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Public Affairs coverage from our award-winning staff |
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Daley: Parking Meters Mean Balanced Budget
Produced by City Room on Tuesday, November 24, 2009
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Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (Kate Gardiner/WBEZ) |
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says without money from the controversial lease of the city's parking meters, there'd be no way to balance the 2010 budget.
Daley told reporters Tuesday the budget he hopes to pass next week today teeters on $100 million from parking meter funds.
DALEY: Earlier this year we received $1.165 billion for right to operate maintain and collect the city's parking revenues. If we didn't have any income now, you couldn't even balance your budget.
Despite the precarious state of city finances, Daley says aldermen should also consider cutting property taxes.
But the city's Finance Committee chose not to vote this week on a $35 million plan that would give each homeowner about $150.
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Valerie F. Leonard, North Lawndale // Wednesday, November 25, 2009 @ 12:09 PM
Think how much better off we'd be in future years if the City had not sold the parking meters.
I was very disturbed to learn that the City intends to use all but about $750 million of its $3 billion rainy day fund on current expenses. This includes the proposed use of $1.4 million to be used for programs to assist the homeless. The City would also use proceeds from the sale of the parking meters to provide tax relief to homeowners. One of your colleagues is quoted in one of the newspapers as characterizing the current budget proposal as mortgaging the City’s future. A more accurate description would be “fire sale”.
I agree that the City should do something to assist the homeless. I also agree that the City should do something to provide tax relief to homeowners. In fact, it’s a shame that the lowest income communities in the City have to bear the largest brunt of the City’s property tax increase—for at least the second consecutive year. However, I don't agree that using proceeds from the sale of parking meters and other revenue generating assets is the way to finance these programs. There should be fundamental changes made to the City's taxing, financing and budget structure. Obviously this would require working with officials at the state, county and city levels.
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Lance Uppercut, South Loop / Printers Row // Saturday, November 28, 2009 @ 9:18 AM
The Mayor continues to display his complete lack of fiscal horse-sense by spending the CAPITAL from the parking meter lease to pay for CURRENT EXPENSES !
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candida Bayer, edgewater // Monday, November 30, 2009 @ 10:16 PM
I HOPE VOTERS REMEMBER THIS PARKING METER CRAP COME ELECTION DAY.EVERY TIME I HAVE TO USE ONE OF THOSE UGLY BOXES,I GET SO ANGRY,KNOWING THE MONEY IS GOING TO A PRIVATE BANK.SHOULD HAVE BALANCED THE BUDGET BY GETTING RID OF SOME CITY WORKERS.
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Deborah, Armour Square // Thursday, December 03, 2009 @ 4:07 PM
Anytime I hear something about parking meters, see parking meters, have to use a parking meter or have to pay a parking ticket, it makes me see red! If only the mayor had to use them to get around.
And isn't it his job to balance the budget? I thought that's what he gets paid to do. I will certainly remember this next year. I hope Lisa Madigan decides to run for mayor.
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