People's Weekly World - Coalition demands greater transparency of Chicago city finances: "Chicago – With public outrage mounting over the privatization of the city’s parking meters, a coalition of labor and community groups and progressive aldermen called for greater transparency of the city budget and an accounting of the city’s privatization deals. The groups staged a protest in Chicago City Hall on April 20.
They claimed a $2.1 billion budget surplus exists including money from the parking meter and Chicago Skyway deals and funds hidden in Tax Increment Financing (TIF) accounts. After big one round of layoffs last fall Daley now says a new $300 million deficit has opened. He is demanding concessions from the city’s workforce or has threatened another 1,600 layoffs and service cuts."
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Privatization is often associated with secrecy, and that gives rise to suspicion. Daley is an elitist to his bones and he is a master at centralizing control of every function and all information in his own office. He is trying to amass some sort of war chest to bolster his bid for the Olympics. And Chicago has a record of corruption going back to the 19th century. I don't know if there has been any funny business with the parking deal, but I am sure that it is time for some sunlight on the city budget and the role of privatization in trying to balance it.
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