So you’re saying there’s no corruption … oh, wait
From today’s Sun-Times:
Asked whether there is an ethical cloud hanging over O’Hare, the mayor said…
“No. [Not] so far. We don’t know yet.”
Gee, Mr. Mayor. That gives us a lot of confidence as we’re set to hand you $20 billion for this boondoggle.
More Coverage from the ‘Stop O’Hare’ Press Conference
Medill Reports has this insightful report on yesterday’s press conference to oppose Mayor Daley’s O’Hare expansion project:
More coverage from today’s O’Hare press conference
Filed under: Budget, Mayor Daley, Spending, Taxes
Here’s some more great coverage from today’s press conference opposing Mayor Daley’s O’Hare expansion boondoggle:
ABC 7 Chicago reports:
“The mayor is looking to get $50 million in stimulus money to reward his political donors and contractors to pour more concrete that the airlines have already stated they don’t need, they don’t want, they can’t afford to use,” said Tony Peraica, (R) Cook County Board Commissioner.
And the Chicago Tribune:
Cook County Board Commissioner Tony Peraica (R-Riverside) labeled the airport project another pay-to-play scheme that is “a boondoggle for the mayor and his political donors.”
From The Daily Herald:
Bensenville Village President John Geils flew to Washington D.C. last week to lobby members of Congress and interest groups such as Citizens Against Government Waste to oppose funding the O’Hare Modernization Program, or OMP.
Tuesday, he was flanked by Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica, who called the project a “boondoggle,” plus a few officials from Prospect Heights, Park Ridge, the Illinois Policy Institute and Alliance of Residents Concerning O’Hare.
Stories also have appeared on WBBM Radio and in Chicagoist.
Stop Mayor Daley’s O’Hare Boondoggle
Filed under: Blagojevich, Corruption, Mayor Daley, Reform, Taxes
Commissioner Peraica participated in a City Hall press conference today expressing opposition to Mayor Daley’s $20 billion O’Hare expansion boondoggle.
At the press conference, Citizens Against Government Waste released TV ads being run in Chicago and Washington, DC that promote opposition to the O’Hare Project - and feature a quote from Peraica. We’ll share other press clippings from the press conference as they appear.
Mr. Geils Goes to Washington
Filed under: Budget, Mayor Daley, Reform, Spending, Taxes
The Chicago Tribune reports this morning on Bensenville Village President John Geils’ trip to Washington to urge federal lawmakers not to authorize stimulus funds for Mayor Daley’s O’Hare expansion boondoggle.
The mayor of Bensenville went to Washington on Thursday and urged members of Congress to deny Chicago any federal stimulus funds for the expansion of O’Hare International Airport.
Characterizing the $15 billion O’Hare Modernization Program as “a waste of taxpayer money,” Bensenville Village President John Geils met with elected officials and participated in an event sponsored by Citizens Against Government Waste, a taxpayer watchdog group.
Geils’ trip came two days after Mayor Richard Daley lobbied lawmakers on behalf of Chicago’s stimulus package, including $50 million that Daley said is needed to complete O’Hare expansion in five years.
Good for you, John.
Did Daley Tell a “Fib” on O’Hare and the Stimulus?
Filed under: Budget, Mayor Daley, Reform, Spending, Taxes
So…did he or didn’t he (Hizzoner) ask for federal stimulus funds for his O’Hare expansion boondoggle (a.k.a. “Chicago Crony Stimulus Plan?”) Check this out:
Daley and the ‘Airport Albatross’
Rick Moran at Pajamas Media reports on Mayor Daley’s O’Hare boondoggle - $15 billion (we think the number is more like $20 billion) to build two runways that arguably are not needed in the midst of an economic crisis.
And, of course, if it’s anything like a normal Chicago/Cook County project, it will run overbudget and over deadline (remember Millenium Park and the new CTA mega-terminal in the Loop?)
Here’s an excerpt from Moran’s report:
Now that Governor Rod Blagojevich is, politically speaking, pushing up daises, attention in the Land of Lincoln is going to be drawn to efforts by Chicago’s Mayor Daley to latch on to a portion of the coming “stimulus package” in order to fund his dream of expanding O’Hare Airport.
Never mind that no one wants to pay for it — including the city, the county, the state, the airlines, the taxpayers, or, until now, the federal government.
We hear ya’ Rick. Let’s hope this “albatross” can be stopped, and we urge all local elected officials to make their voices heard with their state officials, county officials, and members of Congress.
The O’Hare Boondoggle
The “Stop the O’Hare Modernization Program” organization sent out a press release this week, in which Commissioner Peraica was quoted on behalf of the county taxpayers:
“Cook County taxpayers are being burdened with the highest sales tax increase in the country, the City of Chicago is raising taxes on everything from bottled water to parking meters, and they want to spend billions more on an ill-conceived plan that will only serve to enrich a select group of political insiders?” says Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica.
O’Hare Airport, in general, has been riddled with stories of political cronies getting big contracts.
Remember Tony Rezko? O’Hare vendor.
And remember this story about the city official who oversaw the work of an O’Hare landscaping contractor who employed his parents? That contractor, by the way, had a sweetheart $6.6 million contract.
Daley’s “modernization” project is expected to cost $15 billion. How much of that would go to a select group of those cronies?
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