Suggestions Rolling In for Slashing City Budget. Will City Listen?

Mayor Emanuel announced the launch of chicagobudget.org last week, which encourages residents to offer their suggestions for the 2012 budgeting process.

The suggestions have run the gamut from some sensible solutions to the inane. But the most popular suggestion seems to be this.

Of course, Emanuel suggested this during his mayoral campaign. The Better Government Association also raised the question of why a city of less than 3 million people needs 50 aldermen.

Aldermen - Our Town's feudal lords - seem to be a significant source of ire on the site.

There are also some suggestions that echo Emanuel's regarding work-rule changes for labor unions, like reducing overtime pay and getting rid of workers who are "milking the system."

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By Chuck Sudo in News on August 2, 2011 10:25 AM

Comments [rss]

Pinco Pallino

This is all nice and well, but none of the people posting seem to have looked at the budget. All of these suggestions are a drop in the bucket (just like the furlough days).

I know it's almost blasphemous to say, but around 80% of the City budget goes to Police and Fire. Thus far, they have not been asked to help out (in spite of having a glut of lieutenants and captains at ridiculous salaries).

So long as Police and Fire are viewed as separate and untouchable, the City will continue to have budget problems.

twocee

I don't think police and fire budgets are going to be solved by a website. My impression of the site was to nab "low-hanging fruit" and honestly, let Rahm get a gauge on what was politically feasible to cut. If a large number of people favor cutting X, then Rahm can probably do it knowing he won't pay any political price.

I wondered if the decision to cut the stupid traffic cops in the Loop came after Rahm saw the idea posted on the website.

ChicagoD

50 aldermen is too many. As Rahm once said, never let a crisis go to waste.

Sadly, I believe we would need a change in state law to change the size of the City Council, and since that would create 25 new candidates for state rep. and state senator there is no incentive in Springfield to push it along.

Petruce_Carrier

Mayor Emanuel should appoint a commission or so-called “Super City Council” — 12 alderman, who will recommend further budget savings by Thanksgiving.

ChicagoD

As long as my alderman is one of them . . .

Tafter

"I find it hard to believe NY and LA have more people per capita..."

I don't think that's possible...number of people/number of people == 1. Always will.

I agree with the underlying sentiment, though. I do worry about unintended consequences, though. Fewer aldermen could result in a consolidation of power to already powerful and influential aldermen. I think it would be better overall, but might take some time to really pan out as proponents think it will.

ChicagoD

So much with zoning and licensing is tied up with the alderman that doubling their geographic range would more than double their power. If those "prerogatives" were removed, this would make more sense.