Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel budget team heavy on corporate executives

[marmar]

from the Chicago Tribune:



By Kristen Mack and Hal Dardick, Tribune reporters
9:07 p.m. CDT, April 20, 2011


Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel unveiled a budget team Wednesday stacked with corporate executives, including a deputy mayor who will be paid $1 a year.

Mark Angelson will hold the title of deputy mayor and serve as chairman of the newly created Economic, Budgetary and Business Development Council. He's able to work virtually for free because of his prior job as chief executive officer of printing giant R.R. Donnelly & Sons.

Emanuel takes office with the city facing a budget shortfall next year that could approach $1 billion between day-to-day expenses and pension requirements. Emanuel has said he intends to cut $75 millionrom Mayor Richard Daley's current budget.

"Year after year, through good economic times and bad, Chicago city government spent more money than it took in. This cannot continue," Emanuel said at a news conference at the Standard Club. "Past attempts to address our structural deficit have not succeeded. It is time to chart a new course." ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-rahm-budget-team-20110420,0,1444159.story

[PassingFair]

1. I'm so sick of this.

"Year after year, through good economic times and bad, Chicago city government spent more money than it took in. This cannot continue..."

RR Donnelly & Sons went through bankruptcy and emerged as "Dex 1", but
the citizens of Chicago will be made to pay the corporate bills.

:puke:

[KharmaTrain]

2. It's Chicago...What Else Is New...

As has been said, the "business of Chicago IS business". The city, as many, have major defecits due to the decrease of property taxes and other revenues. Too many corporations have deserted the city for the burbs and now gone from the country altogether...those once proud manufacturing neighborhoods have long been decimated as there are no jobs and that has increased the need for city services.

Daley pushed off a lot of debt down the road and Rahm's gonna have to figure a way to making do with less...there's not going to be any outside help. Whomever has to figure out this budget will have to be a whiz with numbers cause no matter how you slice 'em they're not looking good. The big question now is whose gonna take the bigger hits. Do you cut back on police and other vital services like a Detroit? Stay tuned...

[DCKit]

3. Maybe, this time, it'll work.

Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

[progressoid]

4. Gee, imagine that.