Quote:
Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright
I have a hard time listening to a single word out of the mouth of someone who implies Rahm is somehow motivated by defunding education and laying off teachers. Seriously, what an imbecile, no wonder no one is actually jumping on the anti-rahm bandwagon when his most prominent critics are so inarticulate in their case against him.
Does this author seriously believe that not spending money in a South Loop TIF will somehow be the savior of the CPS? Does he really believe that hiring more overpaid, surplus, CPS teachers will save the CPS? The most absurd comments in the article is where he says if CPS teachers "stick around long enough they can make close to $100k" (which by the way is inaccurate, many CPS teachers can make in excess of six figures especially when you take into account their obscene benefit package and the fact they get 25% of the year off) and then goes on to claim teachers are the "backbone of the middle class". I think the true members of the middle class might dispute the notion that a group of people who make $70k+ on average with massive benefits packages and 25% of the year off are in any way comparable when the median household income in the United States is a hair less than $50,000 and most of those households are now dual income homes. I don't see how one person making $70k a year can be described as "middle class".
But I digress as this discussion isn't about teachers and shouldn't be about teachers (which is the biggest mistake our author makes since people are simply sick of hearing the union boosters whine that they haven't been able to cockblock Rahms reforms), the debate should be about the economic impacts that this project will have on the city. The fact is 2,000 additional hotel rooms and a new multi-purpose arena are, unquestionably, going to have a positive economic impact on the neighborhood and, most likely, the entire region. How he can take himself seriously after claiming that a drive thru bank and a bunch of derelict, low intensity, storefronts are going to generate more economic activity and taxes than the proposed use is completely beyond me.
Finally, the vast majority of Chicagoans don't see this as a scandal so his inaccurate words fall on deaf ears. Why don't they see this as a scandal? Because it isn't. The City really has a minor role to play in these projects as it is primarily being driven and funded by McPier which is an entity created and empowered on the state level meaning it functions mainly independently from the city of Chicago. McPier has been pushing plans for additional hotels here for years and they have always been looking for ways to expand their conferencing amenities. The fact is this is not some conspiracy led by Rahm to take away poor teachers jobs so he can funnel the money to DePaul (sounds absurd when it is summarized doesn't it?). This is a logical expansion of McCormick Place driven at least 50% by an independent entity and, to a degree, by Rahm who wants to see the convention center and South Loop prosper. Any questions about the teachers and CPS are out of the picture. The CPS closings and reforms are just that, CPS closings and reforms that are badly needed and in no way linked to some kind of larger scheme to "get the unions" or something absurd like that.
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Let me start by saying Ive already been resigned to the fact that, with the way this city works, the McPier development is neither a surprise nor is it truly concerning to me personally since I see it overall as beneficial. But I simply have to comment on your statements here.
The way you talk about school closings when the actual comparative savings is essentially peanuts, the accounting is fishy, and many lives are severely impacted by such a huge and nationally unprecedented decision, make you sound insensitive. People are clearly suspicious when its documented that hes pushing for charter schools. To top it off you make it sound as if CPS teachers are these uppity bullshit artists who are scheming to make hordes of money off of taxpayers. This is ridiculous. And comparing their salaries to the median household income, which includes those who never had a formal higher education, is lame and inconsistent. Please.
I do agree about the positive economic impact of the McPier development for the city, and don't necessarily feel it is a one or the other issue like its being portrayed, but you'd have to be completely oblivious to think that the TIF situation in this city is not being abused. You have to question why this fund isn't used for actually struggling areas, or barely stable areas, which is the way it was advertised originally. Its simply another power grab by the city in an area that is not struggling and doesn't necessarily need any revitalization, but can benefit certain interested and powerful groups. Even if in the grand scheme it should eventually have a positive impact on the entire city, why is it incomprehensible that it would rub people in other struggling communities, or regular old tax paying citizens, the wrong way?
And to think this isn't simply another scandal for Rahm in the public eye is being a little disingenuous. Rahms influence on this is unquestionable. The city is filing eminent domain to obtain the properties, do you think he doesn't have any involvement in this? Rahm is already becoming highly unpopular among blacks and Hispanics and some whites in this city, with his questionable moves not only with CPS, but the speeding/red light cameras, poor police public relations, the CTA/public transit attitude, and his apparent overall attitude toward working class people. Add this apparent power move, steamrolling residents etc, to the list.
Anyway, Im probably wasting time but I just had to respond to such gross one-sidedness (albeit in response to other gross one-sidedness). The point is, I think the anger about McPiers development is a little misplaced, but I totally understand it in the midst of some unpopular moves by this mayor, the corruption in use of TIF funds, and his apparent lack of any empathy for working people class in this city.
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