Chicago To Shut Down Government To Save Cash | 33% 'Parking Tax'

[FrankRep]

Daley To Shut Down City Government To Save Cash
'Non Safety-Related City Services' Will Be Shut Down For 6 Days Over Next 2 Years

CBS
Oct 14, 2008

Mayor Richard M. Daley said Tuesday he will shut down "non-safety related city services" for six days abutting holidays over the next two years to save millions of dollars.

CBS 2 Political Editor Mike Flannery reports that Mayor Daley says he's facing a budget shortfall of nearly a half-billion dollars. He's already moved to cut 2,500 jobs from city hall's payroll. Now he's going to shut it down - along with other non-essential facilities on the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. That will save $20 million.

The mayor's announcement Tuesday followed behind the scenes bargaining in which labor unions rejected the idea of taking unpaid days off while city services continued as normal. So Daley made an end run around them. He said all but the most essential city functions would shut down - and city workers would not be paid - on three days during the upcoming holiday season.

"The economic crisis in this country is getting worse and worse every day, and that's what you see in every headline in any major newspaper – locally, nationally and internationally," Mayor Daley said. "And it's gonna get worse next year."
...


Full Story:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/city.services.shutdown.2.840064.html

 

[FrankRep]

Loop Parking May Be Getting More Expensive
City Proposal Would Hike Tax To 33 Percent

CBS
Oct 14, 2008


Parking in the Loop is a pricey proposition as it is, but Mayor Richard M. Daley wants to make it even more expensive with a new tax increase.

As CBS 2's Joanie Lum reports, some Chicagoans are so upset about the idea that they held a protest on Tuesday.

The parking industry says taxes have been raised six times in the past 12 years, and they have no choice but to pass that cost onto the drivers. They said the expenses incurred from the new tax could price some motorists out of parking at all.

As motorists entered the Lake/Wells Self Park Facility, 175 W. Lake St, workers handed out flyers and encouraged them to call their local aldermen and fight the increase. They say Chicago has the second highest parking tax in the country, and with the new proposal it could rise from 27 percent to 33 percent.
...


Full Story:
http://cbs2chicago.com/local/loop.parking.taxes.2.839764.html

 

[danberkeley]

make it six weeks!