Friday, November 16, 2007

Alderman Shiller Explains Her Reasoning Behind Tax Hike Vote Of 'Yes'

As you know, earlier this week the City Council voted on a number of measures related to the City’s budget for 2008. I was grateful to hear from some of you throughout the budget process, and I’d like to take this opportunity to respond to the questions and concerns raised by residents and stakeholders in the 46th Ward as well as throughout the city.

As usual, prior to the vote, the City Council Committee on Budget & Government Operations held two weeks of hearings during which aldermen had the opportunity to ask questions of the City’s budget director and department heads. I continued to get emails, letters and calls from you throughout those hearings. The ideas, questions and concerns expressed by you were of considerable help to me throughout the budget process. As your representative, I wanted to be sure that I truly understood the budget package I would be voting on. I asked questions on your behalf and was able to make an informed and careful decision when it came time to vote.
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12 comments:

  1. Now I get it and feel totatl comfortable with the new budget.

    Give me a break.

    There was no way to cut spending? Move some Tiff money into the General Budget?

    She says not to live in the past but she was looking at old budgets.

    Solution vote all incumbents out.

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  2. O man I just stepped in something. It is something that cannot be polished.

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  3. dumbasses,

    umm you think we are bad, Bush wastes more money then us, soooooo.... yeah thanks for the raise.

    Love Helen the Horrible

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  4. Have you ever noticed how Helen always deflects to and speaks out about FEDERAL issues when she is just a lowly CITY alderwoman. That way, she can prtotest and rally and put out rhetoric all she wants without being responsible for making any changes. Nice trick, which she has gotten away with for years.

    The response should be, "Run for federal office or stick to ward issues for which you, the Alderbeast are responsible and have capacity to change." Now lets talk about the Wilson TIF, the aldermanic menu, your patronage army being paid off the local school and college budgets, the lack of parking due to endless zoning variance grants, and so forth.

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  5. Tying her decision to the war in Iraq is a long shot at best.. oiy veh!

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  6. One thing from a prior comment which is just inaccurate is the ability of the City to shift money directly to the budget. TIF money can only be spent on certain "redevelopment project costs" which are specifically set out in the TIF statute. The only way the City can get TIF money to go into its general coffers is to redistribute it to all of the taxing bodies who would have gotten it but for the TIF (of which the City's portion would be just a small percentage).

    That said, they could use some of the funds to fund certain improvements which may be handled by the general budget.

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  7. As a resident living in a TIF district, I would like to thank all the residents of Lincoln Park, Wrigleyville, Lake View, Gold Coast and all the other communities for supporting and financing the city services that we utilize in Uptown. It is because of you that we are able to have police and fireman, social services, and low-income housing. I don't pay for any of that. Instead, my tax dollars are spent on whatever my alderman deems appropriate, whether I like it or not. So I say thank you. You are very generous.

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  8. Methinks the alderman protests too much about corruption.

    Anyone who would read her rationalization and think her an honest woman is a fool.

    The issue is NOT the need to generate more revenue as much as it is about making the dollars the city is given go further. THAT'S what makes people angry. I don't mind the tax so much, as long as it gets used properly (which, obviously, it isn't).

    She didn't address any of that, at all.

    Instead, she cried like a child that Uncle Sugar (Feds) isn't giving them enough money, and then to blame Bush(!?)

    Phpt. What a crock. And the fact that she thinks people will buy into her drivel is purely insulting.

    Typical actions for someone not qualified for the position they're in.

    Tax and spend, eh? Tax and spend.

    Here's a quick lesson for the alderman: You can't, and shouldn't, just throw at problems. Sometimes, you actually have to THINK of ways to make things better.

    Oh, and throwing more taxes at corporations is a wonderful way to scare them off.

    Nice idea - idiot.

    Dumbasses like her are 1 strong reason why this is the 3rd largest city (and dropping) and not the 2nd largest city and rising.

    Olympics? Puh-leese. No way.

    I'm new to Uptown and cannot understand how this woman has retained her job.

    2011 is a far away time. If I'm still here, I'll work my a** off to ensure anyone other than her wins that election.

    If I'm not here - you'll know who to blame.

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  9. Anonymous,
    Please tell me that you worked on Cappleman's campaign. Nevertheless, I think Shiller's days are numbered. I said it before and was wrong, but there are more people these days who are starting to see it now as well.

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  10. "If anyone believes that the $3.25 they are paying for a gallon of gas contains no significant waste or corruption, they have not been paying attention. The recent doubling of electric rates by private utility companies this past year and the doubling of natural gas rates last year were certainly reflective of significant waste and corruption."

    ...wow, way to make a really crazy statement without any references.

    But I guess I wouldn't expect a retard to solve calculus equasions, either.

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  11. Why doesn't Helen just say that she is a political prostitute and that Daley is the most recent highest bidder? After all, with the demographics of the ward changing, she can't win and election without him and he'd rather have an ineffective incumbant that a strong, unknown Lakefront liberal take over this ward. That would be the truth.

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  12. Saying "Shiller" and "Reasoning" in the same sentence is an oxymoron.

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