Seen on the street in Kyiv.

Words of Advice:

"If Something Seems To Be Too Good To Be True, It's Best To Shoot It, Just In Case." -- Fiona Glenanne

“The Mob takes the Fifth. If you’re innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?” -- The TOFF *

"Foreign Relations Boil Down to Two Things: Talking With People or Killing Them." -- Unknown

“Speed is a poor substitute for accuracy.” -- Real, no-shit, fortune from a fortune cookie

"If you believe that you are talking to G-d, you can justify anything.” — my Dad

"Colt .45s; putting bad guys in the ground since 1873." -- Unknown

"Stay Strapped or Get Clapped." -- probably not Mr. Rogers

"The Dildo of Karma rarely comes lubed." -- Unknown

"Eck!" -- George the Cat

* "TOFF" = Treasonous Orange Fat Fuck, A/K/A Dolt-45,
A/K/A Commandante (or Cadet) Bone Spurs,
A/K/A El Caudillo de Mar-a-Lago, A/K/A the Asset., A/K/A P01135809

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

"Reverse Robin Hood"-- It's Not Just for Republicans Anymore

In Chicago, one of the more corrupt places north of the Rio Grande, Hizzoner da Mare Emanuel has been aggressively cutting school financing whilst, at the same time, bestowing largesse on corporations. The cash subsidies have been benefiting developments in wealthy neighborhoods, while the cuts have been hurting schools in poor neighborhoods.

And, of course, there is the usual Chicago sleaze factor:
Months after Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said budget constraints forced him to push for pension cuts and mass school closures, an analysis of government documents reveals the city has $1.71 billion in special accounts often used to finance corporate subsidies. While the Emanuel administration has rejected open records requests for details of the subsidies, evidence suggests at least some of them have flowed to companies connected to Emanuel’s campaign donors. ... The report shows $412 million was diverted last year alone into the TIF accounts and out of traditional property tax funding streams, many of which are dedicated to the city's schools. In 21 of those districts, the report says 90 percent or more of all property taxes were diverted into the TIF accounts.
Over half of that tax money would have gone to the schools.

So Emanuel is robbing the kids to benefit the rich and, more importantly, to benefit those companies whose owners give his campaign hefty political donations.

Using legalized bribery to steal from kids- that's the Chicago Way.

(H/T)

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

and you have to realize that the Chicago Schools are pits into which money is thrown. They pay huge amounts of money for things like paint ($70/gallon) and paper (7.50/ream), etc. Further the teachers union has salaries hiked WAY above the norm.

I don't like the fact that he is subsidizing big business, but he is trying to get some economic growth with that. The schools, well, he is trying to remove some of the Daley era patronage.

If you privatized the schools (which I DON'T think would be a good idea) you could probably save in excess of 50% f the cost of operating them just in waste and overcharging.