Chicagoist: City Jobs Being Eliminated Include Needed Police Vacancies

Scooter Libbby

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 17:55:15 -0600

Daley currently has 36 cops assigned to his security detail. Ed Burke has several to his. NY has 51 city council members for 8 million people & 321 square miles. LA has 15 council members, for 3.8 million people & 498 square miles. Cook County has 17 commissioners for 5.5 million people & 946 square miles. Los Angeles County has 5 supervisors for 10.4 million people & 4,061 square miles. All of those cities & counties are getting a bargain compared to us!

sparky

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:45:47 -0600

Chicago D: If you really pay attention to what goes on in this city both politically and economically, how can you not be overwrought?

matilda

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:24:53 -0600

Chicago: Well, yeah, a bit melodramatic, but really, what do you propose? These people do whatever they want; they craft laws and election procedures to favor themselves; they rarely are voted out; they often hand their offices and perks to their assorted relatives; they allow themselves self-defense but deny it for others; and they cheerfully break the law and court orders, all the while wasting our money and crying broke; and they shamelessly use public resources such as inspectors and the like to punish dissenters. These people are virtual monarchs. Fed: I am wrong. I agree again with fewer aldermen. But that would decrease the chance for big paydays for too many of the overlords ... uh, misunderstood public servants.

Chicago D

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:19:22 -0600

"overlords of Chicago" Ha! Ha! Ha! People on Chicagoist are so overwrought. My God.

fed up

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:18:28 -0600

Spook the recently convicted former Ald Troutman described her fellow alderman as Hoes. Most would be willing to do anything for a buck. This might be a good time to suggest that Chicago doesn't need 50 alderman and there staff(family members) New York and LA get by with less. I would much prefer a few more cops or even garbage men to alderthieves like Burke, Mell,Stone, Rugai, Banks,Munoz, Carouthers and Austin to name a few.

Ingrid

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 14:13:29 -0600

Sparky, Thanks for the links. Very informative. Matilda, I never underestimate the value of a simple analogy.

Streets

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:56:36 -0600

Don't forget that Chicago Aldermen are exempt from the handgun ban in chicago, so they are allowed to carry. A lot of those 424 non-sworn officer vacancies are currently being filled by sworn-officers while they await a replacement. What should happen is someone should ask the city for an exact census of the department, you'd be surprised how understaffed they are out on the street.

Spook

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:35:51 -0600

Sparky, good sumation, but as Chicago is always noted for is faux "diversity" what about Alderman as his hoes and bitches, course that will make Daley a pimp which could also work

matilda

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:34:44 -0600

Hopefully the citys gun ban gets thrown out soon We don't agree on much, Fed, but you have my complete support there. Citizens, as long as they are responsible and trained, should be able to defend themselves. How can the overlords of Chicago understand? Many get taxpayer-funded bodyguards, or are able to carry their own guns because of city laws they crafted to favor themselves. In no way is that fair or moral. That said, any dolt who abuses this right--say, getting drunk and firing off a few rounds, or firing for anything but self-defense--deserves a very, very long prison term.

fed up

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:20:33 -0600

Hopefully the citys gun ban gets thrown out soon. Looks like everyone will need to be packin heat just to get to work.

sparky

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 13:05:52 -0600

Daley is King, but I prefer to think of the aldermen as his bitches. But that's just me.

matilda

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:47:30 -0600

Ingrid: Please follow Sparky's suggestions, but I've always found it helpful to think of the mayor as King and the alderman as dukes/princes/whatever who lord over their wards/fiefdoms. I am sure I have oversimplified this, but such a model has helped me when I was trying to figure this out.

sparky

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:38:24 -0600

Ingrid: Aldermen do have a lot of power, that is true. I think instead of explaining my opinions on Chicago politics, I'll provide a few sites that give facts: http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/989.html The authors of this site claim they are unbiased: http://www.cloutwiki.org/cloutwiki/index.php?title=Main_Page Hope that helps.

Spook

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 12:02:28 -0600

Lets not forget all the state senators and represenatives that are also on the city payrolls. They of course are not being fired. Too bad Blago's ethics bill did not pass or they would be down to one job and pension Yea"our" founding fathers would not be proud of 13 percent of the population running around free and half the population voting. I hope our founding fathers are boiling in a very warm place

Ingrid

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:59:41 -0600

Can someone school me a little on Chicago politics? I have never lived in a city where you hear the word 'alderman' so much. And they seem to have a lot of power. What is the deal with Chicago aldermen?

matilda

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:28:59 -0600

Shameless cockroaches, the aldermen. And let's not forget that is pay for what amounts to part-time jobs, despite what our poor, overworked, exploited alder-assholes say. Most of them have high-paying side gigs that often depend on their insider status. Yet we allow this. Our Founding Fathers would not be proud.

sparky

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 11:15:54 -0600

Let's not forget that all but 6 aldermen shamelessly declined to forfeit their 6.2% cost of living adjustment starting January 1, making their salaries over $110,000.