Posted on 01/06/2009 4:08:57 PM PST by STARWISE
With Gov. Blagojevich facing impeachment, Mayor Daley is trying to engineer a political end-run around Springfield when it comes to Chicago's share of the $800 billion economic stimulus plan being crafted by President-elect Barack Obama.
"Mayors are going directly to the federal government. They have to. We can't wait. You can't allow Springfield to take your money, hold the interest, then eventually give it to you in the middle of winter. You'll never get the job done in the middle of winter," Daley told reporters.
"You just go straight to the federal government and say, 'We have all the construction ready to go. We have matching funds. Let's go with it.' You cannot layer from the federal government to the state government. By the time it gets back to local government, it's after the construction season. We can't allow that."
Daley was cagey when asked how a city struggling to survive its worst budget crisis in recent history would come up with the matching funds needed to qualify for federal grants. That's normally where the state comes in.
"That's how you do creative financing," he said.
Chief Financial Officer Paul Volpe, the mayor's newly-designated chief-of-staff, refused to say what the mayor meant by "creative financing." Last week, Volpe acknowledged that Chicago closed the book on 2008 $31 million deeper in the hole than previously thought because of declining revenues tied to the economic downturn. He warned that the city might have to tap into a $324 million "rainy day fund" created when Chicago parking meters were privatized.
On Tuesday, Daley predicted even more doom and gloom. He warned that revenues would continue to plunge and refused to rule out yet another round of layoffs if they do.
The mayor's 2009 budget is precariously balanced with 635 layoffs, $52.5 million in taxes, fines and fees and $150 million generated by privatizing Chicago parking meters.
"This year, it's gonna be worse. There'll be significant layoffs in the private sector. . . . Revenues going down tremendously-real estate taxes, sales taxes, transaction taxes. . . .This is gonna be a big crisis stage in the economy," he said.
Daley said Chicago put itself "in a different position" than other major cities by privatizing Midway Airport and Chicago parking meters for a combined $3.65 billon last year. But, that doesn't mean the city is out of the woods. Far from it.
"Every two weeks, we're gonna be reporting revenue streams ‹ what's coming in, what's not coming in," said the mayor, who was criticized last fall for blindsiding Chicago aldermen with a $469 million deficit.
"January, February and March are gonna be very difficult months for the economy in America. The sad thing is, when college students think they're gonna get jobs, they're greatly mistaken."
In mid-November, Daley said he had been warned by a parade of corporate CEOs that a blizzard of job cuts was about to bury the souring Chicago economy.
Maybe they should raise the sales tax to the highest in the country - something like 10.25% should do it. Oh, wait...
Hey, maybe Chicago should collect additional sales taxes on items such as fountain drinks, bottled water, liquor, and cigarettes. Oh, wait...
LOL! Al Capone should have got himself elected in this day and age. Then he could have called himself one of the Untouchables. :-)
This is it! This is what Daley wants in exchange for keeping Blago’s trap shut!
I’ve been trying to deduce what’s really going on via commentary from those in the know about Chicago/Il politics and it was explained that Blago’s legal team is being supplied by Daley.
Daley is the Darth Sidious in the background of this drama; quietly pulling the strings. Blago is now his bitch. Obama knows that he must keep Daley happy or Blago will start singing.
Let’s pay careful attention to Daley’s request.
How can Daley keep Blago’s mouth shut?
With Gov. Blagojevich facing impeachment, Mayor Daley is trying to engineer a political end-run around Springfield when it comes to Chicago's share of the $800 billion economic stimulus plan being crafted by President-elect Barack Obama.I have a quibble with an old expression, so here's my correction -- there's no honor among thieves.
What a tangled web they weave when they practice to deceive. Problem is some people are good at untangling things, especially conservatives.
Rolling eyes .... ain’t it the truth!
~~Chicago Way PING!
“You just go straight to the federal government and say,
‘We have all the construction ready to go. We have matching funds.
((THE UNIONS ARE ON BOARD, THE PAYOFFS AND KICKBACKS ARE READY, THE “MUNICIPAL AND OLYMPIC PROJECTS” WITH THE MACHINE COMPANIES ARE IN PLACE, WE SECURED THE VOTES AT ALL LEVELS ~~ CITY, COUNTY, STATE ....AND WHEN WE GET IT DIRECTLY, WE CONTROL ALL THE MONEY. YEAH, BABY .. IT’S PAY TO PLAY THE CHICAGO WAY!! )))
Let’s go with it.’ You cannot layer from the federal government to the state government.
By the time it gets back to local government, it’s after the construction season. We can’t allow that.”
Daley was cagey when asked how a city struggling to survive its worst budget crisis in recent history would come up with the matching funds needed to qualify for federal grants. That’s normally where the state comes in.
“That’s how you do creative financing,” he said.
Why is he always looking up?
Asking me to believe that Zero spent 20 years climbing to the top of Machine politics while tip-toeing around the 'filth' and completely oblivious of the corruption... I think I'm going to tie an application to Hogwarts to the next owl I can catch.
“I hear you paint houses. . . .”
If our money goes to these irresponsible states and cities that have been run into the ground by liberal spending, it may be time for a ‘Tea Party’ of some kind.
We’ve had enough of this already!!
Meanwhile, The Outfit has the richest country in human history to loot.
If Blago has a hint of going to jail, he will sing like a birdy. Daley can't stop Blago from singin'.
I believe the bust was early to protect Obama and Rahm. Only Blago is the answer and the Dems need to shut him up.
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