Monday, October 5, 2009

Thanks Ald. Shiller!





Read all about this latest "gift that keeps on giving" at CBS 2.

21 comments:

  1. This really gets my goat. How much more can we all take from this unreliable, unresponive and careless women that is called alderman of our 46th ward. I hope we all learned enough under her BS leadership to vote her out when the time comes.....

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  2. Can't decide if this is unbelievable or completely
    and totally believable. Deep breath.

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  3. Swell.I am barely above water as it stands. I guess my rich, evil condo owning ways are not long for this economy.

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  4. My property taxes for my unit...$460 per month. And it's valued considerably UNDER the $440k that each unit in Wilson Yard is being constructed. WTF?!?!

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  5. Don't get your knickers all knottted - the 48th Ward has SSAs for Broadway(#26) and Clark (#22) and they work just fine. The taxes only go on the businesses on those streets and in return they get trash sweept several times a week, and planters get fresh arangements periodically. You may see the signage for the SSA on some of the trash barrels and other street furnishings they provide and maintain.

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  6. Are there any details anywhere / specifics? So what it seems is that the SSAs are already defined and in place, and they're just deciding how much to raise taxes?

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  7. Her clueless/carelessness really has no end. She must genuinely believe we are all here to pay for her interests and pet projects. So much for the power of the people in Uptown. She should change the name to Shillerville and proclaim this the 'most diverse socialist/ communist community in all the land!'

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  8. FYI regarding
    Special Service Area Designations

    Description:
    The Special Service Area program is a mechanism for contiguous industrial, commercial and residential areas to fund expanded services and programs through a localized property tax levy. These enhanced services and programs are in addition to services and programs currently provided through the city. SSA funded projects could include but are not limited to: security services, area marketing and advertising assistance, promotional activities such as parades and festivals, or any variety of small scale capital improvements which could be supported through a modest property tax levy.

    Interested organizations are required to schedule a pre-application meeting at least 8-10 months prior to submitting an SSA Application with DPD staff.

    Objective:
    The provision of enhanced services and programs to encourage or maintain commercial, industrial or residential stability within a localized area.

    Qualifications and Restrictions:
    Eligible applicants for participation in the Special Service Area Program include established not-for-profit development corporations, chambers of commerce and businessgroups operating within clearly defined areas.

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  9. "SSAs are places where aldermen have the power to add upgrades to retail strips and streetscapes, as well as security enhancements to the neighborhood." If only.

    I'll wouldn't hold my breath for Shiller to deliver on any of those items...

    I'm sure she will direct that stream of money to one of the many poorly run non-profits in the ward.

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  10. How 'bout some new awnings for the Meth Clinics?

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  11. "The taxes only go on the businesses on those streets ... "

    wrong

    propaganda

    facts:

    every SSA in Chicago includes some rental apts above retail establishments, and landlords pass on the property tax increase to their tenants in the form of higher rents

    most SSAs in Chicago include some residential condos

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  12. from the CBS-2 report:

    "To fund such projects, taxes go up on HOMEOWNERS and business owners that live in an SSA area."

    emphasis added

    also from the CBS-2 report:

    "SSAs are places where aldermen have the power ... "

    this is absolutely true of course, the alderman is in charge, but officially the City's spin is that each SSA is controlled by a "commission" (har, har)

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  13. dear neighbors, please read the material on SSAs on the City's website with a healthy scepticism

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  14. "Swell.I am barely above water as it stands."

    so...

    I take it you didn't enjoy the pub crawl?

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  15. Speaking of meth clinics, my wife and I were walking in the park at lakeside and marine and came upon some upstanding citizens blatantly smoking crack. Its nice because my wife is pregnant and the smoke came right over to us. I called the cops on them, hopefully they did not get away. One was in wheel chair, all were older than 50. The 911 dispatcher seemed to know exactly where they would find them, but I left before the cops came, as the crack smoke was a bit much.

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  16. Tax hikes: a politician's revenge.

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  17. Please correct me if I'm wrong about any of this....

    1 - Streets and San is accused of illegal campaigning for the Daley machine.

    2 - Alderman Shiller reduces the prescence of Streets and San in the ward, claiming budgetary cutbacks.

    3 - Business Partners, which is funded by Alderman Shiller's community development budget, votes to form an SSA.

    4 - The SSA of choice for street cleaning in Uptown is CleanSlate, which is a program for ex-offenders.

    5 - Alderman Shiller decides, without voter input, to tax property owners for the SSA.

    6 - The SSA, which is not subject to the same campaigning laws that govern Streets and San suddenly has a larger budget.

    7 - Property owners are now paying "non-city" employees to work indirectly for Alderman Shiller.

    Conclusion: Volunteer support for Alderman Shiller is dwindling rapidly. Are property owners unknowingly paying for a "Citizens" for Shiller election campaign machine?

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  18. Enough is enough. We are being taxed to death and there is nothing to show for it but crime, deteriorating roads and infastructure, and of course the new low income housing that will just breed even more crime and lower our property values. Thanks Alderman Shiller!

    When all is said and done over 40% of my income is going to pay taxes (income, property, sales, etc.). Shiller, Dailey, Stroger and other city officials will not be happy until we hand over our entire pay checks to them.

    It's time for our own version of the Boston Tea Party!

    Is Uptown currently getting SSA's? If so, what do we have to show for it? If we do end up having an SSA how can we ensure that the money is spent properly and not on fish food for our soon to come fish farm?

    This administration absolutely disgusts me!

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  19. This city really needs to spend money on something worthwhile, like large scale, low-income housing at above market rate prices with no public oversight or input. Oh, wait, nevermind.

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  20. Can UU please put a "Shiller Countdown" on the site? Something that shows the number of days left until we can vote this woman out.

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  21. Don't we already pay for security and clean streets? Why should the alderman be allowed to charge additional monies for "special services"? What's special about keeping a neighborhood safe? What's special about keeping it clean? Why should we have to pay "extra" for trash barrels? If Helen hadn't spent our taxes on her housing projects and parking garage, we'd have money for this stuff. Or is it that this spending spree she's on with the TIFs has taken money away from the stuff we really need, so now we have to make it up?

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