Chicagoist: City's Budget Woes Leading To Layoffs, Fewer Garbage Pickups

emoverman

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:19:43 -0600

The City could move the discussion beyond a mere “taxes v. cuts” analysis without incurring debt by “monetizing” non-core (as opposed to strategic) assets. For example, the City receives rent from wireless carriers for dozens of telecommunications (“cell”) sites. Aggregate site rent is likely to run into many hundreds of thousands – perhaps millions – of dollars per year. The City could sell 20-30 years of these rent receivables for $100,000-120,000 per site, i.e., $10-12 million for 100 sites. Although the resulting proceeds would not close the budget gap, hundreds of jobs could be saved – by selling income streams few are even aware of.

emoverman

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:00:09 -0600

curmudgeon

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 20:27:48 -0600

Maybe it's a housekeeping issue. Maybe the feds are closing in on Al Sanchez and it's time to clean house before the Feds do it for them.

jackson93

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:26:14 -0600

As for this disproportionately effecting those with "clout," i am not so sure. I have zero clout and rent in an apartment, but I have never lived in a building with more than 4 units. No one in my family has clout. Like many Chicagoans, they live in modest single family homes in neighborhoods that are not considered "hot" or "up and coming." Meanwhile, there are many people with lots of clout and lots of money living in expensive condos throughout the city as well as single family homes. In fact, I think Daley himself lives in a townhouse, which I think would have private garbage pick up (please correct me if I am wrong on either count). And I said before garbage pick up is a public health issue and a rodent issue, so it has the potential to have a negative impact on all of us regardless of who provides our trash services.

artdude75

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:42:18 -0600

This stinks (bad pun intended)

Tower18

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:53:24 -0600

It's funny, this will actually disproportionately affect those with the most clout, as they tend to live in single-family homes where the city picks up garbage. Those of us who rent will largely have our garbage picked up as usual.

jackson93

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 14:22:32 -0600

mikely1 - actually, the city provides trash service for buildings with 4 units or fewer. While everyone pays taxes but doesn't receive trash services from the city, everyone does benefit from the trash getting picked up. It is a public health issue.

mikely1

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:42:01 -0600

FYI, all buildings larger than three units have private trash pickup as it is. Chances are, the city already doesn't pick up your trash. So this means your neighbors (who receive a city service you pay for but do not receive) will start using your dumpsters (which you pay for and they do not) when theirs get full. I keep waiting for the street cleaning revenue generation program to be expanded to a weekly, year-round schedule. We could have more cops and garbage collectors is we weren't diverting $500 million to subsidizing TIF debacles like Wilson Yard. But that would make too much sense.

Albanyparkour

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:09:02 -0600

Oh for fucks sake! Broke, failing economy, no universal health care global warming and two endless wars. And now, drowning in garbage. Fuck you Mayor Daley and all your criminal friends. We don't need one more awful thing!