Ben Joravsky over at The Chicago Reader has written another opus against the worst politician in Illinois – Mayor King Richard Daley. This time, he does it by attacking the idea of bringing the Olympics to Chicago.
Here’s the fundamental problem: We can’t afford the games. We’re broke—and I mean damn near destitute. The public school system is about $475 million in the red and the city’s facing its own deficit of at least $200 million. Just a few months ago Mayor Daley said he’d balanced the budget by raising fees and fines and slashing the city payroll, but already expenses have risen and revenues have dropped faster than anticipated. His aides have warned that more cuts could be on the way.
The Chicago Transit Authority, which runs our public transportation system, is busted too, in more ways than one. CTA officials are in the thick of their annual budget crisis, warning of fare hikes and service cuts that could affect traffic in every part of town. They don’t have enough money to replace the old buses or repair the tracks that are falling apart.
Some one should do some polling to find out just how popular the Olympics are. When ‘the little people’ find out that they will foot the bill for Mayor Daley’s Galas, Groundbreaking Ceremonies, and Cocktail Parties for Limousine Liberals (some who used to be Country Club Republicans), the might just get their dander up enough to stop the idiocy.