The Conservative Cave
Current Events => General Discussion => Topic started by: Ralph Wiggum on September 27, 2011, 10:46:36 AM
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:banghead:
Chicago’s inspector general is offering Mayor Rahm Emanuel a $3 billion roadmap to financial stability that includes everything from a city income tax, commuter tax and tolls on Lake Shore Drive to privatizing garbage collection and converting 20 percent of all fire suppression apparatus to ambulances.
Although Emanuel has emphatically ruled out higher taxes, Ferguson is serving up 19 revenue generating ideas with tantalizing earning potential of $2.3 billion-a-year.
Chicago could raise $500 million-a-year by imposing a one percent city income tax, following New York City’s lead, the inspector general said.
A one percent commuter tax would have an annual take of $300 million. Resurrecting Emanuel’s controversial campaign promise to broaden the sales tax to an array of services not now covered — branded the “Rahm tax†by rivals — could yield $450 million.
Imposing a $5, London-style congestion fee on vehicles entering the city’s Central Business District during the morning and evening rush periods could raise $375 million, even after a 20 percent reduction in traffic to 400,000 vehicles-a-day.
Installing toll booths on Lake Shore Drive—and charging the average vehicle $2.50 — could raise $87.5 million, even after hefty capital costs.
LINK (http://www.suntimes.com/news/7892293-418/inspector-puts-city-income-tax-lake-shore-drive-tolls-on-table.html)
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Sounds like it would be great for business...in all the neighboring counties!
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Sounds like it would be great for business...in all the neighboring counties!
That's been the blow-back so far. And this is only at the proposal stage, but it is already about as popular as diarrhea.
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Chicago doesn't like tourist and people with jobs....soon it'll look as good as Detroit.
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Yet another reason for me to NOT go into obamaville.
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The only thing I saw listed there that makes sense is privatizing garbage collection. Get rid of the union salaries, maintenance costs on the trucks, and receive
payoffs bribes franchise fees from the contracts to private companies.
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The only thing I saw listed there that makes sense is privatizing garbage collection. Get rid of the union salaries, maintenance costs on the trucks, and receive payoffs bribes franchise fees from the contracts to private companies.
Based on what I've seen in the NY metro area and NJ, the downside is that it's a golden opportunity for organized crime, and the scrupulously-honest and ethical City of Chicago government will be letting and administering the contracts. I wouldn't bet on that one actually saving them any money in the long term.
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Based on what I've seen in the NY metro area and NJ, the downside is that it's a golden opportunity for organized crime, and the scrupulously-honest and ethical City of Chicago government will be letting and administering the contracts. I wouldn't bet on that one actually saving them any money in the long term.
That's true, but even in a modestly ethically ran city it should save money.
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That's true, but even in a modestly ethically ran city it should save money.
That eliminates Chicago in the first round.
"Ethics? What are those? Aren't they the trumped up charges we run Republicans out of town with? :confused:
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Having taken LSD (not the drug, you mopes!) many times, I don't even know how feasible it would be to make it a toll-road. Parts of it are so close to Marine Drive/Michigan Ave/other roads that it would take millions & millions to create toll-booths, accessible on-ramps, etc. And I'm pretty sure that no one would bother paying $2.50/$5.00 to take it. Hell, you can only drive 55 on it and 45 in the winter.
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Having taken LSD (not the drug, you mopes!) many times, I don't even know how feasible it would be to make it a toll-road. Parts of it are so close to Marine Drive/Michigan Ave/other roads that it would take millions & millions to create toll-booths, accessible on-ramps, etc. And I'm pretty sure that no one would bother paying $2.50/$5.00 to take it. Hell, you can only drive 55 on it and 45 in the winter.
AND it can be closed at any time of the year due to storms. There would have to be scores of interchanges in such a short length of "highway."