Calumet City Uses Taxpayer Money To Buy A Tavern Owned By Alderman's Family
By Melissa McEwen in Food on May 26, 2015 8:30PM
The Better Government Association reports that Calumet City has decided to buy Harry O's, a tavern owned by Alderman Nick Manousopoulos’ family. The tavern owes $29,969 in past-due property taxes, but the Alderman insists it's not a bailout of a faltering business.
It's part of a program that was created to reduce the number of bars in Calumet City, ostensibly to remove chronic trouble spots from residential neighborhoods. But this bar is not in a residential area and there is no evidence it's a crime hotspot.
Only one alderman, Antoine Collins, voted against the purchase. He told BGA that "I didn’t see a financial benefit to the city" but declined to comment on whether he thought it was an unethical deal.