The city leased our parking meters for $1.15 billion, about half of what then-Inspector General David Hoffman said we could have gotten for the deal. And now, as those funds have dwindled and the city faces a bigger debt, the company running the meters is posting grand profits, according to a report today from the Chicago News Cooperative: "The financial documents raise new questions about whether the city negotiated the best deal it could for leasing away one of its most lucrative assets." Uh, yeah, ya think? The CNC report continues: more ›

While it wont' affect Chicago residents that much, visiting family, friends, and travelers could soon face a stiffer car rental fee if they pick up their car at O'Hare. Mayor Daley has proposed hiking rental fees as much as $8 per car to help cover the cost of a new car rental center, part of the current O'Hare expansion. A grand total cost - the cost of the new center plus other infrastructure improvements - will come in over $460 million. Daley said of the proposed center, “We will be one of the few cities that will have an environmentally friendly rental agency...It’ll be the most environmentally friendly rental station they’ve ever seen in the country.” Jonathan Leach, general counsel for the Department of Aviation, said the increased fees would be "consistent" with other airports that are building the same types of centers. more ›

Talking about high taxes in the City of Chicago is a pastime of sorts. Now, we have another one we can put on the list. According to a study done by The Wireless Association - "an international nonprofit membership organization founded in 1984, representing all sectors of wireless communications" - Chicago tops a nationwide list of cities with the highest cell phone taxes. The study was released over the weekend by New York congressman Anthony Weiner, the Vice Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, and the Internet. Weiner is also a cosponsor of the Cell Tax Fairness Act, a bill that counts a few of our own area U.S. reps - Luis Gutierrez, Judy Biggert, and Peter Roskam - among its cosponsors. more ›

The City Council today passed a new ordinance that will cost you if you're caught driving on a suspended or revoked license. Not only will your car be impounded, but you'll pay fees that will total up to $665. The new ordinance will go into effect January 1, 2010. [Tribune]. more ›

It's good that with a weak economy we have another villain to give the stink eye. Many of the country's major airlines, including Chicago-based United, have doubled surcharges on flights taking place around the holidays. Usually $10 each way, the surcharges will now be $20 each way. Of course, when you're already paying $400 for a round trip flight, what's another $20? [Crain's] more ›

With the release of his 2010 budget approaching next week and a budget gap of over $550 million in the city budget, Mayor Daley's going to have to get creative if he wants to close that gap. He'll have to be even more creative now that's he promised he won't raise any taxes, fines, or fees. Said Daley yesterday, "I understand that times are very tough for people. I don't feel right asking them to pay for city government right now." The most likely option being bandied about, it seems, is still dipping into reserve funds from the city's parking meter and Skyway leases. more ›

We'd never thought we'd be so blessed as to write the phrase "vomit fee," but that's exactly what Chicago cab drivers are asking for in their latest round of demands. The new fees cabbies are asking for from a City Council committee today are: more ›

The 2009 Chicago beach season may have officially begun yesterday, but cutbacks on lifeguard hours and increased fees to visit beaches may put a damper on your summer sun. more ›

The Chicago Park District Board has unanimously voted in favor of raising admission fees to the Art Institute of Chicago. Starting May 23, admission for students and seniors will go from $7 to $12 and regular adult admission will increase by 50 percent, from $12 to $18. That same month, the museum's new 264,000-square-foot Modern Wing is set to open. Park District spokeswoman Jessica Maxey-Faulkner defended the unpopular move, saying, "The Art Institute is a world-class museum with rising expenses like any other entity. With the number of free days that they have, it still remains accessible to the citizens of Chicago.'' Those free days include every Thursday evening year-round and Friday evenings in the summer. [CBS 2] more ›

For the first time in six years, the City of Chicago is offering drivers an amnesty period to take care of old parking tickets before the boot threshold is lowered. The period runs from January 1 until February 14 during which tickets issued before January 1, 2007 can be paid off with 50 percent off the penalty fees. After the deadline, the threshold for booting drops from three unpaid tickets older than one year to two tickets. Revenue Director Bea Reyna-Hickey said, “I would encourage you to take advantage of this offer…We have not done one since 2002. Before that, there was one in the ‘80s. So it’s not something we want to do as a regular practice...It’s an opportunity for you to come into compliance [and] save a little money. I wish it could be more. But some people could really benefit from the waiver of those additional fees out there on their record.” As the number of tickets is down, Reyna-Hickey admitted, "Police [ticketing] has decreased…Clearly, the police have a lot of other more important things to tend to." In 2002, the last time an amnesty period was declared, the city brought in $8.2 million and took care of 242,000 unpaid tickets. more ›

Story by Amy Wilschke, Photo by JOE M500 more ›

Because those Ticketmaster fees just aren't enough of a pain in the ass, the City of Chicago is suing websites eBay and StubHub, claiming that as "reseller agents," the sites are required to an amusement tax on sports and cultural events tickets sold on the sites under a Chicago ordinance. If the city succeeds, future purchases on these sites could see an additional tax of up to 8% tacked on to the price. The two websites have vowed to fight the lawsuit, issuing a joint statement:

"We do not believe that the City's Amusement Tax applies to either eBay's or StubHub's business models nor do we believe that the Amusement Tax can properly be assessed here. We intend to fight this litigation vigorously."