The Blog

"an idea August 1st - 7:50 p.m. You know how the homeless who sell Streetwise have I.D. badges, issued by Streetwise? What if the city offered a program to those citizens who already troll our alleys for recyclables, namely, ie., the many homeless and impoverished citizens who regularly gather recyclables from the trash, did background checks and issued I.D.'s and sturdy carts to them, (so they won't have to 'borrow' all those shopping carts), and encouraged this untapped source of entrepreneurial spirits to assist in the efforts to recycle? They already do it now, why not help them to do it better?" followed by "Thomas Lundby August 5th - 5:35 a.m. Having talked with the homeless in a different city about the can/bottle collection thing, I don't necessarily think a regulated system is going to work. For starters, I don't think there's anyway city officials could possibly condone the health risks associated with what some of the collectors do. The stuff they recover in this city is redeemable for bottle deposit money, so they do a couple things. 1. Pick up cans and bottles from the ground and other public places. This method is the ideal one; they're cleaning up the city in a low-risk, legitimate fashion. Unfortunately, for homeless living off the deposit money, relying on this is pretty spotty... so they do the following methods more. 2. Scavenge through municipal trash cans and dumpsters for stuff. Although this method saves recyclables from the trash heap, it also can spread disease to the collector and sorting facilities. Also, few homeless will really risk going beyond the surface level of a trash can, so its purpose is weakened somewhat. Which brings us to #3, the most reliable way for homeless to make money off of recycling... 3. Steal from recycling bins For homeless trying to make money, nothing's more reliable than curbside. Ideally, you'll just luck into leftover baskets of cans/bottles at the grocery store returns, but this is a guaranteed option. Some even use bikes to speed the process along on trash day. I'm not saying a legitimization of homeless collection activities won't work; I'm just saying it would need to be developed and scrutinized carefully." followed by "thanks, Tom August 5th - 12:36 p.m. Thanks for your thoughtful consideration of my suggestion. My primary purpose in this is to offer a better way to both increase recycling, reduce the costs involved to the taxpayers, assist in creating a somewhat unconventional, but workable, cash flow for the less fortunate citizens of our city and, perhaps, provide a means for them to no longer be homeless. There are many who have had, and have, workable ideas to end homelessness in our city, county and state, there just doesn't seem to be the willingness, on the part of our 'elected officials' to give a higher priority to this than they do to lining their own pockets. As usual." and "Thomas Lundby again August 5th - 8:43 p.m. Yeah, that's true. Like day centers, the hard part is finding the right balance of regulation to make the system work. Too much and you'll scare away homeless that are intentionally avoiding other rehab paths (church charities, for example); too little and you'll run into liability problems and exploitation of loopholes. The other problem is the business issue--it's going to be hard to encourage change in our recycling system as long as any homeless lobby is vastly outnumbered and outfunded by business interests uninterested in subsidizing sustainable practices. thanks, again" and "August 5th - 9:14 p.m. I'm not the brightest star in the sky, by any measure, but it occurs to me that, if one were to research the value of recyclable materials, one MIGHT discover that there is a possible 'break-even' point where those in greatest need of minimally skilled work could be paid something close to, or equaling, minimum wage, supplied with an organized structure and the intelligently designed equipment, and employed to do much of the 'collections' involved in this type of endeavor. There are many empty storefronts scattered throughout this city that could be set up as relatively close by drop-off centers, and, with minimal training, those regularly employment challenged but still human beings could be contributing to their own well being and helping to increase recycling. This would, of course, probably be at odds with the powers-that-be's plans to turn this type of activity into another taxpayer-financed cash cow, but, well, they've already got a herd of those. Am I being too naive to think nobody's ever tried to figure this out before?" and "TL August 5th - 10:14 p.m. No, I think you're right. I haven't heard anything like that on this (west) coast, so I doubt anyone else has even considered it. I wish that someone in power would actually pursue your idea, but obtaining support for green policymaking seems to be difficult if you're somewhere roughly east of Colorado." and "re TL August 5th - 10:27 p.m. Yeah, it sort of seemed like your comment was free from the usual cynicism we encounter here 'daley'. If you read this article/blog regularly, you'll get that 'this must be Bizarro World' feeling, as our 'someones in power' have their own, peculiar perspective on being 'public servants', as in, THEY are to be served BY the public." and "TL final time August 5th - 11:46 p.m. Oh, I come from Chicagoland, but I've only been there for short stretches over the past four years. Whenever I'm away, only the really ridiculous news reaches me (Stroger Jr., road sales, Meigs Field, etc.)" followed by "The smarter states August 8th - 10:10 a.m. ...why don't we have a nickel or dime deposit on all recyclable containers? Make recycling actually profitable for the street scavengers and that will help." Well, Mick, what do you think?

Pay Frank Coconate $0.001 per bottle and he would not need his city job anymore. Frank could get a job at the recycling center, sorting condoms from other plastic items. Coconate is the Ralph Kramden of Politics, just a gadfly. Ohhhh Ann, I am sooooooo dumb!!!!!

While the idea of encouraging recyling is laudable, it appears the issues the city is trying to address is the shortfall in revenues, and recycling will not do that. What would you suggest to do to increase the top line of the city?

Typically I support most of the Mayor's initiatives but in this matter we part company. I still believe he is the best for Chicago at this point in time but this bottled water tax is "all wet". I would be less skeptical about Mayor Daley’s endorsement of a tax on bottled water if he had plainly stated that the City needs the revenue to fill a budget gap. Instead, he tries to cloak this assault on the taxpayers by saying the tax "Money-wise, it's a good idea. Environmental-wise, it's a good idea, too....There's so much plastic in our lives. It's amazing. Every time you look, there's plastic all over." What kind of double-speak is this ? Good for the environment ? Does that mean the desired effect of the tax is reduce the amount of plastic bottles by making the tax so onerous that people will drink less bottled water ? If that happens, then there will not be enough revenue for his budget problem. Sort of like higher cigarette “sin taxes” are supposed to lessen the use of that product. We have seen what the result of that has been - not lessened use, but instead lesser purchases in the City of Chicago, with smokers going to the suburbs and Indiana for their cigarettes. Or will these “Water Taxes” be held in a special fund solely for the purpose of addressing “green” or environmental issues as they effect the City ? If that is the case, then the Mayor’s revenue problem is still not addressed. And if past is prologue, we have seen, via the Illinois Lottery (which was supposed to fund Education, but instead simply diverted General State Revenue funds from Education) what can happen when additional revenues come to a governmental entity, the original intention often falls by the wayside. At .25 ¢ per bottle (or $6.00 tax for a case of 24) one thing is for certain - with the proliferation of Wal-Marts, Sam’s Clubs, Costcos, Targets, Big K-Marts, Dominicks’ and Jewel Food Stores ringing the City in the suburbs, look for many vehicles with a City of Chicago Vehicle Sticker on their windows in their parking lots filling up with water.

Revenue shortfall? What the hell does that really mean? One answer to this question is that there are too many bloated, unnecessarily expensive expenditures, touted by the city, county and state politicians as being 'essential', but being everything but. Too many excessively generous contracts. Too many overpaid and underworked discretionary employees. Too much fat and not enough substance. And, as always, not nearly enough 'transparency' as to where, to whom, for what purposes and of what uses our tax dollars, and our ever increasing public debt burdens, are being spent. It's no accident that we, the taxpayers, are kept ignorant of the details of the city, county, and state budgets. The major media represent themselves as being the guardians of the public's right to know. Both the print and broadcast media are nothing but propaganda mills, their 'product' being devoid of substance and truth. Our 'public servants' think everything is like a shell game, the location of the pea being none of the public's business. Except, the public is paying all the bills. With no effective accountability, no genuine oversight, no honest reporting, no factual knowledge. Just trust your 'elected' officials and pony up, boys and girls, it's all 'being taken care of, for 'your' benefit. As for randy gordon's less than two-cents worth, he's always a dependable source of asking the wrong questions and suppling the wrong answers. And as for the 'orion' post above, there's no way that this was posted by 'orion', he doesn't have the necessary vocabulary, nor the thinking skills, nor the perspective, to have written it. But, thanks, randy, for trying to change orion's rep for him, it was a 'noble' effort.

WE ARE TRUELY HAVING A REVENUE SHORTFALL. THE PROPOSED WATER TAX, MAY HELP SOMEWHAT.We need new sources of revenue. 1. Chicago land based casinos. 2.Completion of the o'Hare expansion project.Landing fees and gate revenue would be tremendous. 3.Privitize many of the city 's operations. 4.Let faith base organizations take over some of the under performing public schools, under the charter system.

My City of Chicago water bill for my family of three (two bathrooms, washing machine, dishwasher) is $18 every two months; $2.25 a week. This is absurdly cheap. The city could raise water bills by 50% and no resident could rightly complain. How come the aldermen don't think of these things? $100k a year plus expenses should ensure some decent ideas, shouldn't it?

"What would you suggest to do to increase the top line of the city?" well, let's just put it out there - the State does not live up to its own constitutional requirement to fund public schooling in Illinois. obviously the TIF shell game is compounding the problem, but the larger issue is that Illinois is backwards; we have a totally flat income tax which penalizes working stiffs and not people who's income comes from financial instruments like stocks, bonds, etc (ie, the financial heavy hitters). make the State income tax two or three tiered, raising the rate a point or two at the higher levels. and also slap a giant deposit on plastic bottles. the irony of all this is that beer and soda used to come in returnable bottles, we've been going backwards on this issue.

okay, kozicki, prove it. publish the entire city budget, in language the average citizen can understand, accounting for every single dollar spent, the purposes explained in plain english, let the people decide whether it's a shortfall or just the usual wasteful spending. And Ian, you've got to be kidding, 'decent' ideas from part-time, over-paid crooks? Don't worry, Ian, these boys and girls will have no problem coming up with new and innovative ways to pick our pockets, they don't need your encouragement.

Another thing that the powers that be have not completely hashed out on this is the rate vs the size of the bottle. .10 cents on a half-liter bottle ? .25 cents on a gallon jug ? what is the price for water with a sports cap as opposed to a bottle with a regular cap (that is often discarded on the street creating more pollution). What about distilled water ? Jugs of "baby water" in the gallon container ? Perrier Water in green bottles ? I think a can of worms has been opened. Hopefully this is just a trial balloon that will be burst.

Orion is being impersonated by a Psuedo Orion. But, as we all are familiar with the authentic Orion, the Psuedo Orion's attempts at recycling the authentic Orion's rep are doomed to failure. But, it'll be entertaining, to say the least, to see just how far this deception will go. Authentic Orion, where are you?

It seems like you obviously are more interested in playing Dick Tracy instead of addressing the issue at hand. Leave the Junior G-Man act at home and stick to points raised.

If a bottled water tax is the best this guy can do for his budgetary issues I've had enough. It's time for a mayor with a fresh perspective and new ideas.

Will the next special tax be on toilet paper, because after all, when someone takes a crap, they are contributing to environmental waste ? How about a tax on downloaded music from the internet ? With people not buying records or cds from the record stores, sales tax revenue is down in this area which we are entitled to. Or an additional tax on school supplies ? Why should those of us without kids bear such an equal burden for educating other peoples kids. This way, folks who buy notebook paper, crayons, Elmers glue, etc would be paying more of their fair share of what it costs to educate their crumb-snatchers.

How about a tax on every time you post? Or every time you log on? Or every key you stroke? Or every breath you take? Or every point you make? (oh yeah, that would raise $0.00)

Richie's not running out of ideas on what to tax, he's been trying to tax everything and anything for years. It's just that now, practically everything IS taxed, so he's stuck with raising taxes already in place, which he'll eventually do, all negative assurances to the contrary. Now, IF he really wanted to cover an actual shortfall, there's more than enough dinero in his TIF slusj fund to do so. But that wouldn't leave much left for his swag, and, God forbid, there ain't enough left for swag.

This just in.....Mayor Daley plans to tax the air we breath to make up for his administrations screw ups! The Sun-times and Tribune hail the mayor in there editorials. The public just scatchs there heads and think....at least he is Irish and not black! The mayor goes astep further and says " whos evers don't agree I'll screw them like i did to Coconutty and his kids!

Hey Coconutty ! My dad got you again. You should learn that my dad does what ever he wants! My daddy helped me sit in Fort Bragg Norh Carolina doing nothing but playing sports. While all the dumb poor people fight that stupid war for the rich! They die and I'll get all the credit!

BANG-ZOOM ! your going to the moon, mayor ! If you keep taxing the people of chicago.

I didn't know the Feds have facilities on the moon, would that be considered a Maximum + Maximum Security facility? Spill the beans, Frank, and you'll be the one laughing, as they'll ALL be living at the taxpayer's expense, albeit, in a far different way then they've been used to......

There is definitely a double standard when it comes to Daley.Doesn't Daley hang out and party with FRED BARBARA, THE THUG. FRED was accused of blowing a resturant. Fred recieves over 100 million in city contracts. What if Former Mayor HAROLD WASHINGTON was caught giving contracts to JEFF FORT, or Larry Hoover two Black thugs. The press would have a field days, attacking HAROLD WASHINGTON. Daley is exempt from scrunity by the press ,or critism from taxpayers, because he is Daley. He could throw babies out the window, of his fifth floor office and people would consistently make excuses for him. When does excrement not smell

What convicted federal felon, who did a measly 11 months 'hard time', just got released to a half-way house and announced on the news tonight that he's written a book while 'doing his time' and that, in this book, he names names, tells all, with 3 chapters on little richie alone?

I till the media and the Feds everything! But guess what? The feds don't want to hear about Richie Daley. They want to hear about the Congressman Lippy,Bobby Molarro, and ex-alderman Mark fary(Rose Andolino's Husband)

Hired Truck Scandal Figure To Write Tell-All Book http://www.nbc5.com/news/13901509/detail.html

MORE TAX MONEY WASTED.. Da Mayor is planning on bulldozing another park. This one is on the corner of 47th and King Drive. It is rumblings that da City is going to strike at midnight like they did Meig's Field. The $1.5 million park is 90 percent finished, complete with 10 feet granite slabs and pipes and wiring. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=local&id=5538653 What a watse of money.

I am glad I live in a Democracy.In America we can attack our political leaders without repercussions. We can even post half truths on a Blog.Daley has done more to enhance the recycling effort, than any other Mayor. Mick wants to visit recycling centers, for what purpose. Is he an Environmental Engineer? The streets of Chicago are cleaner now, than any other time. Crime is down. The Mayor has pluged the revenue shortfall. Mayor Daley has created oversight agencies to stop abuses that have fallen between the cracks. We have a 10 year agreement with the labor Unions. Very few cities could top this. If you guys want to see a dyfunctional city move to Detroit

"CHRISTOPHER KOZICKI August 16th - 8:33 p.m. I am glad I live in a Democracy." I'll bet you are. This 'democracy' we have here, in the city and Crook county, sure is working well for you and yours. Not so much for the rest of us. "In America we can attack our political leaders without repercussions." Really? You mean repercussions like our elected officials taxing the hell out of us and ignoring our protests? "We can even post half truths on a Blog." Which 'halves' are true? "Daley has done more to enhance the recycling effort, than any other Mayor." Yeah, that's saying a lot....... "Mick wants to visit recycling centers, for what purpose." Why, maybe to see for himself what our tax dollars are being wasted, I mean, used for. "Is he an Environmental Engineer?" Probably not, but does he have to be one to observe the hard working city employees at their tasks, see the results of these efforts and figure out if we, the citizens, are getting our money's worth for what these programs are costing us? "The streets of Chicago are cleaner now, than any other time." Take a drive through the parts of the city you never go to, instead of those you frequent, then say this again, with a straight face. "Crime is down." Yep, head down to the South Side, if crime is what you're looking for. Or, starting in Evanston, head down to Roger's Park. Or, starting in Portage Park, head down to the West Side. "The Mayor has pluged the revenue shortfall." Really? That's news. Does this mean we'll be able to buy our supplies of bottled water, free of extra taxes? Or, that we'll be seeing an exponential increase in the number of bogus parking tickets in our poorest neighborhoods? Or, that we can expect, any day now, an announcement, informing us all of the imminent increases in practically every fee, tax, fine and assessment on practically everything? "Mayor Daley has created oversight agencies to stop abuses that have fallen between the cracks." What 'cracks', the ones between the butt-checks of all the many clout monkeys? "We have a 10 year agreement with the labor Unions." What Labor Unions? Daley's private-contracted much of the city's functions, wants to private-contract more, so, what Union work is left? "Very few cities could top this." You're right, very few cities COULD top this city's tax burdens. "If you guys want to see a dyfunctional city move to Detroit" What's all this dissing of Detroit? You got sumtin' 'gainst da Motor City?

sTOP THE STUPID TALK ABOUT COCONATE. hE IS A HAS BEEN.

Chicago is all about making more money. I don't think they give a crap about recycling or disposal at all. They just want to force us to drink the polluted waters of lake michigan or pay for safe water. Its a division of the classes problem we have in chicago, you can't have a decent quality of life here unless you are able to pay enormous amounts of money for it. http://chicagoweekendfun.com

From the original post: "Of course, a deposit wouldn't raise hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue." Actually, a bottle bill could raise a lot of cash for the city. Amendments to NY State bottle bill were opposed this year by the grocery/beverage industry because money from unclaimed bottles/cans would have to be turned over to the state, instead of being kept by business. So if chicago "And the money forfeited when people fail to redeem their bottles and collect their nickels would provide over $100 million a year to clean up the environment. Right now those unclaimed funds stay with the distributors and beverage industry, which helps explains their resistance to this bill." -NYT Editorial, "Don't Discard The Bottle Bill," April 8, 2007

How about a vice tax on payoffs? Kickbacks? Bribes? Overruns on low-bidded contracts? Dumbocrat and Retardican campaign contributions? Or would that be too much money raised?