* Chicago Launches Jobs Program for Middle-Class
DALEY: This is the only program in the country like this. These are the forgotten souls who basically paid for the American dream. And we should not forget them.
* Daley excited as first class of Career Tech kicks off
“What can we do for the forgotten class? That’s you. You worked. You paid your taxes. . . .But, you don’t fit into all the poverty programs. And you don’t fit into all the rich programs. You’re like in limbo… . . . You’re very good workers. . . . Unfortunately, you were laid off. You’ve done everything right. [You’re saying], ‘Who’s gonna reach out to me? Where am I going? . . . What can I do? Who’s gonna hire me?’ ”
The answer, for the next six months at least, is City Hall.
* State eyes jail’s program for felony dads
Lake County was the first jail to use the fathering program. It teaches fathers how to nurture relationships with their children. Inmates write monthly letters to their kids as part of the program.
About half a dozen personnel from the Illinois Department of Corrections visited the jail Monday to observe the MD program and tour the facility.
* Meter lease helps fund job training effort
CNA, Microsoft, Northern Trust Bank, the Joyce Foundation, the United Way and other groups are providing support and services. The state Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is providing a $300,000 grant.
* Chicago took in $75.9 million during its crusade for the Games
During the 42 month campaign, the organization spent $59.4 million. The remainder, $16.5 million, went to the bid’s legacy youth sports organization, World Sport Chicago.
Chicago 2016 also received $16.2 million in donated goods and services.
* Chicago 2016 paid six-figure compensation packages to executives on failed Olympic bid
A federal tax filing released Monday shows that Chicago 2016 spent $5.9 million on salaries and benefits in 2009, including $28-a-month health club subsidies for roughly 100 employees. The parade of six-figure executives was led by Chief Operating Officer David Bolger, with a $483,713-a-year package that includes salary, “retention” bonus and benefits and $7,871 in other compensation….Other top earners, with their salaries and benefits listed along with other compensation, included: Doug Arnot, senior vice-president of sport ($373,013 and $15,971); Chief Bid Officer John Murray ($364,482 and $24,256); Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Richard Ludwig ($342,158 and $24,256); President Lori Healy ($231,682 and $9,038) and Valerie Walker, director of marketing and communications ($226,727 and $6,542).
The list also includes: Chief Governmental Officer Kevann Cooke ($187,215 and $9,770); Olympic Village Development chief Cassandra Francis ($163,644 and $8,729) Director of Administration Patricia Rios ($150,863 and $5,366); Senior Manager of International and Government Affairs Deb Feddelke ($130,382 and $7,921); Director Robert Ctvrtlik ($120,000); Director of Events Lori Igleski ($111,047 and $18,125) and Director of Finance Mary Murphy ($102,035 and $8,089).
* VIDEO: Andy Shaw on Mayor’s ‘Transparency’ Plan
* Sneed: Sorich outta da joint
Robert Sorich, Mayor Daley’s former patronage chief, is expected to be released from prison today — and head to a Chicago halfway house. Sorich refused to cooperate with the feds and was sentenced to nearly four years in prison after he was found guilty of of rigging city hiring in 2006.
* CPS Planning Healthier Food Options for Students
* Metra urged to step up financial overhaul
* Daily Herald: Extend monitoring of CN merger
* Heilmann takes aim at legal investigation
[Oak Lawn Mayor David] Heilmann is pointing to a two-month-old conversation between finance director Brian Hanigan and Burt Odelson in which Odelson allegedly revealed that two trustees - Bob Streit (3rd) and Tom Phelan (6th) “are out for blood” and that they wanted “Heilmann’s head on a platter.”
Hanigan said the language was never that blunt but couldn’t recall specifically what he told the mayor. He said he did relay to Heilmann that the village board’s approval of an inquiry was “an investigation with a purpose.”
* State expected to vote on Southland charter school
After Rich Township District 227’s board denied the proposal for Southland College Prep Charter School February, the charter school team, led by Matteson School District 162 Supt. Blondean Davis, appealed the decision to the state board.
After months of review, the state board appears poised to make a decision on a school advertised as a college-prep alternative for parents frustrated with crime, low test scores and a growing dissension between members of the community and the District 227 school board.
* Kadner: Harvey parks Boss faces test in court
* Some farmers considering replanting flooded corn
* Loves Park gives initial OK to motel tax
* [Galesburg] Council backs plan to create 21 jobs
* [Quincy] Council approves contracts with three unions representing city employees
* [Normal] Transportation center expected to be done by Aug. 2012
* LeRoy to seek help from group to fill void left by city admin
* Stimulus money to provide temporary employment to 250
* [Decatur] Council looks to savings as it OKs wage concesssions with AFSCME
* Three Champaign businesses first to be certified green by state association
* Residency rule complicates Public Health successor choice in Vermilion County
* College president faces home foreclosure, $145,000 tax debt
* New Washington Park chief says he’s a ‘go-getter’
* Ex-Madison County official gets state post
Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed Dan Donohoo, former Madison County recorder of deeds, a commissioner with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.
- Oakparker - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 8:23 am:
Heilmann is the mayor of Oak Lawn, not Oak Parfk…
- cassandra - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 8:37 am:
Decatur seems to have been able to bring about (productive) discussions with AFSCME.
Not our Pat, though. Under his reign, AFSCME agreed to nothing other than a postponement of a fraction of the contractual wage increase now in force. He asked AFSCME for mandatory furlough days and they turned him down. He said OK. Then he signed an agreement not to lay off any state employees in the AFSCME bargaining unit (that is nearly all of them–there are only a few thousand merit comp now in a work force of 60,000 or so) until June, 2011, whether needed or not.
Our Pat and his minions in the budget office who are making these union-friendly decisions aren’t working for the taxpayer. They’re working for AFSCME. And contract talks are coming up soon for the next lucrative pay raises.
- Dirt Digger - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 8:51 am:
The Sun-Times piece on Chicago 2016 might have also noted that all of the group’s funding came from private sources.
Also “so-called Form 990″ is a pretty awesome qualifier, from this “so-called article.”
- Zora - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 9:23 am:
I would like to enroll in one of “the rich programs” that Mayor Daley referred to at the Career Tech kick off. Where do I sign up?
- Fed up. - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 9:46 am:
Dirt digger.
The money for the Olympic fiasco came from private sources like the credit card issued to Michael Scott by the Chicago public schools. Taxpayers have to pay those bills. I wonder how many other taxpayer funded agencys donates money to this friends and family 6 figure jobs program of mayor Daleys.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 10:17 am:
From the downtown Peoria hotel developer:
“Matthews believes his plan will help Peoria compete for conventions that it now loses to Chicago and even national destinations such as Las Vegas”
First off, Chicago and Las Vegas are international convention destinations, the third big one in the U.S. being Orlando.
Peoria competing with them is a pipedream. Furthermore, the convention business is shrinking and the inventory of venue space has increased dramatically in the last 15 years. Watch yourself, Peoria, before you put any public money into new convention space.
Think small local meetings. That’s the growth sector.
- wordslinger - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 10:23 am:
Some pretty sweet paydays in the Olympics efforts. Besides the salaries, check out this bit:
“Down the 2009 home stretch of its three-year bid, Chicago 2016 spent $1.2 million on public relations with Hill & Knowlton and $1.2 million on its Web site online efforts with Ogilvy & Mather, according to bid documents.”
I have no doubt the PR folks could produce reams of nonsense justifying their bill. But $1.2 million for a website? I’d love to see the backup material on that charge.
- Yellow Dog Democrat - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 11:07 am:
@Dirt Digger -
That “private money” was also exempt from state and federal taxation, so it does come at a cost to the taxpayers.
I can’t wait to see how much the former Chicago 2016 execs contribute and raise for the Mayor’s re-election.
- Rich Miller - Tuesday, May 18, 10 @ 11:08 am:
===so it does come at a cost to the taxpayers. ===
You could say the same thing about churches or other non-profits. It’s a bit of a stretch.