Thursday, January 8, 2009

Only In Chicago


Daley's clout deal puts homeless shelter in the red. Read all about it at the Sun-Times here.

25 comments:

  1. This is really too bad. It is stories like this that will have Shiller saying, "see we need more homeless shelters." That's true, but what she and her followers don't understand is that you can't concentrate them all in Uptown and allow low-to no standards. It just doesn't work.

    I would admire her if she worked with the City Council to spread the shelters across the city instead of just "spreading" them within the 46th Ward. She really is helping no one except her ever important voting block. Quite sad.

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  2. This $25M shelter hinges on bankruptcy, but Daley ups Helen's TIF piggy bank access to ... what? $50M+, to build something that a lot of people don't want, which will help fewer people.

    Ahh ... the scent of good government.

    Where are our local activist groups and their outrage over something like this?

    I'm sure the good folks at COURAJ are prepping some sort of protest over this, as we speak. *cough*

    As for what Shiller will say ..., that'll sound like a whole bunch of nothing.

    She's proven herself to be a good little puppy of the Mayor.

    She won't say squat.

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  3. I'm sure the good folks at COURAJ are prepping some sort of protest over this, as we speak. *cough*

    They're not at liberty to talk. When you take the devil's coin, you wear the devil's restraint mask. Speak without approval and the equity is converted into debt.

    You can get almost any condo development approved in Chicago. You just have to genuflect before Emperor Burke, kiss the ring, and detail your proposal to further insulate his ring of protection.

    Ask Peter Holsten how the ring tastes.

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  4. WBEZ had a program this week discussing how entrenched "pay to play" is in Chicago politics. The system was set up as strong council/weak mayor...but Daley the First wanted control of the budget...so he changed it. They also discussed how much an Alderman needs to be on the side of the Mayor for anything to happen in a ward...even though we all pay taxes. I was hoping the FWY lawsuit would be the beginning of exposing what's going on. Honestly, I can't see how it's gonna change anything.

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  5. I was hoping the FWY lawsuit would be the beginning of exposing what's going on. Honestly, I can't see how it's gonna change anything.

    Incrementalism is your friend. If the strategy could defeat the slave trade, surely it can tackle Chicago's Machine.

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  6. If I read correctly, the city gave TIF $$ to the charity to demolish the building (s) which allowed da mare and mama mare's friends to get around the city requirements for the developer/crooks the project to include affordable housing units.

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  7. Basically what happened here is that Daley wanted to pass some public dollars to cronies Marchese and Cellini without accountability, so he did it indirectly - by giving money to the Christian Industrial League, which allowed Marchese & Cellini to offer less money for the Greek Town land, demolished

    Kind of puts me in a mind of, a little closer to home, the City subsidies to local banking mogul Suellen Long - given indirectly to her tenants in her property on Bryn Mawr, the spa & bakery

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  8. Kind of puts me in a mind of, a little closer to home, the City subsidies to local banking mogul Suellen Long - given indirectly to her tenants in her property on Bryn Mawr, the spa & bakery

    That Uptown Business Partners lunch is almost worth the price of admission.

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  10. But the kicker is on page 38 of today's Sun Times...

    One hand giveth...

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  11. MOTS
    I saw that article and thought — Uptown watch-out.
    "financing crucial to any deal (affordable housing) will come from federal and state funding (just like what they used at Wilson Yard), low-income tax credits, (just like what they used at Wilson Yard), bonds, loans and tax-increment financing subsidies (just like what they used at Wilson Yard)". Our Mayor has found a formula that has been very successful and he’s also found a Ward equally attractive.
    There’s one more large property in Uptown ready for development anyone guess where it’s at?

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  12. Yeah - I can hardly wait for the BS parade that will be the "community input" aspect of Maryville.

    Helen will stop at nothing to destroy the tax base in her ward.

    As long as Daley keeps sliding her TIF money, what's to stop her?

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  13. I just hope Fitz has him on tapes.

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  14. Here's a link to the article mentioned by MOTS.


    Daley commits $2.1 bil. to affordable housing
    http://www.suntimes.com/news/politics/1367406,CST-FIN-afford08.article

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  15. I know everyone complains about how bad the government is in Chicago. But believe me, the truth is even worse than you think.

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  16. miss kitty:

    You have nothing to worry about with Maryville.

    John Wyman is on the case, and will stand up to the alderman and developer.

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  17. OMG..JPUSA IS TAKING IT OVER... Read this! http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2009/01/shelter-to-stay-open-with-new-management.html

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  18. Hey Superhero... These developments are regarding the Epworth Church site in Andersonville, but VERY interesting nonetheless. Spreading the crazyness to another ward... let's all take a moment - and pray - for the fate of that beautiful ward to the north.

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  19. Spreading the craziness...
    Increasing the influence of the Jesus People???
    I'm not religious...but...God help us...

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  20. "These developments are regarding the Epworth Church site in Andersonville, but VERY interesting nonetheless."

    HUH? The article very clearly says that Jesus People will be running the shelter at Epworth. Does InnerVoice consider them an improvement over REST?

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  21. oh. Uptown Superhero and I are in the wrong thread! :) We were bound to get lost in here someday. Anyway, boy is this news for one thread below!

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  22. Johnson declined to elaborate on the funding and management changes, but said, "We are very satisfied with the outcome of what has happened."

    I love it when a tax-exempt organization declines to elaborate on how they operate.

    How thoughtful of them.

    So ..., Smith has cast her lot with JPUSA as well, huh?

    Swell.

    JPUSA gets to recruit, Smith gains a few extra votes.

    What could possibly go wrong?

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  23. Well if Mary Ann had any say in approving JPUSA in running this shelter, that definitely casts her in a different light in my eyes. Trying to give her the benefit of the doubt that she didn't have a lot of say in this, but she is the alderman.... Not good. Hope she didn't start drinking Helen's kool-aid.

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  24. "There is a new space-sharing agreement, heating assistance arrangement and a new direct provider," says the e-mail, which was sent by Doug Fraser, Smith's chief of staff.

    If she wasn't directly involved with it, she was at least in the loop with a voice in the matter.

    Be careful to whom you give the benefit of the doubt.

    Mary Ann's done some good things, that's for sure; but her hands aren't politically clean, either.

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