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The Chicago City Council passed the city budget today with a 49 - 1 vote. Ald. Billy Ocasio (26th) cast the only dissenting vote. Mayor Daley’s hard-times budget will cut no more than 770 city jobs, down from the nearly 1000 originally proposed. The plan will also raise parking taxes, raise amusement taxes and charge fees on private dumpsters.
Many of the aldermen hailed it as a responsible budget, doing more work with fewer resources, but there were still a number of complaints, especially about the proposed fee on private dumpsters, which will go into effect in April 2009. During the discussions leading up to the vote, Ald. Ocasio lamented that Daley “believes everything and everyone is expendable,” and he said the city does not provide enough services for his ward, which includes parts of Humboldt Park, Logan Square, Hermosa and West Town.
Other issues raised by the council:
- Ald. Robert Fioretti (2nd) said that he doubted that the budget’s series of “nickel and dime” programs would prevent a budget shortfall in the coming years.
- Ald. James Balcer (11th) pleaded with the chamber to remember that those city employees that will be laid off will still need to find jobs, emotionally saying he knows what it’s like to be unemployed. “That is the most important thing to me: helping these people find jobs. I will support the budget, but remember the people,” Balcer said.
- Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th) said, “If I could vote no and save their jobs, I would, but that’s not going to save their jobs.”
As expected, the bulk of the layoffs will hit the Department of Streets and Sanitation. Check out the rest of the highlights here.
Photo and story by Samantha Abernethy
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Wonder how many first deputies and assistant deputies and the like will magically escape layoffs, as Daley has done a great job of inflating the ranks of management since '89.
looks like Daley is trying to figure out a way this Olympics pipe dream is going to come through after he's passed this shitburger of a budget.
I would imagine all of them.
This shitburger of a meltdown will most likely undo our little big man ... who pretty much did nothing more than ride a wave of gentrification. Now times are tough so he has no imaginative ideas other than to stick it to people. Look for more parking tickets and higher crime. Middle class schmoes start to wonder why they pay so much to live in a place where they get screwed. The end. I predict that we will see Daley cry and get blubbery a lot in the near future. It won't work. Given the local pool of characters, the replacements don't offer much promise.