Please check out this blog, it is off to a good start! http://stopjimhoulihan.blogspot.com/2008/11/call-for-real-transparency.html Make sure all you political experts enjoy a website taking a stab at figuring out how assessments really work in Cook County. When I first started my Chicago Clout, I liked the Capitol Fax Blog; they did a great job organizing information. I hope the couple starting this new website continues to focus on the ridicules tax breaks some clouted people are getting; if they do, they will be on to something. Remember, this new website is just starting and will need some work. I also suggest you contact them if you hear of some unfair Cook County Tax bills. Patrick McDonough
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November 18, 2008
BY FRAN SPIELMAN City Hall Reporter
Ald. Bernard Stone (50th) struck out Monday in his attempt to write Inspector General David Hoffman out of the city budget in retaliation for an absentee ballot fraud investigation that targeted Stone’s ward superintendent.
“Nobody has any balls around here,” said Stone, the City Council’s nearly 81-year-old elder statesman.
Anish Eapen was indicted in April on at least a dozen counts of official misconduct in an alleged scheme to improperly steer voters, most of them Indian and Pakistani, toward absentee ballots to benefit Stone in the 2007 aldermanic election.
A 50th Ward Democratic precinct captain, Eapen was accused of using his Streets and Sanitation badge to influence people to vote absentee, even if they didn’t qualify, and to give their absentee ballots to him. He allegedly offered enhanced city services to those who agreed to vote absentee, prompting at least one charge of “vote-buying.”
Stone has called the investigation an illegal political witch hunt, arguing that the inspector general is prohibited from investigating Chicago aldermen and their staffers.
At Monday’s Budget Committee meeting, Stone tried to convince his colleagues to eliminate the inspector general’s $5.8 million-a-year budget.
“He’s come after me, so I’m going after him. That’s the way the game is played,” Stone said.
“You can do what you want, but I’m not gonna be a party to a man running wild…I don’t care what the media says about this…I hope you have the guts to do what you’re supposed to do and vote yes,” said Stone.
They never got the chance.
Ald. Joe Moore (49th) voted to table Stone’s motion and prevailed by a vote of 12 to 2. Ald. Brian Doherty (41st) joined Stone in voting “no.”
Hoffman refused to comment.
During Monday’s meeting, Budget Director Bennett Johnson also revealed that Hoffman had offered to roll back his $161,886-a-year salary to the $147,000 he got when he was hired in 2005, but the Office of Budget and Management didn’t take him up on the offer.
Hoffman made the offer to avert layoffs in the inspector general’s office. Instead, he absorbed $250,000 worth of non-personnel cuts.
Stone faced one of the toughest elections of his career in 2007 in the demographically changing ward on Chicago’s Far North Side.
In the February primary, he failed to get a majority of the vote and was forced into an April runoff against Naisy Dolar. He won that race with 6,015 votes to Dolar’s 5,310.
Ex-city inspector gets probation for lying
November 19, 2008 at 6:56 PM
A former City of Chicago plumbing inspector was sentenced to 2 years of probation and fined $5,000 today for lying to a postal inspector involved in a bribery investigation of the Buildings Department.
Eric Reyes, who pleaded guilty in September, faced up to 6 months in prison. U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle imposed the sentence.
Updated 11/19: Des Plaines mayoral race could be crowded field
November 19, 2008
By PAT KROCHMAL pkrochmal@pioneerlocal.com
Enough Des Plaines residents have expressed interest in the mayor’s position to fill all of the aldermen’s chairs.
The eight are: Thomas Becker, Dick Sayad, Donald Smith, Michael Lake, Mark Szumylo, John Chemers, Martin Moylan and Patrice A. McDonough.
Mayor Anthony Arredia cannot run for election again in April because of term limits.
“And not everyone who picks up candidates’ packets are going to run for office,” said City Clerk Donna McAllister, who also is stepping down due to term limits. “Some do so because of curiosity and some pick up packets for other people.”
Becker was the 6th Ward alderman, and Sayad the 4th Ward alderman, before term limits made them give up their council seats. Smith, alderman of the 7th Ward, who also cannot serve as alderman again, said he took out the required papers from the city clerk’s office while deciding whether to run.
Lake, a retired mold-maker who has been active in several community organizations, wants to become mayor to continue the town’s progress both toward redevelopment and against flooding. Szumylo said he took out the paper work because he was curious about the qualifications, but will not run.
Moylan has been serving as 2nd Ward alderman since he won election in 2006. Patrice McDonough was an successful candidate for 6th Ward alderman in 2006.
At this time only Noreen Lake, president of the Des Plaines Public Library Board, has expressed interest in the city clerk’s office.
Peter Tatera and Michael Bausone have decided to find out more about the 1st Ward aldermanic seat held by Patricia Beauvais, who also must leave the council because of term limits.
Michael Kochevar, Matthew Bogusz and Mark M. Gawlinski have taken petitions to run for the 3rd Ward alderman’s seat now held by Laura Murphy, who is giving up her chair because of term limits.
And former firefighter James Brookman, a member of the Des Plaines Park District Board, has picked up the paperwork necessary to replace his wife, Carla Brookman, as alderman of the 5th Ward.
Is Eric Reyes related to Victor Reyes and Virginia Reyes of Toltec Plumbing? one of the minority companies installing the remote read water meters. Vic and Virg are bro/sis