CHICAGO | Politics and Current Events

[Kngkyle]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

And I have to ask if anyone knows what a bus aide is? I keep reading CTU propaganda about how poorly paid bus aides are. Of course with no context.

They are primarily there to keep the kids in line (ie, not start fights, throw shit out windows, etc.) and allows the driver to focus on driving not babysitting a bunch of unruly kids. I'd say they're probably needed on some bus routes in the city.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by Kngkyle

They are primarily there to keep the kids in line (ie, not start fights, throw shit out windows, etc.) and allows the driver to focus on driving not babysitting a bunch of unruly kids. I'd say they're probably needed on some bus routes in the city.

How long do they work per day? What is their pay for that? How many buses does CPS even have? Most kids walk to school, are driven or take CTA.

[aaron38]

WTF is a Restorative Justice Coordinator? Affordable housing? So now, in a corrupt city that blocks housing developments left and right, that drives up housing costs intentionally, now wants to spend more taxpayer dollars paying someone to lobby and bribe the aldercritters to not block the housing anymore?

Chicago is broken.

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by aaron38

WTF is a Restorative Justice Coordinator? Affordable housing? So now, in a corrupt city that blocks housing developments left and right, that drives up housing costs intentionally, now wants to spend more taxpayer dollars paying someone to lobby and bribe the aldercritters to not block the housing anymore?

Chicago is broken.

I agree, but It's what the citizens of this city want - they keep voting for the same corruption every voting cycle.

The politicians are squeezing every dollar out of the tax payers, there is too much dead weight in this city not contributing, and no way to fix the problems with pensions.

The city does not understand that without pension reform, all the city can do is continue to raise taxes.

My property taxes have effectively doubled in the last several years....DOUBLED.

I've given this city a fair chance, but our primary residence is going on the market in the spring, and we are leaving the State. 100% because of the incompetence of the people running this city.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

I agree, but It's what the citizens of this city want - they keep voting for the same corruption every voting cycle.

The politicians are squeezing every dollar out of the tax payers, there is too much dead weight in this city not contributing, and no way to fix the problems with pensions.

The city does not understand that without pension reform, all the city can do is continue to raise taxes.

My property taxes have effectively doubled in the last several years....DOUBLED.

I've given this city a fair chance, but our primary residence is going on the market in the spring, and we are leaving the State. 100% because of the incompetence of the people running this city.

Out of curiosity, where are you headed?

[Investing In Chicago]

Originally Posted by Handro

Out of curiosity, where are you headed?

I wanted to move back to NYC, where I'm from, and where I met my wife. My wife is from Minneapolis, and wanted to be closer to her family. So we compromised, and decided to move to Minneapolis.

I'm keeping my rental properties in Chicago, and I'll still be based in Chicago for my 9-5, but we are building on a lot we own on Lake Minnetonka in a neighborhood called Cottagewood. It's a quaint little town, and close to a couple walkable areas, but it's def the burbs.

My wife just couldn't handle another tour in NYC, even Brownstone Brooklyn. The Southport corridor (where we live currently) is the perfect blend of city and suburbs, but there is too much uncertainty for me with the fiscal situation to stay.

[OrdoSeclorum]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

but we are building on a lot we own on Lake Minnetonka in a neighborhood called Cottagewood. It's a quaint little town, and close to a couple walkable areas, but it's def the burbs.

Cottagewood is home to the Minnetonka Yacht Club. The motto is "Two Square Miles of Tranquility." It has a population of 3,800. There is a tiny, tiny section where zoning permits townhomes. Setbacks are required everywhere.

People who find this sort of environment appealing are the ones who are complaining most loudly here about their perceived problems with Chicago, even if they find it a good place to "own investment properties."

You can consider this information to determine whether their opinions about sidewalks, public services, demographics and public spending and taxation are worth listening to.

Some folks want to be protected by the law and not bound by it. The same folks want others to be bound by the law, but not protected by it. They tend to like places like Cottagewood, MN.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Investing In Chicago

I agree, but It's what the citizens of this city want - they keep voting for the same corruption every voting cycle.

It's actually not what citizens want or voted for. They voted 3 to 1 for NOT the CTU when they chose Lightfoot over Taxwinkle. Unfortunately the system is so wracked with corruption already that what voters vote for doesn't matter. The only solution is insolvency and a Federal judge giving the pensioners a haircut.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by aaron38

WTF is a Restorative Justice Coordinator? Affordable housing? So now, in a corrupt city that blocks housing developments left and right, that drives up housing costs intentionally, now wants to spend more taxpayer dollars paying someone to lobby and bribe the aldercritters to not block the housing anymore?

Chicago is broken.

That's a new one. CTU is demanding Restorative Justice Coordinators? What a joke.

I didn't write this, but it is exactly how I feel as a CPS dad.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opin...-about-kids-it

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Vlajos

I didn't write this, but it is exactly how I feel as a CPS dad.

https://www.chicagobusiness.com/opin...-about-kids-it

i'm not quite yet a CPS dad (next year), but that piece pretty much 100% sums up my feelings about the CTU as well.

[Baronvonellis]

Yea, I agree as well. Why the huge need for a nurse in every school? If there's a medical problem beyond putting on a band aide for a scrapped knee, the kid should go to a doctor or hospital. Last I checked schools weren't health care facilities.
Not only are they striking for huge pay raises, but now every little thing on their laundry list of nice to haves, they are going to get too.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by Baronvonellis

Yea, I agree as well. Why the huge need for a nurse in every school? If there's a medical problem beyond putting on a band aide for a scrapped knee, the kid should go to a doctor or hospital. Last I checked schools weren't health care facilities.
Not only are they striking for huge pay raises, but now every little thing on their laundry list of nice to haves, they are going to get too.

See this is such a tough situation. On one side you have Jesse Sharkey, a political hack holding the city hostage. On the other hand, you have guys like this who claim students don't need nurses and to just "stick a band aid on it."

That was a great article in Crains. It's possible to support teachers and students while recognizing what Sharkey is up to, glad that seems to be a prevailing point of view throughout the city.

[Tom In Chicago]

With regards to the CTU crisis:

I guess I'm not sure I understand all the ins and outs of this problem. . . as a pedestrian who doesn't follow the details bear with me when I ask: why - if we've got a shrinking city population with school enrollment down - do I keep hearing a narrative that we've got a problem with class sizes being too large?

And another dumb question. . . why - if Chicago teachers are among the highest paid in the country - are they asking for more money?

And finally - if my ignorance hasn't already been made utterly apparent. . . where does the CTU think the money is going to come from?

Those are questions that seem to nag at me when the news cycle continues to give the CTU and the peace protesters so much airtime. . .

. . .

[BrinChi]

I have all those same questions.

The answer i've heard with regards to the a shrinking city population with school enrollment down, the most logical answer I've heard centers around school closings, which result in school consolidation. If they do this aggressively, class sizes could go up even while enrollment goes down. I'm not sure what the true facts are or how to verify that. The other issue is consolidating schools across neighborhoods, which can have huge safety implications when you make kids go to schools outside of their own neighborhood. I'm not sure what the answer is there. I probably would advocate for more smaller schools rather than fewer large schools.

I think they were striking on pay because that's the only legal way they can strike right now. Ironic because I'd be more ok with increased funding for everything else if they weren't also getting pay hikes.

Lastly, sounds like some union members think money will come from more TIF dollars; others want the mayor to reinstate the employee head tax or find another way to raise revenue.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

And finally - if my ignorance hasn't already been made utterly apparent. . . where does the CTU think the money is going to come from?

Tom, they've already answered this one loud and clear:

“Where will the money come from? Rich people,” CTU Vice President Stacy Davis Gates said Tuesday, as she repeated the union’s call for Illinois to tax its wealthiest residents at higher rates and pointed to revenue-generating ideas that need support from Democratic Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

“We have a governor who has committed to legalizing recreational marijuana and putting a tax on it, we can take that as well,” Davis Gates said. “They are also talking about sports betting. We can take that. They’re talking about opening a new casino here in the city of Chicago. We can take that.”

Remember, these people are educating our children. I don't believe for one second that this attitude of "MINE MINE MINE GIMME TAKE GIMME GIMME" does not seep through into the classroom. As I mentioned, I am moving to a SFH in Old Irving in the Belden School district and was thinking "gee, with such a good school district maybe we will consider CPS".

Absolutely not after this. I don't want to have to explain why full grown adults are having a tantrum to my kids when they are kicked out of school for 2+ weeks every 3-5 years. I don't believe for a second that the teachers don't come back to the classroom after this and foist their festering political garbage on the children they are teaching. How many teachers are going to start their classes with "the mayor is evil, but we showed her" after this? At least in a Catholic school if my kids come home and tell me their teacher was indoctrinating them with some political nonsense I can complain to the adminstration and the teacher can be disciplined. Good luck with that when dealing with the allmighty CTU and their tenured fat cats...

[galleyfox]

Originally Posted by Tom In Chicago

With regards to the CTU crisis:

I guess I'm not sure I understand all the ins and outs of this problem. . . as a pedestrian who doesn't follow the details bear with me when I ask: why - if we've got a shrinking city population with school enrollment down - do I keep hearing a narrative that we've got a problem with class sizes being too large?

And another dumb question. . . why - if Chicago teachers are among the highest paid in the country - are they asking for more money?

And finally - if my ignorance hasn't already been made utterly apparent. . . where does the CTU think the money is going to come from?

Those are questions that seem to nag at me when the news cycle continues to give the CTU and the peace protesters so much airtime. . .

. . .

I think it's the things that are unsaid in the contract that tell the real story.

--There's a charter school moratorium but not a school closure moratorium.

--Classroom sizes are capped at 28-32, but only a few North and Southwest side schools are actually overcrowded while South side schools are half-empty. In a school district with ranked choice.

--Nurses, ect. being added but only in limited numbers.

--On top of that, current birth rates show the eligible student population dropping by at least 30%.

In other words, the CTU union leaders have knowingly left the door wide open for school closures either by force or natural attrition when the financial squeeze really hits. But they've done so in a way that they can still protest CPS when the time comes.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by galleyfox

I think it's the things that are unsaid in the contract that tell the real story.

--There's a charter school moratorium but not a school closure moratorium.

--Classroom sizes are capped at 28-32, but only a few North and Southwest side schools are actually overcrowded while South side schools are half-empty. In a school district with ranked choice.

--Nurses, ect. being added but only in limited numbers.

--On top of that, current birth rates show the eligible student population dropping by at least 30%.

In other words, the CTU union leaders have knowingly left the door wide open for school closures either by force or natural attrition when the financial squeeze really hits. But they've done so in a way that they can still protest CPS when the time comes.

Looks like CTU didn't really get anything.

There are very few schools with the 40+ classroom size that CTU kept harping about. I have never seen a class size over 30 other than Gym in High School. The system will need to close schools in the near future, if not now, so I could care less if we don't open more charters for the next 5 years. As long as we can close schools that are 50% utilized.

So it was really about money and political power.

Good negotiating Mayor Lightfoot!

[ardecila]

^ Exactly. For every unelected “community board” made of anti-development NIMBY Napoleons, there’s another “zoning review council” made up of business owners, nonprofits and campaign donors who are pro-development. Carlos Rosa vs Danny Solis, they’re both playing the same tune even if the words are different.

None of it is really democratic, but I’m not sure we want the community making decisions by mob rule on each and every proposed building... that’s why we elect officials to make these decisions for us.

[Vlajos]

Originally Posted by ardecila

^ Exactly. For every unelected “community board” made of anti-development NIMBY Napoleons, there’s another “zoning review council” made up of business owners, nonprofits and campaign donors who are pro-development. Carlos Rosa vs Danny Solis, they’re both playing the same tune even if the words are different.

None of it is really democratic, but I’m not sure we want the community making decisions by mob rule on each and every proposed building... that’s why we elect officials to make these decisions for us.

We absolutely don't want the "community" making these decisions. Most people have no understanding of real estate development and markets at all. I see it all the time in my neighborhood, with people constantly lamenting what gets built or what doesn't.

"Ugh, more luxury condos just what the neighborhood needs".

"We need more affordable housing".

"I really wish a cute bakery would take over that long vacant space".

It all comes down to economics. Affordable housing costs the same as market rate housing to build and operate (sometimes more). The reason there is no artesinal bakery is become we don't have enough people with high disposable income. All basic concepts that flies over the head of the vast majority of people.

[Handro]

Originally Posted by ardecila

How is this any worse than the alderman making decisions unilaterally?

well:

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

I mean it's exactly the same, these faux community councils are often just a puppet for the alderman to hide behind. It's all theater...

This. It's a lot easier to hold the alderman accountable, but when he can claim "it was members of the community who said they didn't want this!" it takes some steam out of the case against him. I think this is what happened to the senior living project at Six Corners.