Morning shorts
Wednesday, Aug 26, 2009 - Posted by Mike Murray
* Mayor culpa: Daley catches an earful at public hearing
Keep city mental health centers open. Expand foreclosure outreach programs. Increase funding for youth jobs and mentoring. Fix giant sinkholes. And dump Jody Weis.
Those were among the litany of suggestions — and demands — Mayor Daley received Tuesday night at the first public hearing on his 2010 preliminary budget that’s marked by a $520 million shortfall.
* Budget Cuts Not an Option at First Budget Meeting
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says the city needs to “go on a diet” to fill a more than $500-million budget deficit. But residents attending this year’s first budget meeting had service increases on their minds.
* Daley hears critics on Olympics, budget, parking
* City digs itself into hole with resident weeks after water repair work
* Latest Chicago recycling program offers rewards — with possible payoffs for city, recycler and residents
* Illinois ranks second in bank failures
* Workers strike after health care yanked
Unionized workers launched a strike at SK Hand Tool Corp.’s Chicago and McCook sites Tuesday after the company dropped employees’ health insurance coverage without notice, according to a Teamsters official.
* United Airlines move: Northwest suburbs to feel the financial pain
* Chicago home prices rise in June
* Digital divide: Internet-access speed varies across Illinois
* Chicago Reader’s new owner is a hedge fund
* Rezoning aims to save Loop gems
Alderman hopes to spur re-use of historic sites
* Oak Lawn trustees approve union concessions to save jobs
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 26, 09 @ 9:31 am:
If Daley can keep — and the Chicago media allow — him to keep he budget conversation on parking meters, the Olympics and Jody Weis, than he’s a big winner.
TIF? What’s a TIF?
- bluestatecowboys - Wednesday, Aug 26, 09 @ 10:05 am:
Jake and Elwood Blues made it to their gig at the Palace Hotel Ballroom (i.e.,the old South Shore Country Club), but the Blue State Cowboys weren’t able to make it to that venue last night. Had we been there, we would have serenaded Mayor Daley with our own musical tribute to him . . .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4v5ihLlYKQ
GOOD KING RICH
(Spoken Intro)
This is an open letter to the International Olympic Committee:
As you travel the world these next few months
Being wined and dined in five-star restaurants
In Madrid, Tokyo, and Rio De Janeiro, remember this:
You’re upholding the proud tradition of your predecessors,
Many of whom allegedly accepted bribes
In exchange for awarding the 2002 Winter Games
To that paragon of urban virtue - Salt Lake City, Utah
(Chorus)
Well, you can scrap that bid from old Madrid
Say adios to Spain
And just say no to Tokyo
With its fancy bullet train
And if you’re ill at ease speakin’ Portugese
Then Rio ain’t your town
Oh, but Good King Rich, he’ll scratch your itch
When he throws that cash around
(Verse)
Well, some folks say that it don’t make sense
To hold the Games in the 312
They say our city’s broke; schools are a joke
Well, friends, that just might be true
Oh, but Good King Rich, he’d rather fight than switch
You know how the story’s gonna end
With all the King’s family and all the King’s friends
Lining their pockets again and again
(Repeat Chorus)
(Verse w/ tag)
From the two-flats and the bungalows
We applaud his every scheme
From a tax increase to a parking meter lease
He’s helping us live the dream
Now with a wave of his hand and a line in the sand
He’s gonna bring the Olympics home
So damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead
He’s gonna get us a velodrome
We can’t pay for salt when there’s ice on the streets
But at least we’ll have a velodrome
(Repeat Chorus (w/ tag))
Yeah, Good King Rich, he’s gonna scratch your itch
When you bring those games to town
- Cheswick - Wednesday, Aug 26, 09 @ 11:29 am:
Very creative, bluestatecowboys. Good work.
- Bobs yer - Wednesday, Aug 26, 09 @ 10:26 pm:
just back from vacation in Oregon. no sales tax, no kidding. across the Columbia River in Washington, no income tax. Smart guys live in Washington, buy all their stuff in Oregon. But its OK, we’re really better off in Illinois. No, really.