The Return of The Chicagoist Reader Meet-Up
Cubs Combat Casino
Notre Dame Fan Takes It Too Far, Allegedly Punches Clausen
County Sales Tax Rollback Vetoed - Here We Go Again
PHOTOS: Peaches And Amanda Blank At Metro
In a move that surprised no one, the City Council today voted 49-0 to approve the host city contract for the 2016 Summer Olympics that Mayor Daley will now sign, putting the city on the hook for the cost of the Games, though officials insist taxpayers are well-insulated in the case of a financial disaster thanks, in part, to insurance policies. Said Mayor Daley moments before the vote, "This is not about Richard M. Daley's legacy. This is about the city of Chicago.This is a journey. A journey requires all of us being committed." Daley's earlier refusal to sign the contract was seen as a hurdle for the city's bid; the other three candidate cities - Rio, Tokyo, and Madrid - had all signed the contract and a signed contract was an IOC preference though not a requirement. It was telling that an IOC member was present for today's vote. Perhaps just as telling was this line from the Trib's report: "Afterward, aldermen and Mayor Richard Daley gave themselves a standing ovation."
Reactions from aldermen were generally positive (quotes from the S-T and Trib).
- Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th): "I am really, really proud of the wonderful work that has been done by these individuals and our mayor."
- Ald. Ed Burke (14th): "[Mayor Daley showed] courage and fortitude"
- Ald. Freddrenna Lyle (6th): "Fear can't paralyze you. Fear of the unseen cannot stop you from taking risk."
- Ald. Bernard Stone (50th): "I am a cheerleader and I have been a cheerleader and I'm proud to say that ... I believe in what's been told to me."
- Ald. Joe Moore (49th), who voted in favor of the ordinance: "The public is right to be cynical."
- Ald. Richard Mell (33rd): "Today is a great day for Chicago...We have an opportunity to set the tone for the next 20 or 30 years."
And what of Ald. Manny Flores (1st), who's responsible for a big push on Olympic oversight? He issued a statement, saying:
"Like the TIF Sunshine and Asset Lease Disclosure ordinances, the Olympics Oversight legislation will require the continued attention of every City Council member to ensure that it is properly implemented. I will continue to be a vocal advocate to ensure that the Games are managed responsibly and in a fiscally responsible manner that will protect Chicago taxpayers."
Ald. Flores also released a document showing a side-by-side comparison of his original oversight plan, Chicago 2016's oversight plan, and the final compromise plan, which you can view after the jump.
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
tweet this
post to facebook
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Manny Flores: Alderman and Comedian!
49 cowards and a child king to lead them. Bastards all.
Go Rio 2016.
"This is not about Richard M. Daley's legacy. This is about the city of Chicago."
Then he and the aldermen burst out in huge guffaws of laughter.
Whose behavior is more revolting? Sniveling weenies like Schulter, Burke, and Stone who did all but kneel down and kiss Daley's ass, or so-called reformers like Flores and Moore who talk tough and then cave as usual?
I hate to say it but the Olympics are coming to Chicago in 2016. Maybe with a much more competent, much less corrupt mayor it would be palatable but not with Daley.
Worthless, greedy idiots, all of them.
Fuck Daley and all his shameless, stupid ball-lickers.
This city can't build parks or El stations on time and on budget, and even fucks up its part in O Hare expansion--yet we think we can handle the fucking Olympics without massive taxes on citizens? Yeah, my ass. Well, at least Pat Ryan will make out well on that mysterious insurance policy whose details citizens likely will never know (yes, there will be an insurance policy, but it will be an insider deal like everything else in this shithole).
And fuck the Olympics: no longer is it some semi-glorious display of sportsmanship, competition and even brief goodwill during tense times, but rather an orgy of corporate whores, with the party hosts stupidly footing most of the bills, and the IOC and its various corrupt pals making out nicely. (Please, please tell me again how the Chicago Olympics will transform the EL sytem into something resembling the Paris metro, or how poor people suddenly will find themselves transported into the middle class-tell me, only this time give me some fucking details, you pro-Olympic propagandists and dolts.)
At this point, who the fuck cares? I am sick of working so that Daley and his gangsters can get fat off my labors, sick of living in a place where taxes go up but services decline as we gear up for a two-week party (I would gladly pay more taxes for more cops, better street repair, mass transit, public schools, real bike lanes, real recycling, etc, but Daley and his cowardly band of fudge-suckers don't give a shit about those things). In a few years, after school and work responsibilities change (almost there, almost there, just a couple of more years and we are there), me and significant other are fucking out of here. This place is hopeless. Expensive and hopeless. Good beer, good food, good culture and decent, if rigidly segregated, diversity just isn't worth it anymore. Hell, a good college town has most of that, and at cheaper prices. And one can usually see a few stars at night.
And I don't really like living in virtual dictatorships.
On a related note, I've never seen an elderly man get so far down on his knees like Stone did today. That's what happens, boys and girls, when you sell out everything that used to make up your pride, sell it out all out for a bit of power and a bit of money and then take it up the backside on a near daily basis from some mumbling munchkin who thinks he and his fake-Irish pals embody the spirit of Chicago. Unbelievable, even for a hack like Stone.
Amen, brother.
Bernie Stone has always been a complete and utter joke. I still remember the wall he built on Howard to protest Evanston getting a Target and Best Buy, or whatever the
purpose of that ridiculous thing was.
You say you're moving out of here to a seemingly magical better city that is cheaper, but what city would that be?
"You say you're moving out of here to a seemingly magical better city that is cheaper, but what city would that be?"
I personally can think of at least 15 such places off the top of my without even trying.
Never implied there are any magical cities, only cheaper ones, with less willful, persistent corruption, that still have a respectable [if smaller] amount of diversity, culture and intellectual stimulation. I'd already lived in a couple of them before heading to the bright lights of Chicago.
Why would you want to leave? This is a liberal worker's paradise. This is supposed to be the utopia that Democrats have always promised. High taxes, high rate of unionization, one party rule, regulation after regulation. Why would you want to leave a place that has been shaped by the politicians you people have been voting in?
Overall, I agree with you though. Family roots and owning real estate have kept me here longer than I should have, but I plan to leave as well and I can't tell you how many other people say the same thing. I hear this mostly from upper middle class people, the very group Daley needs to continue to fund this paradise.
" ... by the politicians you people have been voting in?"
You people?
I think you assume far too much about the voting preferences of those who oppose you on this board--you know, the "libs." In fact, I am reasonably sure you would be amazed at the candidates and parties for whom I have voted in local, state and national elections.
Then again, we've been through this before, and as you seem determined to substitute thinking with slogans and assumptions, my complaint likely is useless.
Pieces of shit.
Matilda, thank you!
When will the masses finally wake up and realize that these "public servants" are only out to serve themselves? Next election, vote against any and all incumbents.
Yeah! And I hope they get rid of beach volleyball in the Olympics by then, too.
because of the pure sport, not the visuals, right?
I think all team sports should be eliminated, but yeah.
Speaking of the Olympics, has anyone heard the promos/announcements being played on the CTA? I heard two this morning on my way to work ... one was Bart Connors talking all about how great Chicago would be for the games.
Really annoying and really loud. Scared the shit out of me.
Heard it today. Amazed.
Now we have even more BS propaganda during our commute.
These people are shameless.
I think you guys are blowing this a bit out proportion. I know it's the cool thing to do to hate the Olympics in Chicago but let's remember. IT'S THE OLYMPICS. IN CHICAGO.
That alone is worth something.
"That alone is worth something."
You are right.
For insiders, it will be ample overtime and some decent job security.
For the rest of us, the schmuks, it will mean higher taxes or "fees", either imposed directly or indirectly, a shutting-out from all but a few token jobs, some overzealous land grads and park controls, and overpriced tickets to the actual event--you know, THE OLYMPICS. IN CHICAGO.
"I think you guys are blowing this a bit out proportion."
Really? Then I say: Welcome to Chicago. Try the pizza and do try to see more than just downtown and Wrigleyville if you have time.
I'm not against it because it's "cool". That's a bit of an insult, insinuating that I and others can't think beyond what hip.
I'm against it for a bunch of other reasons (money that should have been spent elsewhere in a city where everyone - including you I believe - criticize the administration for selling off city assets like a civic firesale, putting that much money and control into the hands of crooks, both the ones in the city and the IOC), but looking "cool" isn't on the list.
But if it DOES make me look cool, hey, fine.
he wasn't necessarily you were, but i defintely know of people out there who seem to jumping on the train for that reason
I don't see why we can't have an olympics as well as rigorous citizen oversight. Why does it have to be either olympics plus corruption or no olympics at all?
You should demand that we get the Olympics AND that it is done in a way that is a good thing for the city.
Where exactly will this rigorous citizen oversight come from? Burke?
As well, the 2016 group and the mayor have been less than transparent on the important things--the open-ended taxpayer guarantee, for example, as well as the details of the insurance policy, and Mr Scott's little land deal--and given the history of this city, I can't see that changing.
"You should demand that we get the Olympics AND that it is done in a way that is a good thing for the city."
Uh, no. I can think of dozens of better things for this city--a real green effort would do marvels for our international image, for instance--than some two-week party controlled by corporate whores who don't live here.
Hey, have you taken the architectural boat tour yet? It's fun. Maybe if you have enough time before heading back to O Hare ...
I've lived here for 28 years. Don't lecture me on my "chicagoness" you silly person.
OK, insightful answer, likely brought about because reality does not match up with your Olympian fantasies.
Seriously, ye lover of fat chicks, what oversight? Facts and details, my friend. Facts and details.
And you are right: Us who have lived here for shorter periods of times--what is the cutoff exactly? 10 years? 15?--should never dare to tell someone who have lived here for longer that no, they are not right.
Another intellectual giant on Chicagoist, I suppose.
you do an amazing job of putting people's words in their mouth
I do an amazing job of throwing people's half-thought ideas, slogans and assumptions back at them, Sparky.
What exactly do you bring to this debate? What ideas or opinions or insights?
Olympics done right:
-Total Transperancy: Not happening
-No Daley "friends and family" contracts": Not happening
-Public funds won't be at risk: Not happening
-No abuse of emminent domain/Olympic "red-lining": Not happening
-Clear evidence of a broad economic boost for the Chicago economy: Nope.
You're handing the people who so mismanaged the city's finances we can't keep the LIBRARIES OPEN or cops on the street BILLIONS of dollars to throw a party.
It's having 5 buck a cup kegger when your house is on fire.
Forgot about the libraries.
The freaking libraries.
Forget the books and cultural programs (because only LIBS like those, right?)--how many citizens use the Internet there to conduct job searches these days?
Shows you once again who Daley really cares about.
You people complain about the city who is run by Democrats you keep electing over the years. You continue to vote for them and then continue bitching about Republicans.
Can't wait for next November. Its going to be different! Stroger 2010!
You really need to stop with the "you people" line of thinking. It just shows you are basing your ideas as much on assumptions as on your own logic.
Do you really think that I have voted for any machine members since I moved here years ago? Really? Feel free to check my comment history if you want a clue.
Can this machine be stopped? Can Daley be stopped? I'm tired of complaining, how do I act? What can I do?