CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[urbanpln]

Originally Posted by urbanpln

The only real danger that I see is the political disfunction at the State level, and uncertainty that is trickling down to the City.]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...113-story.html

As I said a few days ago, political uncertainty is a big problem for the State, and Chicago region.

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by amfleisch

Rubber bullets? That is just stupid. I really don't think we should be sending cops out on Chicago streets with rubber bullets when nearly 3,000 people were shot and close to 500 people were murdered in 2015. It is an absolute war zone in certain neighborhoods, and they are definitely not using rubber bullets.

Why? I'm not saying cops shouldn't have access to real ammunition, especially gang task forces and other special-duty officers. Even regular beat cops with authorization.

But their default should not be to reach for a loaded gun - which they consistently do even in non-dangerous situations. I fail to see how expanded use of non-lethal force would present a problem.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by urbanpln

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...113-story.html

As I said a few days ago, political uncertainty is a big problem for the State, and Chicago region.

Yeah, the political and economic situation is definitely hurting us. However, Boston offered GE $145Million to relocate 800 jobs. That sounds like a lot of money to me that IL and Chicago never really had a chance to compete with.

[SamInTheLoop]

For those following the proxy primary battle races pitting Rauner against Madigan.......Madigan absolutely scorched the governor yesterday.......smoked, filleted, skewered......choose your cooking method (I must be hungry or something!).....served him up on a platter for sure........is it enough to bring Rauner back to reality and to give up on his quest to be IL's Scott Walker, as that clearly is not in the cards for him? I'm not especially hopeful, but I suppose we'll see......

[LouisVanDerWright]

^^^ He's not trying to be Scott Walker, all Rauner has to do is continue deadlocking the budget and eventually IL will hard default and the sweet sweet debt spigot will be turned off. Have fun running a deficit when you're locked out of paper markets. Rauner is literally going for the wrecking ball method I'm afraid.

What Rauner V Madigan races were you talking about?

[SamInTheLoop]

^ You're living in fantasy-land now. Didn't you once claim to be wise to the political landscape? I'd suggest a re-reading of it now. If Rauner's 'strategy' is as you present, that would clearly be both dumb and reckless. As much as I do not care for Madigan, and quite frankly have come to even to loathe him at times - or more frequently than that, Rauner is deeply, deeply unpopular - he really gives Rahm a run for his money and may even be more unpopular than the mayor. He just does not have any sort of upper-hand. If you think he does, or he has some secret, er, trump card up his sleeve, you're kidding yourself, and you're as much trapped in the modern GOP orthodoxy/free market fundamentalist 'bubble' as TUP apparently is these days........I'd urge you to find a way out before it completely cuts off the oxygen to your brain......once that happens, the effects on your worldview are completely irreversible.....

The most high-profile of the proxy battle races was Dunkin v Stratton, and Stratton (Madigan's candidate) absolutely whooped incumben Dunkin.......there was also actually Gonzales (reportedly and quite believably a Rauner/GOP operative 'plant', and someone with an Hispanic name, in a district that is heavily and increasingly Latino) getting crushed by Madigan himself (not that Madigan was not expected to be re-elected by any means - that is not what I am putting forth, but the margin, in his Latino district, against someone that he was not actually able to have struck from the ballot - that sure must be a first! - was overwhelming and it surprised for sure on the upside)......think there were one or two others at least, as well.....

And finally, for the record, this is a quite accurate visual interpretation of what went down in Illinois on Tuesday:

https://twitter.com/sstantis/status/...rc=twsrc%5Etfw

[the urban politician]

This one makes me chuckle....and cry at the same time. Just how piss poor Chicago's political leadership is:

Should "affluent" neighborhoods pay extra tax for schools?

Those who live in "affluent" neighborhoods—especially those located near a good high school—would pay an extra $100 million in property taxes to help avoid school cuts in poorer areas, under a plan being pitched by the Chicago Teachers Union.

Yeah, that's a good idea. As the population of children declines you tax people to keep empty schools open just to keep unneeded unionized teachers employed, instead of closing schools. Great idea! No surprise that the criminal organization known as the CTU came up with this scheme

[Kngkyle]

^ How anyone can take them serious when they make proposals like this is a mystery.

[Via Chicago]

Credit rating hit, another big tax hike possible as clock ticks on pension overhaul

But given the high court's rulings on the sanctity of government worker pension benefits, some believe the city has no choice but to simply start paying the $11.2 billion owed to the two funds.

Among them is the Municipal Employees and Benefit Fund of Chicago, which is nearly $10 billion in the hole and at risk of going broke within eight years, according to a recent analysis it commissioned. The smaller Laborers Annuity and Benefit Fund has about $1.2 billion in red ink and is projected to run out of money in 11 years, according to its most recent audit.

Both pension funds backed the proposed benefit cuts the Supreme Court struck down. Now that a different approach is required, the municipal workers are pitching state lawmakers on proposals to shore up the fund by dramatically increasing the amount of taxpayer money going into it.

Under the proposal, the city would be required to come up with at least $509 million more in annual contributions to the funds within the next five years and at least $1.6 billion over the long haul. Where would the money come from? A Chicago casino, which still doesn't exist despite two decades of city efforts. It's the same money machine Emanuel is eyeing for the police and fire pension funds.

Even with a casino, the city would have to cut spending, raise hundreds of millions of more dollars each year or both to make the contributions required under each of the payment schedules under four different versions of the municipal workers' plan. With Chicago's sales tax already the highest among big cities in the nation, the one place the city can turn for new revenue without help from state government is the property tax — a particularly difficult political prospect given that taxpayers already are being hit up for the police and fire pension funds.

[Vlajos]

CPS just announced that it will need to cut school budgets about 30%. I've seen a lot of CTU supporters demanding more and more tax money. Proposals like financial transaction taxes, city income taxes, commuter taxes, employee head taxes, etc. I'm curious if people think these are good solutions.

[the urban politician]

They need to close more schools. Referencing Daley's words, the CPS has "lost its constituency"

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

They need to close more schools. Referencing Daley's words, the CPS has "lost its constituency"

I totally agree, but Rahm was nearly crucified for closing 50 last time. Since then, CPS has lost 6,000 more students. Remember Chuy Garcia and Karen Lewis running around saying Rahm hates black and brown kids?

[the urban politician]

^ You know who hates black and brown kids? The Chicago Teachers Union

[emathias]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

CPS just announced that it will need to cut school budgets about 30%. I've seen a lot of CTU supporters demanding more and more tax money. Proposals like financial transaction taxes, city income taxes, commuter taxes, employee head taxes, etc. I'm curious if people think these are good solutions.

Financial transaction taxes simply don't work at the local level. I'm not a believer that taxes in general make or break a place, but financial transaction taxes implemented unilaterally and locally would kill our trading industry, which would cause a much larger tax loss overall.

City income taxes, commuter taxes, head taxes, none are perfect. The biggest trouble with these tax increases are that they will not result in ANY benefit for the vast majority of taxpayers. Most taxes have clear benefit to the general public - these increases won't.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by emathias

Financial transaction taxes simply don't work at the local level. I'm not a believer that taxes in general make or break a place, but financial transaction taxes implemented unilaterally and locally would kill our trading industry, which would cause a much larger tax loss overall.

City income taxes, commuter taxes, head taxes, none are perfect. The biggest trouble with these tax increases are that they will not result in ANY benefit for the vast majority of taxpayers. Most taxes have clear benefit to the general public - these increases won't.

I completely agree, but this is the mindset of a large segment of Chicago. It's all tax all the time.

[the urban politician]

The Judicial Branch, over and over and over, continues to fail in its primary purpose:

July 20, 2016
Court rejects plan to revamp Illinois' remap rules

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

The Judicial Branch, over and over and over, continues to fail in its primary purpose:

July 20, 2016
Court rejects plan to revamp Illinois' remap rules

Cook County judge? There ya go.....

[the urban politician]

^ We don't live in Illinois, we live in Saudi Arabia!

Illinois representatives choose their own voters, and they are the only ones who can amend the Constitution in such a manner to diminish their own power....which they will do when pigs fly.

Madigan gets to be the lifelong State Monarch, and wields as much power as the Governor despite the fact that only 0.01% of the State's population have any say in electing (or removing) him from power.

Awesome!

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

^ We don't live in Illinois, we live in Saudi Arabia!

Illinois representatives choose their own voters, and they are the only ones who can amend the Constitution in such a manner to diminish their own power....which they will do when pigs fly.

Madigan gets to be the lifelong State Monarch, and wields as much power as the Governor despite the fact that only 0.01% of the State's population have any say in electing (or removing) him from power.

Awesome!

Yep.

[the urban politician]

^ For some reason gentrification does not seem to be penetrating into the majority African American areas. Of course I'm not saying that this is a reason to not buy property, but your post seems to suggest an investment strategy.

Bronzeville is likely to prove an exception to that rule, over time