Not long ago, Chicago Clout made inquiry into the all new unimproved City of Chicago Department of Finance. The Department took over for Alderman Edward Burke and all his political hires. One of the main tools famous and handsome authors, journalists, and movie stars require is information. In Chicago, fact is stranger than fiction. You could not make up all the stupid actions that goes on day after day.
The Honorable Lori Lightfoot walked into Rahm Emanuel’s massive failure. Chicago is an absolute mess. The debts are crushing, and Lori Lightfoot is not removing the old guard that continue business as usual. Now is the time for bold action. Rahm put his friends into positions all over Chicago Department to control the city from afar. Lori needs to wipe the slate clean.
Lori just bragged at her State of the Union address (100 days) she reformed the Chicago Workers Compensation system in Chicago. I hope she is not putting a lid on it by assigning a private company to hide facts and figures. But she is. While the new consulting company claims reform, Rahm and Burkes contractors still pull the strings.
Contractors are still stopping claims from legit injuries and racking up massive bills to put off the cleanup. Contractors are still doing the work of Chicago City Lawyers that are too incompetent to handle legal cases. Politicians are still accepting piles of money from these companies and large overbilling reduces the stress to contractors.
Just a few days ago, the Chicago Department of Finance is again fighting my request for all the Illinois Department of Workers Compensation “Pink Sheets”. Pink sheets spell out all the settlement amounts and the terms. What is the big deal? The finances do not reveal the real costs of the settlements and Chicago does not want this information released. Many of the agreements are far apart in settlement amount for the exact same injury. Some people are forced to take far lower value than what the deserve. Some injured workers are getting lifetime monthly settlements. If you do the basic analysis, Chicago does not want you to know the massive amount of money spent on everything but the injured worker. If you look at the cost of providing the program, the money spent on injured workers as companied to administrating the program is completely out of whack.
Right now, Chicago clout is again working with the Illinois States Attorney to for turn over documents. Chicago is pathetic in releasing information due to the criminal activities involved. Many attempts to personally exam documents are being fought tooth and nail. Who said, “shine the light”? The Federal Lawsuit filed by Jay Stone and Patrick McDonough shined more light than 50 years of dirty pols. Wait until we show you those pink sheets, they will have you seeing red.
Just when you thought the stink of Alderman Edfart Burke could not get any worse.