Wednesday, July 16, 2008
News / Clout City Come See The Show
Posted by Ben Joravsky on Wed, Jul 16, 2008 at 8:40 AM
I'm sure there will be plenty of seats available when the Plan Commission meets Thursday to discuss Mayor Daley's plans to borrow $85 million to buy and demolish Michael Reese hospital.
What's that? You didn't know the meeting was even on the calendar [pdf]?
Well, of course not. When it comes to throwing a fundraising bash in Millennium Park intended to feed the fantasy that the games will magically make our lives better, the Olympic planners can't send out enough press releases (I think I got three) inviting the media to show up. (And if you want to see who pitched in some cash, read the report from Crain's.)
But they don't send out any announcements for a meeting that will explain the finer points of their plans to get started on building a 7,500-unit (give or take a couple hundred) Olympic Village--such as how in the world we're supposed to pay for it without bankrupting our schools and parks.
And they hide the meeting on a weekday afternoon.
Too bad. I for one am really looking forward to the city's first public explanation of how they're borrowing $85 million but not really spending the money.
I'll keep you posted--or you can see the fun for yourself at at 1 PM Thursday in the City Council chambers....
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The show sucks. It's a rerun we've seen hundreds of times in the past 20 years. Somebody change the channel. Better yet, somebody cancel that show.
For some perspective on what $85 million means -- the entire Aldermainc menu program for all 50 wards is $66 million per year. Which means that every single ward could have a double helping of infrastructure repairs and then some .... OR we could spend $85 million tearing down a hosptital.
I vote for tearing down the hospital!
Clout Monkeys. Because: Someone has to eat the politicians' shit and like it.
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