How can Chicago be broke? The city has paid out $737.1 MILLION in legal settlement and judgement expenses in the nine years of 2003 to 2012. 65% of that is police-related litigation.
$96 MILLION has been spent by the City and Cook County defending Jon Burge and settling with his victims.
In addition, the City has spent $176 million over the past eight years in outside legal fees!
The City has spent a whopping $913,1 MILLION on legal messes.
I should’ve gone to law school!
I gave this presentation to the Loyola Law School’s Public Interest Law Program Thursday. The audio is 47 minutes. If you’d like a copy, email me at tom@tresser.com.
Chicago Ideas Week founder and chief honcho Brad Keywell (Groupon) ran a full page ad in today’s Chicago Tribune (my scanner isn’t big enough to get it all – this is like one third)…
Thing is, Brad and his wife, Kim each gave the mayor $5,300 for his re-election effort. This from his campaign’s October 2 A-1 report.
The ad gushes about Emanuel, “His vision is raising a city higher than its tallest buildings.” Really? What about the 49 school closings. The $68 million in cuts to the neighborhood schools left standing. The closing of public health clinics. The layoffs of public sector workers. The cuts in service to the CTA. The ever expanding privatization of city services – likehow we pay to get onto subways and buses and the pending shut down of city mammogram programs.
So here’s an idea for Chicago Ideas Week – throw the investment bankers out of City Hall and end the patronage, corruption and insider trading that stands for public policy here. We need MORE public, not less.
Students as DePaul organized a public forum on the proposed DePaul Stadium and asked for an Illumination of the 17 TIFs inside the 2nd Ward – spotlighting the site and adjacent TIFs. This research is from The TIF Illumination Project. If you want a copy of this presentation please email tom@civiclab.us.
The TIF Illumination Project was a source for this story in today’s Chicago Sun-Times.
The CivicLab is thrilled to host the Chicago version of the Global Card Board Challenge on October 5, from1pm to 4pm.
Watch this video and YOU will want to play with us!
This is a kid’s event and is perfect way for a family to foster imagination and engaged play AND expose kids to design, science, engineering and a whole lot more. There is no charge but you must read the directions and register via EventBrite.
Tom Tresser has been doing TIF Illumination workshops all over the city. Now you can see what over 1,600 other people have seen – how TIFs work REALLY.
Attend the “TIF 101” workshop at the CivicLab on Tuesday, September 17 at 7pm. 90 minutes. $10. You’ll be Illuminated! Register via EventBrite.
Watch this creative and fast moving seven minute video from WBEZ’s “Curious City” Project. Learn more at the CivicLab’s TIF Illumination Project. Do I look better animated?
The CivicLab is one of this year’s nominees for a Chicago Innovation Award! Celebrate with us at The Park West on September 9.
Lord, it was HOT inside the Belding School auditorium tonight! And it just got HOTTER after the five TIFs of the 39th were Illuminated. Alderman Laurino was a no-show, No surprise. View all the TIF Illuminations here. Sign the petition to the Mayor – Empty The TIFs!. Read coverage from Progress Illinois.