Cities With Budget Woes Sell Out to Highest Bidder

[marmar]

Published on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 by the Associated Press
Cities With Budget Woes Sell Out to Highest Bidder

by Carla K. Johnson


CHICAGO — Seven vinyl banners draped this month along one of Chicago's most iconic bridges, advertisements some have dubbed "a visual crime" and "commercial graffiti," are reviving a debate about how governments raise money in tough economic times.

In the aftermath of the Great Recession, a public school district in Colorado is selling ads on report cards and Utah has a new law allowing ads on school buses. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel's administration, straining to fill a $600 million budget hole, is looking to raise $25 million from ads on city property — including bridges, electrical storage boxes and garbage cans.

The effort kicked off this month with Bank of America ads on the 81-year-old Wabash Avenue Bridge, which crosses the Chicago River and has appeared in movies including "About Last Night" and "The Dark Knight."

"I think it's disgusting," Chicago resident Linda Rosenthal said recently, shaking her head as she surveyed the signs. "The architecture in Chicago is stunning. To see this awful advertisement angers me." .............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/11/22-3

[Huey P. Long]

1. Anyone see the original Robocop? I say 5 years away...

...if we don't stop it. Support OWS, because no one else is fighting for YOU.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. You are absolutely right.

[Jackpine Radical]

2. Some days I'm just so grossed out by what passes for

a culture in this country that I can't stand it.

[jwirr]

4. It could have been worse - they could have sold the damn bridge. nt