Wednesday, November 17, 2010

"A Noted Budget Expert"

Now we know why Ald. Shiller has famously said "Crime is not my issue."

Apparently she wears too many other hats to have time for petty concerns like safety.  Let's see, there's coffee and fish farm maven, Olympics fact-finder, restaurant designer, and now "budget expert."  Read her comments on the latest city budget here

Those of us who are paying 71-74% of our property taxes to support Ald. Shiller's own distinctive brand of urban planning (remember the $350K per unit rental housing?) may beg to differ with that assessment.

As for the continuing shootings and gunfire, we guess that's just the price residents have to pay for having a noted "budget expert" representing us.

8 comments:

  1. There is no doubt – no doubt – that next year there are going to have to be some serious alternatives

    - Helen Shiller, 2008 .., I mean .. 2009, oh wait, 2010.

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  2. "Noted budget expert?" Oh good grief. Who notes her expertise - the reporters from the bankrupt Tribune?

    The sad thing is we've all seen the Chicago media inflate Helen, and ignore her obvious failings, for years. Which raises the possibility that they do the same all through the City. So if our ward knows these reporters can't be trusted, maybe the rest of the City does too.

    And then these same reporters whine when the voters don't come out in force against the candidates they crusade against. But the fact is, I don't trust most reporters any more than I trust most politicians. And just when I start to feel that may be too cynical, I read something idiotic like this, and know I'm not cynical enough.

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  3. Come on! She is absolutely a budget expert. She knows exactly how to hide the numbers so residents of this ward don't know where their money is going. [Sarcasm]

    This has been the modus operandi for the past 20 years in the 46th ward.

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  4. Hey, I think you misunderstand TIF. It isn't taking 70+% of your property taxes - not even close. The TIF percentage is the percentage taken from the increase in revenue from the beginning of the TIF period.

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  5. Of course this inspires, a whole new Uptown Update "Helen's Legacy" post!

    I would love to see a re-hash of our Alderman's 'triumphs and tragedies'

    I bought an 'evil' condo here 20 years ago......and it has deteriorated to the point, where I question whether there is really a 46th Ward Office?

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  6. This post is all over the place to the level of a rant.

    A fine piece of reportage....every fact is placed in perfect context....well done.

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  7. So Rob... you calling the Cook Co Clerk a liar? I just picked an address at random, 4600 block of Kenmore. According to clerk David Orr's office, that property is paying over 71% of it's property taxes to "City of Chicago - Wilson Yard"

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  8. In all fairness, this is the first time I've seen a quote from her in the media that actually formed a complete sentence.

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