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* One day after the election and Emanuel is already having Daleyesque pronunciation problems…
Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel told WGN AM 720s Greg Jarrett this morning, “I’m going to order, on day one, a forensics audit of all the departments and all of how the resources are spent.” (full interview mp3)
Either way, that pretty much puts the lie to the claims that the Daley folks backed Emanuel because he wouldn’t dare go so far as to order such a massive audit of city government.
* The win…
Emanuel won 40 of the city’s 50 wards, getting more than 70 percent of the vote in the heavily populated lakefront wards. Emanuel also won with more than 50 percent of the vote in wards with large African-American populations, racking up margins of at least 2-to-1 over the major black candidate, Braun.
Chico won the remaining 10 city wards. They were primarily Latino-heavy wards on the Southwest Side, where he was raised, and the West Side. Chico, Daley’s former chief of staff, also won the 19th and 41st wards, both with large populations of police and firefighters, whose unions endorsed him. Still, Chico’s vote advantage over Emanuel in those wards was not significant.
Turnout was 41 percent, nearly 10 points lower than election officials predicted.
* The loss…
Emanuel appeared to be the “consensus candidate” of the black community, garnering a larger share of the votes than former Sen. Carol Moseley Braun, who came in fourth behind City Clerk Miguel del Valle. Braun had just under 9 percent, del Valle just over 9 percent.
Braun’s collapse opened the door for Emanuel to claim the black vote and made a run-off impossible […]
In her concession speech at the Parkview Ballroom in Bronzeville, Braun said, “It is a very painful thing to lose an election, but I believe that hope springs eternal. We will continue to try to inspire people and get them engaged and involved in government.”
She thanked a supporter and mentioned how she told him minutes before the concession, “I’m really so sorry this didn’t come out better. I’m sorry if I did anything that messed it up.”
Braun also said last night that she hoped someday the city could elect its first female mayor - apparently forgetting that Chicago elected Jane Byrne.
The lessons black politicians can take away from Braun’s miserable loss is the same as it has always been: Black voters matter, and you’ve got to be able to raise money.
Black voters turned out in a mighty big way for Emanuel. They didn’t turn out for Braun.
After all the fuss, in the end, being the “consensus” candidate meant nothing.
I think the take-away for black leaders on this campaign should be: Quality black candidates matter to black voters. They have never just “voted black” for mayor because the candidate happened to be the same skin color. They vote for viable African-American candidates who can prove they can win. Braun was a disaster. And the leaders should’ve known that after watching her implode in the US Senate.
* Fran Spielman thinks Emanuel could be a one-termer…
Rahm Emanuel’s Round One victory gives him a running start on confronting problems so severe, the painful solutions could seal his fate as a one-termer.
Whether Emanuel can avoid a one-and-done scenario — assuming he even wants to serve more than four years — will largely depend on how he tackles the biggest financial crisis in Chicago history.
The city is literally on the brink of bankruptcy with a structural deficit approaching $1 billion when under-funded employee pensions are factored in.
Mayor Daley borrowed to the hilt, sold off revenue-generating assets and spent most of the money to hold the line on taxes in his last two budgets. The city even borrowed $254 million to cover back pay raises long anticipated for police officers and firefighters.
The city is only “literally on the brink of bankruptcy” if it refuses to raise new revenues. Failing companies with lousy products can’t just sell more goods as they go down the drain. That’s what makes governments different from private business. They can, and do, raise new reveunes.
The problem with new revenues, of course, is that voters won’t like it. Chicagoans have been blessed with relatively low residential property taxes (even though they think they pay way too much). Those days may have to end unless Emanuel can find another way.
* Meanwhile, big changes are coming to the city council…
Even Oprah Winfrey couldn’t have given Chicago’s City Council a more massive makeover than the one it got Tuesday.
At least 10 new people will fill the Council chambers, and there could be even more fresh faces as at least nine incumbent aldermen appeared headed toward runoffs on April 5.
That included the Council’s oldest member, Bernard Stone, in the 50th Ward.
The other aldermen heading to runoffs include Toni Foulkes (15th) and JoAnn Thompson (16th) on the Southwest Side. Ald. Willie Cochran (20th) will go one-on-one with hip-hop artist Che “Rhymefest” Smith on the South Side. In the 24th Ward, first-term incumbent Sharon Denise Dixon will go head-to-head again with former Ald. Michael Chandler, whom she previously defeated in a tight runoff. Roderick Sawyer, the son of former Chicago Mayor and Ald. Eugene Sawyer, appeared to have forced 6th Ward Ald. Freddrenna Lyle into a runoff as well.
* And Carol Marin says a new star has been born…
A star is born out of this Chicago election. And, no, I’m not talking about Rahm Emanuel.
State Rep. Susana Mendoza’s victory Tuesday night over Water Reclamation District Commissioner Patricia Horton for the post of city clerk now lifts Mendoza onto a new path. One where the audience will be wider. And the political possibilities greater.
Mendoza, 38, a Mexican-American who represents Chicago’s Pilsen-Little Village neighborhoods, went to the Illinois General Assembly a decade ago as its youngest member. In her time in Springfield, Mendoza has been a reliable vote for the Democratic agenda, gone from proponent to opponent of the death penalty, and vigorously argued for the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich.
She is energetic, collegial, and more often than not, candid.
* Roundup…
* Mayor-elect greets commuters at South Side ‘L’ stop
* Brown: Time for me to stop underestimating Rahm
* Steinberg: Some Chicagoans unaware of mayor’s race
* Conflict in 45th aldermanic race: Sneed hears state Rep. Joseph Lyons, who backed 45th Ward aldermanic candidate Marina Faz-Huppert, reportedly got into a shouting match with a poll watcher — whom he allegedly chest-butted and chin-slapped, but no charges were filed.
* VIDEO: Emanuel victory speech
* State lawmaker takes city clerk’s office
* Tight City Council races: Veteran aldermen head for runoffs
* Election results summary
* Mayor results, ward-by-ward
* City clerk results, ward-by-ward
* Springfield mayor results
* Houston, Stocks-Smith, Coffey, Kunz advance to mayoral final four
…Adding… More…
* Mayor Alvin Parks Jr. leads all candidates in ESL primary election
* Jakobsson wins Urbana city council Ward 2 primary
* Dixon To Take On Ex-Ald. Chandler In 24th Ward runoff
* Cochran To Face Rapper Rhymefest In 20th Ward runoff
* Lake County coroner quits, pleads guilty in methadone clinic case
…Adding More… A must-read…
* City needs ‘the Carlos treatment’: As the snow fell Tuesday and Chicago residents came out to vote for a new mayor, I recalled my late friend, Carlos Hernandez Gomez, the former political reporter for CLTV.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:00 am
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Previous Post: *** UPDATED x3 Bill withdrawn, but Hoosiers remain in IL *** Fleeing Hoosier Dems are holed up in Urbana - GOP Governor is OK with it
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Joe Lyons is, in my experience, a nice guy. The incident is indication that things are getting rough out there for the old ways,
and the old alliances. He’s probably feeling the squeeze of change.
Also feeling the squeeze, Bernie Stone, Brian Doherty, the automatic Cullerton family, not to mention the land that used to be that of Ed Kelley. Pawar to the people.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:07 am
“The problem with new revenues, of course, is that voters won’t like it. Chicagoans have been blessed with relatively low residential property taxes (even though they think they pay way too much). Those days may have to end unless Emanuel can find another way.”
*cough* graduated city income tax *cough*
Comment by Johann Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:11 am
Unlike the Republicans who constantly harped about audits for show, this all means something with Emanuel because he’s actually got the guts and skill to do something with new information he finds.
Comment by just sayin' Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:16 am
amalia: you can also include Gene Schulter in your list. Tom O’Donnell as a candidate? LOL!!!
Comment by 47th Ward GOP Guy Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:18 am
We’ll see what a “forensics” audit really means, but it is wise for a new mayor to come in, lock things down and determine exactly how things have been done for 20-plus years.
Now let’s make sure we’re not spilling Coke down computer harddrives or accidentally shredding files up there on 5.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:27 am
I’m impressed that the phrase forensic audit has been used by the new mayor elect. Time will tell it is a real plan, but so far it is encouraging.
Comment by Plutocrat03 Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:33 am
Don’t get your hopes too high Pluto, my guess is that Rahm is talking about a performance audit, which is SOP for new executives and much easier to do than a full-blown “forensics” audit.
Like the current Mayor, we’ll have to learn what he means as opposed to what he says. There is often a difference.
Comment by 47th Ward Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:38 am
I have no idea if Emanuel was Daley’s preferred candidate or not, but Rahm ordering “forensic” audits doesn’t disprove that possibility. Recall Arthur Andersen’s audits of Enron.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr.'s Financial Planner Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:38 am
Alderman Brian Doherty’s preferred candidate, Maurita Gavin, actually placed second in the 41st Ward yesterday, so there will be a run-off election with Mary O’Connor.
Comment by Honest Abe Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:57 am
It will be interesting to see if Rahm actually does this forensic audit or is this just a nice sound bite. Rahm was very complementary to king Richard in his victory speech so I don’t expect him to let the sun shine on Daleys deals.
Comment by Fed up Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 10:58 am
nice memory of Carlos. thanks for the link.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:15 am
Poor Gene Schulter. First he loses the seat he coveted on the Board of Review and then he fails to get his handpicked successor into office despite a massive money advantage, endorsements and a ton of mail. Poor poor Gene. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy!
As Amalia said, Pawar to the people!
Comment by Chicago Cynic Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:17 am
To those who insist on harping about turnout in a municipal election, you people just don’t know what you’re talking about. Municipal elections almost always have far lower turnout than statewide or presidential elections. And then there’s this…
===Voter turnout in a mayor’s race hasn’t hit 50 percent since Mayor Richard Daley was first elected in 1989. ===
http://progressillinois.com/quick-hits/content/2011/02/23/number-day-42
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:17 am
Rich, what did I say to get erased?
Comment by Knome Sane Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:24 am
Rich raises the correct question for the new Mayor, “new revenues.” All I can say is in his victory speech Mr. Emanuel clearly stated he would not increase taxes. The proposal for a forensic audit made by Mr. Emanuel creates the possiblity of carrying out significant cuts by declaring millions in spending as not needed.
Here is how it is done. Each area of city government based on such an audit will produce millions of dollars of funds that have been misspent. These funds are simply declared to be not necessary and ordered to be cut from the budget. A serious audit of the Chicago Public Schools given its history of corruption will yeild serious results for cuts.
These cuts will hit minority set aside contracts especially hard where corruption has been rampant. It will hit smaller “connected” firms hard. Using these cuts Mr. Emanuel will be able to balance the budget, keeping the pension issues off the table. Eventually the new Mayor will attempt to cut pensions to what ever extent he legally can. This is how it will go down.
Comment by Rod Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:29 am
And then Rod woke up.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:31 am
–A serious audit of the Chicago Public Schools given its history of corruption will yeild serious results for cuts.–
Perhaps, but it wouldn’t save a dime in the city budget.
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:34 am
This would appear to be an excellent time to invest in companies that supply office equipment (Like shredding machines) to the city!!
Comment by Hank Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:38 am
For “revenues” or at least corruption reduction, Rahm may be better off aligning himself with the CTU and going after Bill & Barack to divert Federal funds from defense and Wall Street bailouts to urban education.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr.'s Financial Planner Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:38 am
The question about the audit will be where it begins and ends. If you audit the books for this budget year I don’t know that you are doing anything Daley would care about. If you go back five, ten or twenty, well then that’s another story.
Comment by truthteller Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 11:47 am
well, there is another way to look at a forensic audit, and great care must be taken. it’s spending by geography. let’s say you live in an area where you get no CDBG funds, cause that’s federal with income limits. you don’t have much crime so you don’t have much in the form of police. and the public schools don’t benefit from federal funds, again, income limits. but you do pay high taxes. what do you get?
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:01 pm
===Municipal elections almost always have far lower turnout than statewide or presidential elections.===
This always baffles me. The elected officials that have the most effect on our lives excite less people to come to the polls. You would think it would be the other way around. But then again I always wonder why all elections are not closer to 100% turnout.
I did notice that the 19th ward in Chicago, with a 75% turn out, had more voters than all of Springfield.
Comment by Been There Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:03 pm
Time to take away Mary Mitchell’s typewriter/cpu. Rich, you can now be a voice of the AfAm community as your point made 2wice as much sense as hers.
So it is shown again, that the people are smarter than the so called Black Leaders as Braun could not fool a majority of the Black Voters as she did the “leaders”.
She went full blown idiot, only to be overtaken by Danny K Davis’ last minute commercial.
Comment by Wumpus Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:05 pm
===I did notice that the 19th ward in Chicago, with a 75% turn out, had more voters than all of Springfield. ==
Yeah. You wanna see some really poor turnout, look at Springfield. Less than 23 percent.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:06 pm
My view is that the city property tax levy probably has to double. It’s less than $1 billion as it is out of a budget that’s getting close to $7 billion. Even so it will still be a relatively small line on peoples’ property tax bills next to what goes to other beneficiaries including the schools. But the city also has to ensure it never gets in this kind of fix again. That means reining in pension promises, transitioning to defined contribution plans, and taking serious steps to stop the decay of city infrastructure and add value instead. In other words, strip out the exponential budget increases and add real worth to the city.
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:12 pm
Oh, and we have to renegotiate the parking meter lease or hope like heck that the IVI/IPO lawsuit succeeds. All the innovative stuff that’s taking place with planning and zoning and streetscapes in places like New York can’t be implemented here with the current condition of the lease.
Comment by Angry Chicagoan Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:14 pm
“Heavily populated Lakefront wards”?
Wards are formed by using census numbers. They are equally populated. Although there is a slight change between re-districting. I don’t expect Lakefront areas change much. There aren’t a whole bunch of new buildings shoehorned in. There aren’t large buildings destroyed and not replaced.
Has the Trib have an official or unofficial policy to count White people with money more than it counts other people?
Comment by Carl Nyberg Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:36 pm
“You want to see some really poor turnout, look at Springfield”
I suspect that with seven candidates (eight counting the write in) and no clear, overwhelming front runner a la Rahm, everyone knew there was going to be a runoff anyway, so why not wait until then to vote.
Comment by Secret Square Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:40 pm
Carl, you must’ve missed yesterday’s blog. Huge population increase for downtown wards. Enough for a new ward.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:43 pm
Carbondale turnout was 17.2% Sheesh
Comment by Way Way Down Here Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:48 pm
Interesting to see Rahm’s best ward (by a large margin) was 42, where there was no contested aldermanic race. Rahm need to remember that the Loop, New East Side, Streeterville and River North are all “neighborhoods” that need attention like any other neighborhood. If not, that’s 14,000 votes for somebody else in four years.
Comment by Jasper Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:50 pm
If taxes are not raised, the non-personnel budget is approx $1.2B, let’s say you can cut $120M from that (10%, much easier said than done but for simplicitys sake I will use that number), he will have to cut $500M in jobs, which equates to approx. 5,000 jobs, and since police and fire will probably be exempt, that will mean some serious service cuts.
And I think the real surprise of Ms. Mendoza is that she was able to keep the fact that she was an HDO product out of the race.
Comment by Jim Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:54 pm
Jasper is right. It’s high time someone on the Fifth Floor stop kowtowing to the south and west side wards and pay some well-deserved attention to the Loop and surrounding areas, who have suffered greatly lo these many years.
Comment by Bill F. Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:56 pm
Good point, Jim. That, and the fact that she’s a member of the Trilateral Commission.
Comment by Jasper Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 12:56 pm
====she was an HDO product out of the race. ===
Mendoza got on the wrong side of HDO years ago, to the point where they plotted her ouster. Others stepped in on her behalf.
And, despite all the love for Miguel del Valle, what’s never mentioned is that he cut a deal with HDO to stop the constant fights between HDO and independent Latinos. Does that make him tainted, too? Not to me, but some purists just can’t stop themselves.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 1:02 pm
New revenue can and should come from residents of other municipalities who use Chicago services, infrastructure, etc every day without paying for them- suburbanites that work downtown. A 25-50 cent per ride tax on all metro tickets originating or ending outside city limits, and a correspondingly harsher $5 a day tax on cars not registered in the city parking in parking lots. Increased parking meter rates for cars fom outside the city. City stickers can be equipped w barcodes readable by meter and parking garages, akin to an ipass system, to allow city residents to avoid the tax. The taxes can be waived for trips into the city made after 4 pm, say, and on weekends in order to minimize any effect on tourism.
Comment by Revenue Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 1:06 pm
Sorry about the typo- Metra, not metro
Comment by Revenue Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 1:11 pm
Now a word about the Springfield Mayor Race. The substantial first place win on the part of Houston, when compared to the well-funded and GOP-backed results for Coffey, really show the significantly diminished capabilities of the Sangamon County GOP. There was a time when that organization could get anything it wanted and elect almost anyone it wished – and I am not necessarily talking about the “good old days” of State patronage under Thompson. Houston has never been one of the county party favorites. If he wins, look for a thorough housecleaning of non-performers left behind on the City payroll by both parties. Who knows? Houston as Mayor might be able to bring some discipline and shine back to local GOP political operations. I remember when he was a vigorous president of the local Jaycees. The Patch needs some of the optimism and maturity he would bring.
It is hard to believe Coffey did not do better, with all the money and Statehouse smart guys he had working for him. Saputo’s is a well-run place – with no employees just sitting around enjoying themselves, and Coffey is a likable guy. If he can pull support from the now-free former Mayor’s supporters, he just might overcome Houston. If not, Springfield will be run by a straight arrow who has made the rounds of the Springfield political, business, and NFP worlds.
Comment by Chad Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 1:19 pm
Miguel cut a deal with HDO? Paper reported that he used HDO in fundraising, there is a city/HDO person working high up for him in the Clerk’s Office. That’s not being pure in a look at him. It’s reality.
Comment by amalia Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 1:47 pm
@Revenues: Rather than start are tax war with the suburbs, Rahm could tell Obama and the Feds that the City of Chicago is going to act like NY State during prohibition: the city will not enforce Federal laws regarding the sale and distribution of marijuana, but will collect taxes on transactions and all business involved in such transactions.
Feds won’t mess with Rahm.
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr.'s Financial Planner Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 2:36 pm
I still think the best minority candiate would have ben Sandi Jackson. Had she run it would have been an interesting race and much tougher for rahm.
on the forensic audits…ill beleive it when the reports are released. Until then its just a big smoke bomb.
Comment by Ghost Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 2:37 pm
–Carbondale turnout was 17.2% –
(click) (bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble)
(click)(bubble, bubble, bubble, bubble)
(hrrrmmmpphhh, cough, cough, hrrmmmpphhh, cough, cough)
“Election? No way, man. That was like, last week, dude.”
“Paul Simon’s sister just got, like, elected governor or something cool. She’s going to get me a job at DNR. I went to her party. Check it out, there was this chick from Kentucky — no, wait, listen, here it comes..”
” ’sometimes I feeeeel, ohhhhh, sometimes I feeeeeeeeeel, like going dowwwwwwwwwwwn, to the whipping post….”
Comment by wordslinger Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 2:42 pm
When I hear the property tax bills of Chicago friends, and compare it with the percentage of FMV paid by suburban firends - it appears to me that Chicago is taxed far lower than elsewhere
Comment by titan Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 3:51 pm
Several years ago, I had occassion to run into Del Valle at a community meeting that turned into a rather uncomfortable situation from a racial standpoint. I found him to be a bit of a racist. His actions that evening affected 30-40 white people and I imagine that most of us recall how he acted…or, didn’t act. Not only did he not take the high road…he didn’t even look at it.
Comment by Snackers Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 5:33 pm
Trivial pursuit question:
Is there any truth to the statement that Ron Magers made on WLS radio today that Emanuel tallied the lowest number of total votes for a winning mayoral candidate in about a hundred years?
Comment by Honest Abe Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 5:48 pm
Potential Revenue Source: Cars made from hemp are as durable as fiberglass, but lighter and improve mileage. Motive Industries Kestrel will be made in Canada. DEA will bust American manufactures if they attempt to build one because of the US laws regarding both hemp and cannabis.
Help us all, Rahm. Lead us, Pat.
http://www.motiveind.com/news-motiveunveilskestrel-aug2010.html
Comment by Kasich Walker, Jr.'s Bio Transport Engineer Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 6:03 pm
There’s something really fishy about the black leaders’ decision to embrace Moseley Braun as their consensus candidate.
Comment by Jim Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 6:22 pm
With so much at stake, sorry, but 41% turnout is not only anemic, it’s quite frankly embarassing…and then I read above about Springfield’s (horrors, what would Honest Abe say about that?, let alone Carbondales’s turnouts (yikes, what would our beloved Mr. Bow-Tie Simon say about that?)!!! Democracy at its’ worst–thousands dying in the streets in places like Egypt and Libya, just to dream about having more democracy where THEY live, and not even HALF of our REGistered citizens (and not ALL of voting age-eligible) show up to render their opinion??? In 1983, ABC’s Chuch Goudie said last night, close to as many Chicagoans, around 600,000, voted for EACH of the final two candidates, Harold Washington and Bernie Epton (a RePUBlican, no less!) as the TOTAL number of people who voted yesterday…as one with an avid interest in, just in being a CITIZEN, as well as in matters of government, it’s stuff like this that truly makes my stomach turn into pretzels…UGH!!! That having been uttered, the Mayor-Elect cannot thank Mr. Obama enough–the latter is obviously still quite beloved in the Windy City, Blacks (and other Obama backers) knew who he was supporting and that was the “umph”/push that put Mr. E. over the top–once it was clear that the “Big Guy” was seen PRAISING RIE from the White House in that constant tidal wave of hundreds of that same TV commercial over and over on virtually every TV Station at all hours and for days on end, the other candidates were toast….
Comment by Just The Way It Is One Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 7:30 pm
But does anyone know if Magers was correct?
The 1983 election produced phenomenal numbers, but that was a historic election. Two Hyde Park residents were on the ballot!
I know that this election is almost always less likely to attract higher numbers in terms of voter turnouts. That is why the party bosses selected February as the time for mayoral and aldermanic elections. It was much more difficult for goo goos and independents to organize in the snow than it was for machine politicians with patronage armies to man the precincts.
Comment by Honest Abe Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 7:50 pm
A “forensic” audit is not one to see how government money is spent. It is an audit for the purpose of detecting fraud. To do such, the auditors generally have to have some idea of what fraud they are trying to detect, rather than meandering around through a gazillion transactions hoping to trip over something.
This leaves me unconvinced that the Mayor-elect knows of what he speaks. Time will tell, I suppose.
Comment by 42nd Ward Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 8:02 pm
I don’t know how many commenters here work for government, but we get audited all the time. State audits, federal audits, outside audits. Throw in the new buzz phrase “forensic audit” and no one will get anything done.
Strictly speaking, a forensic audit “is an examination of an organization’s or individual’s economic affairs, resulting in a report designed especially for use in a court of law”.
Who is examining in Rahm’s example? What court of law will be involved? What happens to whom if bad results are discovered?
Of course, it’s all baloney sausage, as Grandma used to say. Like zero-based budgeting, it has a ring to it but ultimately means nothing.
Comment by DuPage Dave Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 8:03 pm
I found the information. Give or take an election year or so, Magers was correct. Emanuel had the lowest vote total of a winning candidate since 1919. (when Chicago still was districted into 35 wards). That year was something of an anomaly since there were six candidates, including three major candidates who all polled in excess of 100,000-250,000 votes. Apart from 1919, no winning candidate polled as poorly, but Daley did not do much better in 2007 when the turnout was similarly apathetic.
Putting aside, 1919, the 2011 race produced the lowest vote total for a winner since 1915. Before that time, the vote totals do not really lend themselves to comparisons (lower # of registered voters and women did not gain the right vote in local elections until about 1915).
A win is a win. I was just interested in the number crunching.
No, I am not Russ Stewart.
Comment by Honest Abe Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 8:23 pm
Rich:
Daley is with Rahm. A forensic audit is an absolute necessity. The 11th ward has a big Hispanic population and that is why it did not go for Rahm–John Daley was tight with the Rahm campaign early on.
Property taxes are high especially in light of other taxes and fees and decreased property value. Commercial property taxes are higher in Chicago than many areas. I have owned homes and rental properties in Florida (lower). Oak Brook is lower. DuPage is also high but much better services and schools that are good and very green. Other collar counties have much lower property taxes. Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan have lower property taxes.
Chicago has the highest sales tax in the country.
Comment by Ninoy Bolo Pampagana Wednesday, Feb 23, 11 @ 8:57 pm