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* Powerful alderman threatens Art Institute subsidy over admission fee increase

Calling the Art Institute of Chicago’s impending 50 percent admission fee increase a raw deal for taxpayers, a powerful Chicago alderman has threatened to cut off the museum’s free city services.

“They are making it almost impossible for the average Chicago citizen to take his or her family to view these Chicago treasures,” said Ald. Ed Burke (14th).

Burke and Ald. Virginia Rugai (19th) introduced an ordinance that would block city fee waivers to any not-for-profit Chicago Museum that charges more than $10 for general admission.

“Once the proposed increase takes effect, the general admission to the art Institute would top the Louvre Museum in Paris, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the National Gallery in London,” Rugai said.

* Chicago Art Institute: Museum’s fee hike angers alderman

* Prosecutor says top DUI cops need squad-car cameras

The department has nearly fulfilled a promise to equip every beat car with a camera. Of its fleet of 2,500 vehicles, many of the 264 video-equipped vehicles are beat cars. But many other cars also make traffic stops and aren’t equipped with cameras.

The city plans to put cameras in 275 more police vehicles with $2 million in federal stimulus money.

* Chicago mayor, top cop shrug off union’s no-confidence vote

The no-confidence vote is symbolic only. Weis has about two years remaining on a three-year, $310,000-a-year contract.

* Daley Confident in Weis’ Job Performance

* CTA slow zones: More CTA trains are going slower than last year

* Chicago reacts to news of IOC revenue deal

* Chicago’s Olympic priorities: City repaves park roads first

Steele acknowledged that the Washington Park work bumped to the front of the line because of the impending visit from Olympic officials.

“We wanted to hit some of the streets near the planned Olympic venues before the IOC visit,” he said.

But the Washington Park roads merited being fixed this year because of “multiple potholes or significant deterioration,” he said.

* Community Groups Threaten Protests During IOC Visit

* Elgin mayor says proposed alcohol ban aims to curb public drunkenness

* LaHood upset by Globe Energy chief’s work ethic comments

* Chicago Sanchez trial: Closing arguments given in hiring fraud trial

* Sanchez Jurors Thinking Race

* Attorney: Al Sanchez deserves ‘civic award,’ not corruption indictment

* Bogus Chicago cops, firefighters to face stiffer penalties

Instead of a ticket with a maximum fine of $100 for impersonating a police officer, impostors now face a misdemeanor punishable by up to 6 months in jail and a fine of $1,000 to $1,500. Firefighter impersonators, who faced only a $10 fine, will be subject to the same penalties.

* DuPage weighs campaign contribution limits

The board does not have the authority to enact campaign-finance laws, so it is considering setting limits on businesses. Any company that donates more than a set amount to a county campaign would be ineligible to receive a county contract. Details, such as the dollar amount for the limit, have not been determined.

posted by Mike Murray
Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:15 am

Comments

I appreciate the sentiment, but didn’t the gov’t put a whole bunch of money into the ballpark where the White Sox play? And the ticket prices there are quite high, right?

Comment by Carl Nyberg Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:22 am
@ Carl,

I think that any public money for private enterprise (ballparks, stadiums etc) is a waste. The hikes at the museaum might be warrented, but they do seem like a huge jump from current levels.

Comment by How Ironic Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:27 am
It’s grandstanding. Ald. Burke can take his family to the Art Institute for free all during February. It’s also free thursdays after 5 and fridays after in the summer. Kids under 12 are always free.

Comment by ThreeSheets Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:31 am
that should’ve said friday after 5 in the summer.

Comment by ThreeSheets Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:31 am
A little known secret is that Chicago public libraries will let you check out passes to the tax-subsidized Museums. It takes a little advance planning, but a family can use them to go for free.

Comment by CHicago Dem Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:46 am
Dear Alderman Burke and Alderman Rugai -

Might I suggest that the city actually start enforcing the provisions of the first Montgomery Ward decision, which allows the Art Institute to occupy Grant Park provided that:

“as long as it should comply with the terms and conditions in the ordinance, which required free admission to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with the right to charge admission at other times, though professors and teachers in the public schools and other institutions of learning in Chicago should be admitted free at all times.”

Sincerely,

Montgomery Ward

P.S. Now do you understand why so many Chicago residents felt the Chicago Children’s Museum was an encroachment on public land?

Comment by Montgomery Ward Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 9:51 am
Is there any doubt who’s really running Chicago? It’s that certain Alderman who slates all the judges in Cook County.

Comment by Steve Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 10:01 am
Compromise: City residents free to get into the Art Institute, surburbanites pay $20.

It is win-win.

Comment by Leroy Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 11:18 am
Mayor Daley is building a Potemkin Village for the Olympic Committee.

There are thousands of things that are more important than the sham proposing that the city can host the Olympic game without Federal and state support. The construction jobs will be there for a few years and the hotels will be full for a month. Then what. Who will pay for the upkeep of what stays and for that matter who will pay for the demolition of what will go?

Written agreement are worthless because the City can choose to enforce them or not like the Montgomery Ward decision.

Several semesters can be taught about the various shades of corruption found in Chicago, Cook County and Illinois.

Comment by Plutocrat03 Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 11:31 am
Here’s a story not otherwise covered here. The US Census county and metropolitan population estimates are out, and Cook County actually gained around 25,000 people, reversing a slide that was fairly large when the decade started out.

If it wasn’t for Cook, the collars, and a few moderate bright spots like Rockford and B-N, the state would be draining population.

Comment by Six Degrees of Separation Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 2:44 pm
Leroy, Not a bad proposal. Does any of their funding come from the state or county? I live in the burbs and have no big issue with your proposal intheory if you can determine that none of my cook county money goes to these institutions. Also, I’ll charge city dwellers an additional sum to shop at Woodfield, Ikea, Old Orchard, etc.

Comment by Wumpus Thursday, Mar 19, 09 @ 2:47 pm