NorthSideSox72

I agree with Balta. Extending Cooper was, I think, a necessity. But also Baines? That seems odd, because I'd think you'd want the new manager to have as many choices as possible outside of Coop. And I doubt they have made a decision already and talked to that person - Bell has said no, so the only internal guy on anyone's radar is McEwing. The other guys, I think they aren't even allowed to talk with yet.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 04:16 PM) People who work downtown and drive in from the burbs should have to pay a tax as well as an extra parking fee. f***ing day trippers. Problem with that is, you will give more incentive for businesses to flee to the suburbs, which is the opposite of what the city wants right now. Most sane people who can do so, commute via trainfrom the burbs. But that doesn't work for some people, for a variety of reasons. And the top execs of larger firms tend to drive or be driven because they don't want to take mass transit, and they are the ones who most influence the decision on where to locate the company, so I'm not sure you want to give them more reason to leave. QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 04:16 PM) Also, legalize marijuana, HUGE revenue boost. The City of Chicago does very little in the way of mary jane law enforcement, so the impact on that end would be minimal. But, you could put a city tax on it, and that would work.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 01:55 PM) The other guy in the Bartman play http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/sto...927%2FPatLooney That guy seems like an asshole. Gave his wife a black eye trying to get a foul ball? When asked his name, he gives his friend's name to the reporters? Kinda wish he had been the one instead of Bartman.

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Getting rid of Ozzie is the key, whatever we get back is just icing. Getting a couple OK prospects is actually a better haul than I would have expected, this works just fine.

Alright, I'll strike the first blow. REVENUE INCREASES ($130.4M total) Impose a pay-per-throw garbage collection fee: $125M Increase city cigarette tax: $3.1M Double the boat mooring tax: $1.3M Increase health insurance contribition for city employees making over 90k: $1M SERVICE/DEPARTMENT CUTS (~$692M Total) Eliminate supervisory personnel redundencies (includes 707 from CFD who have a 3.5-1 ratio, and 309 from CPD currently 8-1): $190M **Privatize garbage and recycling programs entirely: $165M Fire 161 general laborers: $65M Get rid of on call pay for CPD and CFD: $52M Convert 20% of firefighting apparatus to ambulance/EMS: $41.5M Switch all employees to a 40 hour workweek from 35 and reduce accordingly: $40M Fire 75 downtown traffic control aides: $37M Transfer City Dept of Public Health to the Cook County Health and Hospital System (LOLOLOLOL): $33.7M Eliminate 200 motor pool truck drivers who just transport to jobs: $19M Transfer all election management oversight to Cook County: $16.1M Eliminate quarterly pay for supervisors (not sure exactly what this means): $9.6M Eliminate tuition reimbursement programs for city employees: $7.3M Eliminate Condo Refuse Rebate Program: $6M Merge City and Park District agencies: $5M Reduce spending on janitorial services: $5M Reduce number of holidays for city employees from 12 to 10: $4.9M Charge more for health insurance for city employees who smoke: $4.8M Eliminate "Personal Computer Operators": $4M Hold municipal elections on same day as statewide elections: $3M Reduce number of fire districts and district-level personnel from 6 to 4: $1.9M Eliminate city TB clinics: $1.4M Privatize CFD Internal Affairs investigations: $1.2M Civilianize CPD Forensic Services: $1.1M Privatize parking enforcement: $1.1M Independent commission to redistrict ward boundaries apolitically: $1M So, mostly I am using cuts, but also a few revenue increases. Total savings: around $830M, leaving a roughly $195M surplus. Surplus goes where? Two places. One, the pension system has a bubble in a couple or three years from now, and will need re-tooling, either way it's money we need to save up for. Second, the CTA may have waste, but it also has infrastructure needs it cannot meet. City should step in on that. Not on the list but, I'd look at privatizing Midway as well, and use the money towards the above two issues. That would be my plan.

The City of Chicago is projecting a $635MM shortfall in the next fiscal year, and similar numbers in future years. The Office of the Inspector General was tasked with finding ideas to cut that deficit - both revenue increases and service/department cuts. He released a list of 63 potential items to do so, mostly but not entirely cuts. Here is the drill. I will list here the items from the list that I can find (the ones at $1M or higher, to make this easier), and their potential positive effect. You choose the ones you want, that add up to at least $635MM... REVENUE INCREASES ($2.3B total) One percent city income tax: $500M Expand sales tax footprint (the Emmanuel plan from last year): $450M Raise water and sewer rates to national averages: $380M $5 downtown congestion toll (a la London) during rush hour: $375M (even after 20% reduction in traffic as a result) One percent commuter income tax (work in city, live elsewhere): $300M Impose a pay-per-throw garbage collection fee: $125M Broadening the amusement tax (not sure what it is broadening to): $105M Toll booths on LSD @ $2.50: $87.5M (after capital costs) Transaction tax on major exchanges (not sure the fee level, apparently small): $37M Impose a blue cart recycling fee: $18M Eliminate free sewer service for Senior Citizens: $17M Eliminate free water for hospitals and non-profits: $15.2M Double ambulance fees (currently $750, and was recently doubled anyway): $13.2M Eliminate reduced rate city stickers for Seniors: $7.6M Increase city cigarette tax: $3.1M Double the boat mooring tax: $1.3M Increase health insurance contribition for city employees making over 90k: $1M SERVICE/DEPARTMENT CUTS ($907M Total) Eliminate supervisory personnel redundencies (includes 707 from CFD who have a 3.5-1 ratio, and 309 from CPD currently 8-1): $190M **Privatize garbage and recycling programs entirely: $165M **OR... switching to a grid system and reducing to one the laborers per truck: $66.1M Fire 595 Firefighters: $145M Fire 161 general laborers: $65M Reduce firefighting teams from 5 to 4 per vehicle (this proposal caused the 1980 CFD strike): $57M Get rid of on call pay for CPD and CFD: $52M Convert 20% of firefighting apparatus to ambulance/EMS: $41.5M Switch all employees to a 40 hour workweek from 35 and reduce accordingly: $40M Fire 75 downtown traffic control aides: $37M Transfer City Dept of Public Health to the Cook County Health and Hospital System (LOLOLOLOL): $33.7M Eliminate 200 motor pool truck drivers who just transport to jobs: $19M Transfer all election management oversight to Cook County: $16.1M Eliminate quarterly pay for supervisors (not sure exactly what this means): $9.6M Eliminate Chicago Career Tech (job training program): $8.4M Eliminate tuition reimbursement programs for city employees: $7.3M Eliminate funding for after school and summer employment programs for youth: $6.5M Disband CPD marine and helicopter units: $6.2M Eliminate Condo Refuse Rebate Program: $6M Eliminate city-funded delegate agency programs for small business: $5.6M Merge City and Park District agencies: $5M Reduce spending on janitorial services: $5M Reduce number of holidays for city employees from 12 to 10: $4.9M Charge more for health insurance for city employees who smoke: $4.8M Eliminate "Personal Computer Operators": $4M Hold municipal elections on same day as statewide elections: $3M Close down the CFD Commisary contract and use just the uniform allowance: $2M Reduce number of fire districts and district-level personnel from 6 to 4: $1.9M Eliminate city TB clinics: $1.4M Eliminate subsidy to "World Business Chicago" economic development office: $1.4M Privatize CFD Internal Affairs investigations: $1.2M Civilianize CPD Forensic Services: $1.1M Privatize parking enforcement: $1.1M Independent commission to redistrict ward boundaries apolitically: $1M OTHER Eliminate the TIF program entirely: $100M See the complete report here: http://chicagoinspectorgeneral.org/major-i...online-version/ Go...

QUOTE (mr_genius @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 11:13 AM) http://www.suntimes.com/7892293-417/inspec...s-on-table.html tax tax tax too bad all these new taxes will just lower property values and convince people and business to leave the city. in the end they would lose money. To be fair, his job was to recommend ways to close the budget gap, and he came up with 63 ideas to do so - less than half were increasing revenue. Have to pick some. Might be a good thread idea, if we can get a hold of the full list, provide a target number to close, and see which cuts and/or increases people would pick.

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 19, 2011 -> 09:30 AM) So I was extended an offer this past Friday. The salary and vacation days are a little lower than I want so I'll obviously counter on those items. The other benefits are outstanding. The HR rep I talked to over the phone let me know that a separate person from a 3rd party relo service would contact me over the weekend with the details of the relo assistance. She called last night and listed the relo benefits. Pretty much everything is great except for the most important part, the duplicate payment allowance (paying rent in Seattle while still making mortgage payments in Chicago as we try to sell our condo). They gave us 2 months worth of duplicate payment coverage which basically means we'd have to immediately get someone to buy our unit since all the paperwork and closing stuff will likely wind up taking about 2 months. It's unlikely that we'd get a buyer so quickly. We already decided that we don't want to sublet the unit since it would be a stressful burden being 2K miles away in case something happened and we don't want to start paying a property manager either. Plus we'd still be paying association dues while we are renting and it's doubtful we'd get someone to pay rent that would come close to covering the mortgage payment. We'd be willing to sell for less than we owe if they provide some assistance with that as well. The relo person understood my concerns and would get back to me tomorrow with hopefully a different package (I asked for at least 6 months duplicate payment allowance). I really think they want this to work and will be able to accommodate us. On a side note, the HR person asked me on the phone if i would like to set up time with the director of the department (my new manager) to talk. I was caught off guard and said 'of course'. She asked if I could speak that night (last Friday) or if I prefer Tuesday (Tomorrow). I said Tuesday would work better but I'm a little confused as to the purpose of the call. I haven't even accepted the offer yet so I'm not sure what I would want to discuss. I had already asked her in our last interview what she expected my first 3 to 6 months to be like if I were to be selected. So far the only things I could think of discussing are (1) thanking her for selecting me and (2) asking whether I should start getting involved in weekly updates via phone or email until my start date. Anyone have thoughts on what I should discuss with her? Hey Sqwert, congrats! Also, since you live near where I was living for a while, I can provide some info on renting it out if you'd like. We had a bear of a time trying to sell our condo, but when we put it up for rental - and at a pretty high rent - we had a contract in less than 2 weeks. Rental market is doing quite well.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 04:47 PM) I'm becoming increasingly impressed by people's candor over the last few days. LOL, shocking, a trader who thinks he knows long term economics and is only out for his own gains. What's hilarious is, if the global ecomony does actually full-on collapse, all those paper gains he's got? Gone, because no one will be able to pay him. Idiot.

I've been a Sox fan long enough to have seen eight managers (not including the short-timers between) as a fan: Kessinger, LaRussa, Fregosi, Torborg, Lamont, Bevington, Manuel and Guillen. Guillen was... --The most quotable --The most entertaining --The best "players'" manager --Had the best understanding of, and coaching towards, the importance of infield defense --Probably had a better fan-drawing effect than any of the others --Suprisingly good at handling his starting pitchers --And most importantly, did what no other manager could do in 88 years Ozzie, you will be missed. But it was past time to go, for many reasons. So, good luck in Florida, except when you play the Sox.

QUOTE (chw42 @ Sep 27, 2011 -> 03:56 AM) What Morel is now is pretty close to the hitter he was last season when he came up with the Sox (looking to pull the ball). He definitely got some bad advice from somebody by trying to become a slap hitter earlier in the year. But if he keeps his current approach, he should be a a decent hitter with good power. I disagree that he got bad advice. Last year during the late season call-up, that was barely anything worth noting in terms of the time he got. This year was his true learning period, and I think he followed a good process (although it took longer than perhaps it should have). He focused on staying back on the ball and going oppo, then worked on better contact, up the middle, and eventually pulling it. But again, he seems to know this on his own, he's done it before.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 01:20 PM) Usually, the talking heads on the TV take exceptional care to cover their words, and that trickles all the way down to internet message boards. They say and type things like "Obama needs to stop being mean to job creators" or "Obama shouldn't call out the job creators, that just creates uncertainty!". Then occasionally...one of them lets slip the truth. Yes that's right...the problem isn't that Obama was mean to them...it's that they broke a ****ton of laws for 10 years. But threatening to punish the "Job creators" for a decade of systematic lying and lawbreaking, why that's terrible for the economy, it creates the uncertainty over whether they might have to go to jail for a decade of systematic lawbreaking. If we want the economy to grow, we can't obsess with which laws were broken and which weren't. And I'm sure next time, they'll have learned their lesson. You've jumped the shark. You are now saying that all businesses in any field with significant regulation are obviously criminals. Seriously? When some people break the law, and the governmental response is that the rules will change in a big way but we won't tell you how yet... then ALL the people in that sector are now waiting, and waiting, and waiting. Not just the criminal few. How do you not get that?

I'm still shocked they didn't sell when they had a great chance to do so.

QUOTE (LittleHurt05 @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 11:18 AM) Or maybe he refused to listen to Walker for the 1st 5 months and just suddenly decided to follow Walker's advice in September? I don't think Morel is a guy who we should give credit OR fault to Walker for, since he's doing basically what he did at each level before now. Nothing is different, really. The change is surprising in it's extremity, but it was still somewhat predictable.

QUOTE (southsider2k5 @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 10:21 AM) Hmmm, Maybe I should get down there so that I can get in front of the line to open up a Rick Perry campaign office in NWI? http://www.indgop.org/rickperry/ You're a Rick Perry fan?

QUOTE (Rowand44 @ Sep 26, 2011 -> 07:51 AM) Anyone have a scouting report on him? NDFA who has put up numbers somewhat similar to Remenowsky. But I know nothing about his stuff.

QUOTE (Tex @ Sep 24, 2011 -> 01:49 PM) I just received notice from Homeland Security and Border Protection that the vehicle was seized at a border check point. I'm trying to make sense of the notice. I am but worrying also. Are you serious, or joking? That promises to be a mess if you are serious. Luckily you are the one with the money. Also, not a surprise that a used car at KBB value would sell that fast - used car prices are high right now, probably higher than KBB's stated price.

QUOTE (VictoryMC98 @ Sep 24, 2011 -> 11:06 AM) I must of miss the mis-informed kid.. I thought he was ignoring me, since I put the kid in his place... I have to go back and destroy the kid again.. the kid must love S&M.. There are so many reasons why this post is funny, but my favorite is that you managed to misspell or misuse 3 words in a 7 word sentence stating that someone else was misinformed.

QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Sep 24, 2011 -> 02:39 AM) LOLOLOLOLOLOL THE HUMOR OF THIS GUY. I'D BUY HIM A DRINK IF HE WALKED INTO THE SAME RESTAURANT I WAS FREQUENTING. QUOTE (Milkman delivers @ Sep 24, 2011 -> 02:42 AM) This guy is an imbecile! And anyone who agrees with him is probably one too. I don't know why, but this pair of drunk posts cracked me up. Well done, sir.

QUOTE (VictoryMC98 @ Sep 24, 2011 -> 08:50 AM) Perhaps you and Tex haven't been properly introduced...

QUOTE (Heads22 @ Sep 23, 2011 -> 07:18 PM) Iowa is just not as good this year. In their game against Iowa State, despite them going to Coker like 35 times, I thought they went away from him too much in the second half. Once Ferentz started getting pass happy against Iowa State, things went downhill for them. Granted, our corners are pretty decent. I think they really do miss DJK this year, he allowed them to do a bit more in their offense than they do now. And yes, I realize that Vandenberg went off in the fourth against Pitt. Of course, Iowa got Steele Jantz'ed pretty hard too. Also, I haven't said much about ISU this year....but it's been a hell of a lot of fun this year. We will have our third straight sellout against Texas, and honestly, for the first time in my life, if we play our game, we should expect to beat the Longhorns. Fact is, we've been downright bad in terms of turnovers this year (Jantz started 0-4 with 3 INT against UConn) but still managed to win. I was expecting three wins this year, and we're already there. Who would have thunk that when we'd play Texas, it'd be to get into the Top 25, a primetime game on FX with Gus Johnson calling it? I guess our bookstore is selling these too: The weird thing is, the Big 12 stuff has really dampened the best ISU start to a season since 2002. I wasn't sold on Paul Rhoads at first, but I'm getting there. I do know that I love my team. And the crazy s*** Steele Jantz pulls. Because he still has a negative passer rating in the first quarter this year. Oh, and I'll jump on the hate ND bandwagon....well at least Brian Kelly. f*** him. Hope he loses his job. You let a kid die on your watch, you shouldn't be trusted with the well being of over a hundred others. I was thinking about the bolded above the other day - kinda sucks some of the wind out of it. But still happy to see the team doing well, that's a rarity, and glad to hear they are selling out football games (which only happened against Iowa, if ever, when I was at school there). Not sure if anyone in here other than you and I care though. Unless ISU does beat Texas, then I think it gets really interesting.

QUOTE (Rex Kicka** @ Sep 23, 2011 -> 03:29 PM) Based on the quick google search numbers I've found, its 138 out of about 4521. (About 3%) And those were people proven innocent and exonerated or had charges dismissed. Which is why the death penalty, IMO, is being used far too liberally. It needs to be reserved not only for the most heinous of crimes, but also the cases where evidence is solid as a rock.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 23, 2011 -> 10:27 AM) Wait...I'm right? Yes. You and SS2K5 weren't actually disagreeing, you were in fact talking past each other and agreeing. It was kind of funny.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 23, 2011 -> 08:58 AM) No. If I were looking to file a complaint against my bank over something in say a mortgage document, I'd read through FINRA's website and decide I was at the wrong spot. If I felt defrauded as an investor, I'd look through FINRA's website and decide I was at the right spot. FINRA does in fact protect consumers as part of their mission... but their consumers are, specifically, investors in the financial markets. If you are talking about consumer protection beyond that, like into say mortgages or retail banking, then FINRA has nothing to do with it.