Wednesday, January 21, 2009
News / Clout City What's going down
Posted by Mick Dumke on Wed, Jan 21, 2009 at 4:27 PM
While the 44th president is getting to work …
- You might have noticed that President Obama spoke repeatedly about the environment during his inauguration speech. But the Environment Report notes that he didn’t call it out as a key, separate issue—he assumed it’s tied to all of the most pressing issues facing the country.
- As environmental advocates and business groups close and far continue to present plans for stimulating a green economy (issuing Clean Energy Victory Bonds?), skeptics say a rapid, government-led conversion to alternative energy sources could actually lead to job losses.
- In the Wall Street Journal: a coalition of banks and equity firms is using the example of Obama’s hometown to push a “solution” to the budget shortfalls gutting public services across the country: privatization. Specifically, firms like Morgan Stanley would like to be able to not just buy public assets but be able to build and control them from the start.
- Housing values have taken a hit over the last year, but property tax rates are usually based on assessments taken months and sometimes years earlier—which is bad news for lots of people struggling to hold onto their homes. The Sun-Times’ Mark Konkol reports that Cook County assessor James Houlihan—Mayor Daley’s usual scapegoat for a broken property tax system he uses to fund pet projects—is looking for a way to link tax rates more closely with recent market fluctuations. But it still probably won’t help anybody with their next round of tax payments.
- Political analyst Russ Stewart says it’s not looking good for Pat O’Connor’s chances in the Fifth Congressional District race. He gives the nod to John Fritchey or Sara Feigenholtz.
- It wasn't long ago that city clerk Miguel del Valle got the City Council to start posting the agendas for its committee meetings before they're actually held. How long will it be before the council follows the lead of Cleveland—that’s right—and discovers Facebook and Twitter?
- WBBM radio has confirmed that yes, there are a few Republicans in Chicago.
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"It wasn't long ago that city clerk Miguel del Valle got the City Council to start posting the agendas for its committee meetings before they're actually held." The one meeting that matters, the only meeting that can make laws and contracts, is the full City Council. When will our City Council finally admit, yes, as a matter of fact, we ARE in Illinois, and give its citizens 48 hours to petition their government as required by law?
frank coconate wrote: Poor Judge Sheila Kilroe McGinnis. She gets the Judgeship by being a Daley,she ran unopposed. Than is upset by the press she gets. The best is , the Daley connected people continue to live by two sets of rules. Son Patrick Daley(MSS-Fraud)), John Whirity(Ghost Pay-Roll,Water dept.),James Stroden(builds house on City time, Water Dept. Supt.),Tim Degnan.....I can go on and on. The poor person with NO Daley Connections gets screwed. The people related or connected to the Daley family , get away with MURDER! it's sad , but true. I'm still fighting for my job(pension) with the City of Chicago because after 28 years, I didn't staple my worksheets.My kids are hurting because of my criticism of the Daleys and THEY don't care.! 1/25/2009 10:28 AM CST on southtownstar.com
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