Friday, May 29, 2009
News / Clout City Hands on the parking meter handoff
Posted by Mick Dumke on 05.29.09 at 04:19 PM
Illinois attorney general Lisa Madigan has opened an investigation into the "transaction and implementation" of Chicago's parking meter privatization deal, according to a Madigan spokesperson.
On May 19 the attorney general's office sent subpoenas to Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, LAZ Parking, and Chicago Parking Meters LLC--the three entities that now control the meters--said Robyn Ziegler, who represents Madigan. She wouldn't say what specific information was requested.
The investigation is focused on "looking to determine if consumers have been defrauded," Ziegler said. "Broadly, we're looking for information related to the transaction and implementation of the new parking meter system." She said that might include the terms of the deal and nature of the contract. "I wouldn't rule anything out," she said--but then added, "We're not investigating the city of Chicago."
During a City Council committee hearing the day before the subpoenas were issued, aldermen accused officials from the three firms of "deceptive business practices" for collecting fares and ticketing cars even at spaces where the meters were mislabeled or not working at all. Several asked city lawyers to look into whether terms of their contract had been violated. Among them was the Fifth Ward's Leslie Hairston, who formerly worked in the consumer protection division of the attorney general's office.
Ziegler said Madigan had spoken with Hairston but didn't know whether the investigation had been launched before or after their conversation. "It's obviously clear there have been significant problems with the implementation of the new parking meter system," Ziegler said.
Comments (13)
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Lisa Madigan? Check her committee reports. She takes money from the PR firm representing the Meters. The Irish OC is unbelievable!
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Fitz is blind May 30th - 1:21 a.m. Some have a reading comprehension problem. Nobody is saying Ike should not go to jail,because he is Black. The US Attorney looks like he is protecting Daley and the top Machine characters. YES! occassionally a Rezko or Blogo will be thrown under the bus,but the real cogs of the Machine go untouched. Why wasn't Pat or John Daley investigated,by Fitz. FBI Agents race to get Daley's autograph,when he attended Fitzgerald's wedding. Maybe these things and others are coincidences. The Machine like the Mob will occassionally throw a Sorich, or Tadin under the bus to preserve the illusion of Democracy. The main ring master Daley and his immediate family will go untouched. I hope Ike Carothers gets the same cell his Father had,but I want Daley to reside in the next cell.
And that is Chicago, Illinois politics. Madigan suddenly grows some long after the deal was cut. And who does she go after, the bank that took the chance with a stupid Mayor who was willing to sell out the city. It is his staff who cut the deal you idiots! Madigan, we are not buying your campaign stunt. that is all it is, a stunt.
Madigan suddenly grows some long after the deal was cut. ---- Um...I'm pretty sure you can't investigate a crime until it's happened.
"Um...I'm pretty sure you can't investigate a crime until it's happened." Lisa Madigan can't investigate most crime in Illinois. She takes money from the criminals! $3 million dollars!!!! WOW! I'll bet daddy doesn't mention that when he talks about campaign finance reform.
I've repeatedly sent letters to AG Madigan asking why those two Cook Count Commissioners who declared public money as income to the IRS haven't been convicted of a crime. So far, I've received no response - after four or five letters. However, the AG of Minnesota sent me the IRS forms I could use to report them for tax fraud. Go figure.
Attiorney General: Lisa Madigan (Mike Madigans daughter)-She will never go after the Irish outfit, but she will go after opposition to the father. Cook County States Attorney: Anita Alvarez-she also will never go after the Joyce, Daley < Madigan irish outfit, but she will go after opposition to the Familia. US Attorney Patrick Fitzdaley- he will do enough to lok good , but never will touch Daley, Madigan, Jioyce, Degnan, Reyes... this City, County, and State is worse than Russia under Stalin.
Any chance that this is a legit request from the aldermen to get out of the deal and she is going to be the vehicle by which to do it? Isn't there at least a window of hope that the city can pull out of this contract based on legal technical terms? At least the aldermen realize that is in their best interest now (finally). If there is a legal justification to pull out of this contract (ie. deceptive practices), the city would not be liable for damages or other payments (aside from returning the lump sum payment), right? Is it too much to hope that now that political lives are on the line something might get done that the people want?
To get rid of the meters , get rid of mayor daley!he is running this city into the ground!!
Do you really care if they reverse the meter deal? The admitted lack of review prior to voting for it shows what incompetent fools they are. They will be fighting for their jobs with more vigor than normal since they know voters are fed up. This has been the last straw for me with Daley and the incompetent, butt licker I call Alderman.
No matter how many scandals are exposed, there are dozens for every one that makes the news that remain hidden. It's the scandalous rascals we need to rid ourselves of, you know, the Incumbent office holders. How, you wonder? Here's how: 1. Party Primaries are held to determine which candidates for elected office will be chosen to run in the ONLY election that really matters, the General Election. 2. Unless you care about which specific Republican, or other party, candidate will face off against the Democratic candidate, (in crook county and Chicago, that is almost always an Incumbent), there is NO reason for you to cast your Party Primary votes in the Republican Primary and EVERY reason for you to utilize your votes in the Democratic Primary, using your votes to DENY the nomination, to be the Democratic Party's candidates in the General Election, to the Democratic INCUMBENTS. BECAUSE: 3. The Incumbent Democrat is MOST vulnerable to being denied reelection by NOT winning their party's nomination in said party's PRIMARY elections. THAT'S how you get rid of these Democratic Incumbents, by denying them the their party's nomination to General Election ballot, which is what happens when your votes succeed in denying them their party's Primary victory. Q: Now, how can the voters be assured that the votes they cast in the Democratic Party's Primary will ensure that the Incumbent Democrats will NOT win their primary contests? A: By casting your votes using the following voting strategy: 1. Compile a list of all Democratic Incumbents who you want to NOT make it onto the General Election ballot. Organize your list of Democratic Incumbents by the office(s) which they currently hold. 2. Bring this list with you when you go to vote. 3. Locate the Incumbent Democrat's name on the voting ballot, under the public office which they currently hold. 4. If the Incumbent Democrat's name is listed FIRST, then cast your vote for whichever candidate's name is listed LAST OR If the Incumbent Democrat's name is NOT listed first, cast your vote for whichever candidate's name IS listed FIRST. Casting your votes in this manner will, if enough citizens apply this strategy, result in every voter NOT wanting the Incumbent Democrats to win their primary casting their votes for a SINGLE challenger candidate in each contest for public office. In order to ensure that Incumbent Democrats fail to win their party's nominations in the General Election, the voters must, for this purpose, disregard who they are specifically voting for, and focus on who they are specifically voting against, voting AGAINST the Incumbent by voting FOR the same, single challenger candidate. This strategy, if applied by a sufficient number of voters, is the most certain to result in the Incumbent Democrats not being reelected, since, if the Incumbent Democrats fail to win their party's nomination to the General Election, said Incumbent Democrats, being no longer their party's primary victors, are left with only one other option, ie., to attempt to run in the General Election as 'Independents'. The application of this voting strategy can be the first step in restoring Authentic Democracy to this city, county and state. If Authentic Democracy is what you, the voter, want, the use of this voting strategy will effectively help you to begin the process of it's restoration. No other voting strategy is as mathematically effective.
