Oh, this is
rich. Now that the word is out that there's a billion or so Chicago tax dollars sitting around in TIF accounts, everyone wants a piece of that big, big pie: the teachers want some of it to go the schools and some aldermen want 20% of it to go to affordable housing.
You won't believe who's hesitant to commit 20% of the money for affordable housing: Helen Shiller (aka "Queen of the $400,000 Cheesy Rental Unit"). She's afraid there won't be enough money left over for "other projects." (Fish farms, perhaps? Or maybe a new projector for Cricket Hill movies...? Nah, the Cubs, Aldi and Comcast pay for the movies.)
As long as people want to divvy up the TIF money to go to the cops, the firefighters, and the schools, here's an idea: Let's not funnel property tax money into TIFs and let it go where it did before TIFs. You know, to the cops, the firefighters and the schools.
Read or listen to
Chicago Housing Proposal Faces Rough Sailing here.
I am all for the schools getting more money, but that's it.
ReplyDeleteThe schools definitely need the TIF money. CPS has already laid off 2,700 teachers and more lay offs are to come. CPS wants to have a MINIMUM of 35 students per classroom. Program cuts are occuring and the buildings are deteriorating (expcept the exclusive selective enrollment schools like Walter Payton).
ReplyDeleteIs she finally terrified that everyone is on to her...That investing in affordable housing in an irresponsible and disproportionate manner in her beloved 46 is destroying the quality of life here and her chances of being reelected.
ReplyDeleteOur city is going broke and falling apart (only kind of, but still) right in front of our eyes. It's the "right in front of our eyes" part that should make politicians think twice before acting in their own self interests exclusively.
Stay tuned kids...
But, the time is now to redeploy all TIF money back into the general fund or at the very least focus on development that will benefit the enitre community and contributors, not just a select group, against the will of the people and repeating some of the clear mistakes that got us here.
We need more cops on the streets and we need better eduation for kids. Possibly better sex eduacation as well so that young adults dont have 5 kids by the age of 21 and cant afford to provide from them, thus forcing them to join gangs and end up becoming part of the criminal system. There is a great progam in the cith called Youth Guidance. Its a no-for profit progam that provides kids with after school programs to keep them away from the gangs.
ReplyDeleteLOVE the picture.
ReplyDeleteSo......it's nearing election time. Helen rarely makes public comments or posts relevant info on her website. Now she speaks publicly to the excess of funds going to public housing??? Does she think no one follows her actions? Unbelievable..............
ReplyDeleteI think the only thing Helen "fears" is that 20% won't be enough. Our Robin Hood alderman is probably "looking at other revenue streams" to rape so they can up the percentage of affordable housing even higher.
ReplyDeleteIf funds are used for hiring teachers, just make sure these teachers can actually teach.
ReplyDeleteDear Helen,
Go back to your hobbit hole and pick at that hobbit mole. Do it until you realize that you created a big fat mess that hurt a lot of people.
Love,
Moosh
The after school programs to help keep the kids our of trouble sounds great. More cops to help cut down crime so you can walk the streets without fear of getting shot in the head is also a great idea. I wonder once Helen is out of office how many times she will be seen, if at all, shopping in the Uptown she created.
ReplyDeleteI wouldnt be surprised if you saw her home on the market for sale. No way she sticks around after losing.
ReplyDeletePlease don't assume she is going to lose. I assumed that back in 2007. Do everything you can to make sure your friends and neighbors in the area get out and vote in 2011!
ReplyDeletelarrynow, you are absolutely spot on. Right before the last election Shiller hosted a CAPs rally at Uplift School attended by none other than Mayor Daley. This from the woman who is on record as calling CAPS a racist organization and to my knowledge has never even attended a CAPS beat meeting in the ward, or even sent a representative from her office. WHAT A JOKE! UNC organized picketing of the event, which I participated in. I then followed that up with attending my next beat meeting to let the cops know that we were there protesting Helen's utter hipocracy, not the police. I told them that the community appreciated all of the hard work that they put into the job, particularly in light of the difficulties associated with doing so in a ward where the alderman was uncooperative. All of the cops in attendance were very appreciateive of the supportive words.
ReplyDeleteThank you Ray - you took the words out of my mouth. Some people tend to forget recent history...
ReplyDeleteI am all for the schools getting more money, but that's it.
ReplyDeleteSchools, cops and something to create jobs should be the priority.
Kitty and Ray,
ReplyDeleteI have lived here 6 years and voted against her last time. I understand that nothing is for sure until the vote is casted and that we need to get the word out. I sometimes people fireback on posts on here that are just commonsense. I hate to be harsh, but I dont know how people could think I thought she was going to be out just because i would like her out. My vote is for Michael Carroll. I like the fact that he is a Chicago Cop and knows personally what is needed to take the streets back to the people it belongs too.
the lakeside town that they forgot to burn down. come Armageddon come Armageddon come!
ReplyDeleteRobert,
ReplyDeleteGreat choice! I'm voting for Michael Carroll too. I know enough about the other candidates to know that Michael Carroll is the person to run our ward.
I know I joke around here a lot, but I truly do care about the neighborhood we live in, and I care about the problems we face. It's so important to me that I can't help but get so frustrated over what is happening.
I urge everyone to take a look at Michael Carroll's recent post on his web site, and think about what he can bring to Uptown.
http://carroll46.blogspot.com/
No other candidate can understand what he understands. They might know about the gangs, the drug markets, and the kids spraying bullets in to crowds, but Michael Carroll has first hand experience doing what we need NOW.
He has the resources and the right mindset to get Uptown back to being something that we can all be proud of.
http://carroll46.blogspot.com/
TheMooseIsLoose,
ReplyDeleteI hear ya on that one my friend. Lets get behind Carroll and help him win this thing. While there are other worthy Candidates I truly beleive Michael is the guy that will get things done. I think we all agree Crime is the #1 issue in this election and he is the best man for the job. I would like to see more commercial and retail shops and resturants in the area and Michael has told me that is soemthing he to would like to address as well. Outside of Michaels and a few others there are not many options in the area. I wish I didnt have to leave the neigborhood as much to have a nice dinner with my wife or drinks with my friends.
Guys, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but let's try not to turn EVERY post into a cheering section for your candidate of choice.
ReplyDeleteI think its important to not discount that fact that we may very well have Shiller running again. If we act like its not a possibility, people may get lazy and decide "as long as she ain't running, I don't care."
ReplyDeleteSo whoever you are leaning towards, have at it, but its important to educate people and tell them to get off their lazy duffs and vote. If they don't, and our beloved aldercreature decides to run again, we'll have 4 more years to watch the 46th ward deteriorate.
Every term she has served, she has managed to scortch the ward with some form of social experimentation. Let's not let it happen again.
@Caring Neighbor
ReplyDeleteYes, Dear. ;-)
She said "we have to look at new revenue"
ReplyDeleteSomeone earlier, equated her Uptown policies with 'scorched earth'
Which seems wonderfully on the beam.
"new revenue"? The stagnant slum milieu up here repels any sort of new business. Not to mention rampant crime. I am so sick of this toxic bubble over my neighborhood.
I have no solution, except for election day.....and even that prospect, reeks of dead fish farms.
Hey. Oil is money. Maybe BP and the now-blighted Gulf of Mexico needs a TIF. With the way Chicagoans are being sucked dry, I bet Mayor Daley and his Machine could clean up the Gulf in no time.
ReplyDeleteAs a new evil condo owner in the 46th Ward, it will be my first time casting a vote for aldermen. What's does the UU community think about supporting a single candidate?
ReplyDeleteI think we can all agree that Shiller should be overthrown but the worst possible scenario is giving her the opportunity to divide and conquer this time around...
Do you wonder who Helen will throw her support behind if she doesn't run? I can bet who that would be.
ReplyDelete@just wondering,
ReplyDeletewho do you think that would be?