Those of us living in Chicago have become accustomed to daily (Daley?) news of corruption and mismanagement in City Hall. While working on Plamegate, US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald (not to be confused with former Senator Peter Fitzgerald - Republican renegade who did not run for reelection, opening the door for superstar Barack Obama), seems to have plenty of time to probe the scandal-ridden “City That Works.”
Every day it seems that another city employee overestimates his or her immunity to these investigations and their fallout.
But Fitzgerald doesn’t deserve all the credit for publicizing the city’s misdeeds. Most recently, the Sun-Times, whose journalists have uncovered more corruption than the city’s own Inspector General, reported that the city has been consistently overbilling residential property owners for sidewalk replacement through the city’s 50/50 Sidewalk Program. In fact, out of 7,531 50/50 sidewalk replacement jobs over the past three years, only 114 of those homeowners paid exactly 50%. And, in some cases, property owners have paid far less than their 50% share, driving suspicions that despite Daley’s claims, clout is alive and well in Chicago.
A spokesperson for the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT) explained that “50/50” doesn’t mean that the city splits the cost of sidewalk replacement with property owners in every instance - it means that the cost of the program as a whole is split by the city and its residents. Hmmm. Aldermen and their constituents who have demanded refunds are likely to be disappointed. And though it’s doubtful any heads will roll, CDOT officials are now considering a new and more accurate name for the 40-year-old program, the “Shared Cost Sidewalk Program.” That’s why they get the big bucks.
When I asked my landlord about the new sidewalk in front of my building, he said that rather than being on the 50/50 waiting list for years, he just asked some city contractors who were already doing work nearby to replace his sidewalk. He paid them directly. In cash. Somehow, I doubt that money ever made it into the city’s coffers.
from the Sun Times article:
” the city makes them pay upfront but never tells them the final cost of the job.”
Hello? Isn’t that just begging for it? If it’s supposed to be split but they don’t have to tell you how much it cost… then they don’t actually really want accountability. I like “Shared Cost.” They should be required to tell residents how much the sidewalk work cost regardless.