Friday, February 5, 2010

Shiller: "We Have To Show We're Serious"



Oops! Who voted for a budget requiring City employees to take 15 furlough days but then forgot to take all theirs last year?

Click here for the answer!

19 comments:

  1. I could be wrong about this. I work for the city and have to take furlough days. If I forget to take the required amount of furlough days the money is still taken out of my paycheck. I'm sure the same goes for the aldermen.

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  2. "... the money is still taken out of my paycheck. I'm sure the same goes for the aldermen."

    sorry, but no, because the aldermen exempted themselves from the requirement to take the furlough daze, if they did nothing nothing was taken out

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  3. THE CHICAGO WAY: Not All Furloughs Are Equal

    By DAN MIHALOPOULOS

    Chicago News Cooperative

    February 4, 2010

    "While most city workers must take the furlough days, the elected officials are not required to do so. To show solidarity with the workers, 28 of the 50 aldermen took at least 15 furlough days and Mayor Daley took 16 in 2009, city records show."

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  4. Shiller enjoys giving away taxpayer dollars but holds onto her own with an iron fist.

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  5. People, are we finally going to come together and vote her out of office?? We have to!!
    When was the last time anyone went into her office for assistance and received it? Even something as simple as answering a phone message or email from ward residents doesn't get done.
    We need someone that is going to listen to residents concerns and act on them, not someone who runs the ward based on what only she wants to happen.

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  6. I also love this photo of Shiller, who is trying to position herself as the "Green Alderman", as she sits with her two bottled waters in front of her at a meeting she hosted. Helen, can you spell HYPOCRITE?

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  7. She is obviously working hard, doing...doing...doing...I bet she has a bad-arse farm in Farmville.

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  8. should you by chance happen to catch Shiller bragging on the furlough days she
    took, please understand that each
    furlough day cost a Chicago alderman 1/365th of their salary - but if you are not the mayor, clerk, treasurer, or alderman, it cost you 1/261th

    well done, lads! that's solidarnosc

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  9. Shuffleboard and Canasta sure seems easier doesn't it Helen?????

    Don't let the door hit you in the ass on the way out.

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  10. I could be wrong, but after the Kennedy/Dems seat was taken back by the people of MA. and the vibes I got around town here on election day, there appears to be a MAJOR voter backlash on the horizon for November.

    I keep hearing, over and over again, vote for NO INCUMBENTS. I've also heard rumblings about David Hoffman running for Mayor. He has nothing to lose there, having spent a number of years as Chicago's Inspector General, exposing political illegalities when he had the power to do so. Unfortunately, when Daley created the position of IG, he and the City Council exempted themselves from investigations by his office so they could carry on their corruption unabated.

    I could be wrong again, but Hoffman had all of the major endorsements in the Senate race against Alexi Giannoulias touting him as honorable and incorruptable and it would seem he would be a breath of fresh air in this sewer of political corruption called Chicago!

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  11. I must be psychic! After my last comment, I found this:

    Daley defensive when asked of Hoffman's political future

    http://www.suntimes.com/news/
    elections/2032932,CST-NWS-mayor06.article


    Also, while I'm here, I just found "Lakeview 911" on Facebook. Seems pertinent to the problems in Uptown.

    ~

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  12. Couldn't agree more Big City. I read a long time ago by analysts that Hoffman was indeed targeting the Mayoral race, and was using the Senate as a platform to get name recognition and check the pulse of voters. Whether or not this is true, we will see. I think the Mayor is extremely worried about how vulnerable he is. In the end, I think he will choose to retire though.

    As for the Aldermen, and more specifically Helen....I don't think she stands a chance in getting re-elected should she run. She has no money in her re-election war chest. The downward spiral has gotten so bad for her, that every single move (good or bad) is scrutinized. She is not trusted by her voters. Her base has shrunk (no matter how many WY's she builds). She can't effectively govern, and probably never really did. More people are paying attention now in the ward and across the city (I think most incumbents are extremely worried right now). Plus all of the big events in the last couple years in Uptown that have gotten national attention haven't helped her case much. People in other wards are even asking "How is Helen still in office up there".

    Part of me wonders if she is waiting to see what the Mayor does, before she decides if she will run. Maybe someone else on here has more insight into her possible re-election.

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  13. I scrambled to the Webster's definition of
    'reptilian'

    Am looking forward to a new Alderman.

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  14. Let's not count our weasels until they go pop, y'all.

    Helen's not political dead meat, just yet.

    She's still the incumbent. And the voters on the North Side have a history of voting for idiots on a continual basis (per BCP's link, the 44th, 46th and 48th went for Giannoulias - if that's not close-eyed voting, I don't know what is).

    She'll have her brand new vote farm to harvest, and if we avoid more warm weather "fisticuffs", she'll be able to distract people with a new Target.

    Then again, were Hoffman to run on an anti-corruption platform (which he would), Helen may find Daley support evaporating.

    Oh, and keep an eye on the papers next month. Ike Carothers wore a wire ... inside and outside of the Finance Committee, did he not?

    He obviously made a deal with the Feds, and we still have yet to see the effects of that.

    We may well see certain Council members go from dirty to radioactive overnight.

    But, we won't know about that until we know about that.

    In the meantime, Helen's chances are as good as anyone's, so let's not carve up her headstone, just yet.

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  15. Yo, I always believe in being prepared.

    Semper Paratus.

    Always Prepared.

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  16. This is complete BS. I am a non-union City employee that works well over 40 hours a week and that has not only had to take the furlough days, but has not seen a cost of living increase or raise since I started 2 years ago! Yet, my student loan payments have increased as have the rest of my bills. This really pisses me off! These alderman get huge salaries from the City for part-time jobs! Most, if not all, alderman have regular careers outside of City hall! This is completely and utterly disgusting!

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  17. Sooner:

    Dude, if you want a COLA increase in times of inflation, then you should also take a COLA decrease in times of deflation.

    Which do you think we've been in for the past 2 years?

    Increased pay for time on the job and merit is another story.

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  18. Refugee-

    I understand not getting a COLA increase at a time like this. What I don't understand is how the hell the alderman can justify getting a COLA increase while they are expecting people in my division, who make SIGNIFICANTLY less than they do (and significantly less than our market value)!

    Furthermore, they have cut out all of our merit increases.

    Plus, I get to see first hand the rest of the City workers getting their cost of living increases every 6 months to a year, it is extremely disheartening to know just how little you and your success on behalf of the City are valued. Personally, I don't think the City should give anyone a COLA increase. (That was the point of my post, somehow you must have missed that).

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  19. Sooner:

    Points very well taken, and the expanded explanation of your thoughts make cogent arguments for your case.

    I want you to make more money.

    I want EVERYONE to make more money. Well, not EVERYONE.

    Keep your chin up. Things will get better eventually.

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