support development without raising property taxes.

    (Full story here.)

    Well, let me be one to dispute.

    First off, the “travesty” is the city bookkeeping is so bad that we cannot even tell the citizens how much money is in the accounts.  That’s front page news and a good reason to toss every last elected bum out at their arse.

    Second, it is also unacceptable that over $500 million is placed into the TIF’s annually for dubious reasons.  These are funds that could be used to put more police on the street, improve failing schools, or simply to shore-up our pension liabilities or now annual budget shortfall.

    But more to the point, TIFs are not central to development.  TIFs were invented in California in 1952.  Illinois didn’t create its TIF statute until 1987.  How did we develop prior to 1987?

    The Chicago TIF truth is that dozens of brand-name companies have received millions and millions of tax dollars from TIF funds.  UPS, CNA Insurance, MillerCoors, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Willis Insurance (the “Willies Tower” people), Quaker Oats, United Airlines, and CareerBuilder and just a few.  TIF dollars also went to support a local Mercedes dealer to build new dealership on some of the most valuable land in the city.  Oh, ya, and the Wrigley people to build on the best peninsula in the river (payback for helping with Millennium Park.)

    The simple truth of TIF can be explained in one simple graph.

    TIF Graph
    TIF Graph

    Click on the image to expand.

    TIFs are a way to rob the person to actually invests in a neighborhood, the home or business owner.  A family moves into a neighborhood effected by a TIF and part of their property taxes goes not fund their police, their schools, their garbage collection or other city services, but rather to improve the lifestyle of the rich-and-famous and politically connected.

    TIFs are inherently evil and should be done away with.

  • Rahm on Education: Not Daley’s Fault

    Rahm Emanuel made a campaign promise last week that if elected mayor, he would install a new math and English language curriculum in Chicago’s public schools by the end of his first term.

    …

    Mr. Emanuel made clear that he meant no disrespect to Mayor Richard M. Daley, who assumed control of the city’s public schools 15 years ago and has said changes in public education are his proudest accomplishment.  Gery Chico, the mayoral candidate who was city school board president, recently angered Mr. Daley by saying that the efforts to improve schools have stalled.  Mr. Emanuel instead echoed Mr. Daley’s mantra about the schools. “There is no doubt we’ve made great strides,” Mr. Emanuel said, “but you don’t rest on your laurels.”

    Full story here.

    Kudos to the Chicago News Coop for getting this story.  I think it’s hilarious.  Rahm just simply refuses to say anything bad about da Mare.  At first it was just a little odd; now it’s straight-on entertainment.

    The city’s broke and broken.  We’re out of money and have no plan to get out of debt or bring much needed jobs back.  But I digress.

    Did anyone ask Rahm what this “new curriculum” is called?  Who sells it? How are we going to pay for it?  How are we going to train our existing teachers to use it? And, how are we going to make sure the teachers are not just slipping back to teaching the “old way?”

    Further, much like Chico’s plan (my comments here) how are we going to measure the success or failure of the new curriculum?

    In Chicago we don’t worry about measuring success.  We just move the chairs around, talk about how much we “care”, have our picture taken with smiling kids from the West or South side, and continue on as if there is no problem.

    It’s embarrassing that the electorate stands for it.  People get the representative democracy they deserve; we deserve better that this.