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* Secretary of State Jesse White spoke proudly of his Tumblers today. He’s been a coach of the team for 59 years. 1White said today that 8,000 young people have gone through the program. Three hundred are now on the team, according to White, with 290 in training…
And the young people have to become leafless, smokeless and pipeless. They cannot practice pharmacy without a license. You know what I’m talking about, no drugs. And they cannot drop out of school to be part of SWU, Sidewalk University, where they drop out of school, hang around on the corners and get themselves in trouble with the law and get arrested and cost we the taxpayers roughly about $30,000 to put one person in prison for one year. 83 percent of the people in prisons today have not graduated from high school. So, now you know who they are, I know who they are, and I’m going to try to save as many as I possibly can.
* Sun-Times…
When Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White unveiled plans nine years ago for a North Side fieldhouse that would bear his name, he promised that his private charitable foundation and its donors would pick up the bulk of the multimillion-dollar tab.
But that’s not how things turned out. Instead, records show, taxpayers paid all but a small fraction of the cost.
White, who will be sworn in Monday for a record sixth consecutive term as secretary of state, pledged $10 million to build the athletic facility in partnership with the Chicago Park District on part of the former Cabrini-Green public housing project in White’s 27th Ward political power base.
His foundation actually ended up paying only about $650,000. The fieldhouse, originally pegged at $15 million, cost about $12.2 million. Chicago and Illinois taxpayers ended up covering $11.5 million of that.
The 29,000-square-foot facility at 410 W. Chicago Ave. opened in 2014 and, in addition to housing a park district gymnasium, provides a home for White’s famed Jesse White Tumblers and headquarters for his Jesse White Foundation, which pays the park district just $1 in annual rent. The park district covers all utility, custodial and maintenance costs, records show.
White’s groups also get exclusive use of many of the facilities for several hours after school and on Sunday mornings. And his foundation controls most of the second floor.
Even Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office signed off on a state grant, according to the article.
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 1:25 pm
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Now that’s the art of the deal.
Comment by Sonny Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 1:38 pm
Since it cuts down on crime, it is worth it. Right?
Comment by Mama Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 1:41 pm
How about Jesse’s entourage just stop parking in the “no parking tow zone” section out front and we’ll call it even.
Comment by City Zen Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 1:47 pm
In the 27th Ward, for a boss like Jesse White, having the public pay for it and paying for it himself is a distinction without a difference.
Comment by 47th Ward Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 1:54 pm
Can we just go ahead and elect Jesse to the white house?
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:01 pm
I read that TIF money went to this. Do we prefer it go to a program like this or Sterling Bay?
Comment by Anon Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:05 pm
Very tortured effort…that misses. BGA embarrasses itself
Comment by Annonin' Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:07 pm
== Very tortured effort…that misses. BGA embarrasses itself ==
What?
He said he was going to come up with most of the money and he didn’t, don’t see what is ‘tortured’ on this.
Did they misstate facts?
Comment by OneMan Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:13 pm
Would the Citizens for Jesse White committee be permitted to donate to this? That committee has done well fundraising in the past and had over a million COH at the last quarterly report that’s available.
Comment by SuburbanRepublican Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:17 pm
==The fieldhouse, originally pegged at $15 million, cost about $12.2 million.==
What’s his secret?
Comment by Precinct Captain Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:19 pm
Interesting few weeks for Chicago Dems
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:25 pm
Anon, if its either this of the Sterling Bay, I pick Sterling Bay’s project. That will create far more value for Chicago in the long run.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:28 pm
Really, by Chicago standards, it’s pretty pristine. Way worse things going on out there.
Comment by Fav Human Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 2:35 pm
Sweet deals just never stop in this state. It’s not about what good it’s doing, it’s about a level playing field and honesty. Guess that doesn’t matter for the Dems.
Comment by NeverPoliticallyCorrect Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 3:15 pm
Um, okay. Fair enough.
But this ain’t the freshest journalism I’ve ever seen.
The bailout started with Daley in 2010. Rauner kicked in four years ago.
Heckuva story for sure, eight years or so ago, but why is it news today? Is BGA doing a clip show, a greatest hits album or something?
Comment by wordslinger Monday, Jan 14, 19 @ 6:51 pm
Any wonder why 20,000 Illinois citizens left the State last year. This example is just the tip of the fiscal irresponsiblity of Illinois politicians
Comment by downstate hack Tuesday, Jan 15, 19 @ 7:55 am
20,000 people left Illinois because the Chicago Park Disteict built a fieldhouse in a public park? That seems pretty drastic to me.
Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 15, 19 @ 8:29 am
–20,000 people left Illinois because the Chicago Park Disteict built a fieldhouse in a public park? That seems pretty drastic to me.–
Obviously, you’re not a graduate of the Katrina School of Demographics and Economics.
Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Jan 15, 19 @ 8:36 am
Heard this story on WBBM over the weekend. I never heard Sec. White comment. Has he?
Comment by Jerry Tuesday, Jan 15, 19 @ 9:19 am
“This example is just the tip of the fiscal irresponsiblity of Illinois politicians”
Hrm, this is best dealt refuted via non sequitur…
“20,000 people left Illinois because the Chicago Park Disteict built a fieldhouse in a public park?”
Ah, perfect. Now for snarky support of the non sequitur, just to make sure we’ve reached the proper level of non-dialogue…
“Obviously, you’re not a graduate of the Katrina School of Demographics and Economics.”
Nailed it!
Comment by Liandro Wednesday, Jan 16, 19 @ 3:22 pm