Here we go Again
Police officers, not just associating with a known felon, but having him on their board of advisors? In today's sun-times, Steve Warmbir (of "Hired Truck" fame) writes about Thomas Perez, convicted Federal tax cheat, advising, advertising, winning awards from LAPA and (oh boy oh boy) posing for pictures with at least 3 current and former high ranking police officials.
Mr. Perez's business? Distributing video gambling machines. And EVERYONE KNOWS who controls the distribution of video gambling machines around here. Go talk to OCD. You don't get anywhere near this type of business without permission from that other business.
Batten down the hatches boys and girls. Storm on the horizon. Look for a few high profile resignations very shortly.
Mr. Perez's business? Distributing video gambling machines. And EVERYONE KNOWS who controls the distribution of video gambling machines around here. Go talk to OCD. You don't get anywhere near this type of business without permission from that other business.
Batten down the hatches boys and girls. Storm on the horizon. Look for a few high profile resignations very shortly.
posted by SCC at 6:15 AM
70 Comments:
All the corruption yet mayor daley wants to kick his employees in the ass yet once again by screwing our pensions. How about get rid of the useless aldermorons. He throws away money to get the black vote. Vote mayor daley out for once and for all
Mayor takes aim at union pensions
By Paul Merrion
Nov. 07, 2005
Chicago’s public employee unions must help the city confront a growing shortfall in pension funding during the next round of contract talks, Mayor Richard Daley warned last Friday.
"We’re going to put everything on the table, especially pensions," the mayor said at a meeting with editors of Crain’s Chicago Business. "They better look at some way that you have to control healthcare and pension costs. If you don’t do it, more and more money will be used for healthcare and pensions."
Personnel costs, including salary, healthcare and pensions, already eat up about 82% of the city’s proposed $5.2 billion budget for fiscal 2006.
But union leaders balked at the idea of pension cuts after the current contract expires in mid-2007.
"I don’t think it would be fair," said Christine Boardman, president of public employees Local 73 of the Service Employees International Union. "I’m not going to be very amenable to it."
At the end of last year, the city’s four pension funds had enough money to pay only 67.9% of promised benefits, a figure that has dropped in recent years and is expected to worsen. "It doesn’t look too bright," the mayor said.
The current percentage "is not a comfortable number," said Dana Levenson, the city’s chief financial officer, who accompanied the mayor. "We’d like to see it in the 80s."
Unions agree that the city’s pension funding shortfall has grown too large. But they don’t see eye to eye with the mayor on either the cause or the remedy.
The city’s recent round of early retirement incentives "cost money and created this unfunded liability," said the SEIU’s Ms. Boardman. "They have to look at other ways of generating revenues."
"Speaking for AFSCME, we’ve already given," in terms of the city’s reduction in headcount, said Hank Scheff, director of research and employee benefits for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union. "How much can you shave, realistically?" Regardless of their differences with the city, there’s no question the problem is real.
The mayor is being "honest and straightforward" to raise the issue with unions well in advance of the contract talks deadline, said Laurence Msall, president of the Civic Federation, a local government watchdog group. "Definitely, this is something the city needs to take leadership on and the unions need to address. It’s a real liability they can’t escape."
While city pension funds combined cover 67.9% of promised benefits, the shortfall is much worse for the funds covering firefighters and police.
According to a soon-to-be published Civic Federation analysis, at the end of last year the firefighters plan had only 42.3% of the funds needed to pay the current value of future benefits, down from 60.2% in 2001. The police fund’s coverage ratio was 55.9%, down from 61.4% in 2001. And the general municipal employees pension fund went from being 94% funded to only 72% during that period. Only the laborers pension fund, the smallest of the four, is at or near a fully funded level, allowing the city to skip a contribution to that fund next year.
The city’s projected contribution to its other three pension funds is $398 million in the new budget, a 4.4% increase from last year and about 7.7% of all city spending.
Eventually whats going to happen is that you will likely being paying more for medical insurance, like the 60's and possibly go back to more years on the job and older age. You don't remember when it was 25 and 55.
Unions have their place,but often times they kill the goose that lays the golden egg.
I would of left at 55 now because of medical and the way we as city employees are treated, I will stay to the end and milk it to the very last drop. Take care of yourself and family. Now I am looking at going back to school at 51 years old. wont hurt I guess and dicky will foot da bill.
Can anybody post how much our ALDERMAN and our beloved MAYOR DALEY pays for their medical plans. Also whats the coverage?
Is it better than the contract negotiated coverage a city employee gets?
Do they continue to enjoy this coverage after they retire?
And do they pay a damn thing for medical when they retire???
Come on .... somebodys in the know.
How about pay for it with the multi Billions of dollars the Mayor is saving on our current SHORTAGE OF POLICE OFFICERS?
We are budgeted for 13000 or so Police Officers. We currently have around 9000.
Hmmmm 4000 vacancies multiply that by say...$65000.00 per vacancy then add another say $6000.00 a vacancy for medical.
Hmmm sounds like another scandel to me?
Now Im not a super educated person but 2,840,000.00 Thats alot of $$$$$$ to be saving EVERY YEAR Mr. Mayor.
Where is it all going? How about our beloved "Fraternal Order of Police" getting an answer for us??
Back on thread...
Is it surprising? LAPA is just another name for the HDO. They are tied in with the Republicans in Cicero. Who does Fast Eddy help run Cicero. Corruption has no party. Do you think Hiram will get the Matt Rodriguez treatment? I would say he is safe for right now as long as he can turn this into a thank you photo for the support. Aginagua(sp) is a big LAPA guy. Wasn't he the CDR of Vice when he got snatched taking a juvenile across state lines. He got dumped to LT and they still made him a CPT. Clout is King in this town. Every now and again someone gets thrown to the lions to maintain a facade of integrity to the public, But if you're inside the system you know the truth.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-051112kennedy,1,4684029.story?coll=chi-news-hed
And you'd have given this guy a break on the DUI too, right?
How many civilians have now been killed by DUI city emergency workers in the last 24 months now?
Basta!
(07:53:07) To answer your question: The city is self-insured. It does not pay premiums to insurance companies for insurance, rather, the insurance companies manage the health care under their flag for the city. Bottom line: monies paid out come from the city treasury. I can only assume this is a more cost effective way to manage health care, rather than pay premiums to a for-profit insurance company. Is it?
Who are the bosses in the photos?
ABOUT AGINAGUA, AFTER A SEARCH WARRANT WAS EXECUTED, MANY PICTURES WERE FOUND OF HIM AND THE COCAINE DEALERS. HMM. A NICE MEXICAN VACATION. HE WAS ALSO ACTING AS SECURITY AT A BAR IN THE 013TH DIST. THE BAR WAS NEAR CHICAGO AND MAPLEWOOD. A UC WENT INTO THE BAR. GUESS WHO WAS THERE... YEP, HE RECOGNIZED THE UC AND CALLED HIM OUT RIGHT AWAY. HE STATED IN FRONT OF EVERYONE THAT THE UC WAS THE POLICE. WHAT A GREAT GUY!!! YEAH RIGHT!! I HOPE HE BURNS!!!
Way back when? Thats years ago, I believe the city was spending around 40 Million a year on medical. And it isn't just the PO but the family, average four to a family of a married copper times how many are married and have kids and numbers escalate.
And so, Cline will now demonstrate his commitment to the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in the Dept., and proceed to demote and/or move to fire all of those individuals who are associating with a convicted felon.........??????
He will have no choice if it comes into the lime light...which it looks like it is.
and that's the point, no? He should do what's right, regardless of the heat.....and what's probably wrong with the entire city leadership......
In regards to alderrman and mayoral benegits..does anyone know or know how to find out the pension, medical, social security issues of our alderman? Are they in a one term situation and recieve a pension and medical etc.
to we do it ourselves - 0733 poster
check your math sounds like
$284,000,000 not 2,840,000
It made you look at it didnt it? So where is all that money going?
The monies are going to some off shores and swiss bank accounts belonging to political hacks,politicians,and those choosen few who continue to get contracts after contracts and provide less then quality work, whereas the jobs have to be done all over again and again...notice how the city dig a hole and have to keep coming back for years trying to get it right....then we have all of those special employees who sell, barter, steal monies and services for their personal gain and the old PETER TO PAUL routine that will never add up at the end of the year
I have nothing but the highest repect for Hiram Grau, and I hope that this proves to be an anamoly. I would have bet he was the next Sup when Cline retires next year.
I too have the highest respect for Grau but there is obviously a conflict of interest here. If this man has a piece of the gambling machine business and Grau is a Dep. Supt who ultimately is in charge of the unit that investigates gambling machines thats a conflict. Don't forget the picture of Majinowski (sp) with the gang leader was key in sinking him.
Hope Maher was in that pix.
TO: 11/15/2005 01:21:12 PM
Yeah, city politicos walked off with $284 million. You're an idiot. Stop reading the crime novels and watching movies.
LAPA has been the ticket for merit promotions for many a Hispanic police officer. Look at the record of some of those promotions. Guerrero former ADS and now scandal ridden Lt.; Velez, another ADS who tried to get his son off some beef, and he goes in scandal; Aguinaga should have been indicted, but is promoted; Parra has gang affiliations; Lenti, merit Sgt.,Lt., and Cpt., who when dumped to midnights thanks the city by going on the medical; this list is just a start. There are so many fine Hispanic police officers who are so more deserving of promotion. They don't play the political LAPA game, and are left on the sidelines. Maybe this picture and associated newspaper articles will open the door to the working Hispanic officers who actually merit recognition and promotion.
I don't know if Grau was in the pix, but IF he was (and I say IF), and/or IF LAPA records show a connection between a convicted felon and their board leadership, then Grau and anyone else connected with that leadership HAS to go (either demoted and/or recommended for firing), plain and simple......
to: 03:04....excellent point; to the Hispanic officers/supervisors who don't/won't play the LAPA game, but who are actually deserving of advancement, the existing situation is a slap in their face. Some talk about "ethnic unity" (although that in and of itself is an insulting notion); however, LAPA seems to take care of "their own", meaning that there is hispanic, and there is REALLY hispanic...
Here is my question? I am married to a police officer. We are insured under her family plan insurance.(she makes less so we pay less) Why don't I get any credit from the City for not using my benefits? I know I am not the only copper married to a copper. Add that to the total.
I agree. There are plenty of highly qualified hispanic officers. Plenty of good white and asian officers out there. No, Im not missing anyone eles.
here's another question: how about a line by line, dollar for dollar, position by position, title by title, salary by salary, listing/accounting of city spending, I mean, EVERY CENT? Has anyone ever seen that? Let's see where EVERY dollar is going (including the flower pots on Michigan Ave.)
TOTAL BULSHIT...........
it will be interesting how the city covers this shit up...unless these cops are WHITE the city wont fire them......dont believe me then go listen to stories about examples.... ERNIE "DOWNTOWN" BROWN.....whose own personla sgt from housing was conducting home invasions .....yeah he didnt know SURE HE DIDN'T......ANOTHER FUCKING EXAMPLE OF A CROOKED COP
THE CITY SAYS: LEAVE OUR LATINOS ALONE....
CITIZEN: BUT WHY?
CITY: BECAUSE WE'RE WAITING FOR WHITEY TO FUCK UP
CITIZEN: SOUNDS GOOD....KEEP IN TOUCH
LETS ALL WAIT FOR BLACKY TO FUCK UP.........OH BOY DIDNT HAVE TO WAIT TOO LONG.........
You missed one of the infamous "Tres Putas", it's Martinez, the main lapa guy.
Los Lobos
I sure am glad that 016 guys didn't have to pinch the battalion chief!!! All of you would HAVE been up in arms over that one.
Condolences to both destroyed families.
Wonder why it is tha there is always a couple of people who try their damnest to turn this site as a platform for racial strife...PLEASE STOP get a life
This thread is not about racial strife. It is about the shameful way the city has decided to promote Hispanics on this job. Rather than promote worthy Hispanic police officers to a well deserved promotion, they have chosen the politically connected. White, Black, Hispanic, or Asian all promotion and consideration should be based on your merit, not how many tickets you bought, how much ass you kissed. This department depends on promoting the best, not the best connected.
WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO EARNING YOUR PROMOTIONS........INSTEAD WE PROMOTE BASED ON COLOR AND WHO YOU ARE RELATED TOO......MAYBE THIS JOB NEEDS SOMETHING LIKE THE HIRED TRUCK SCANDEL "POLICE STYLE" TO OPEN UP PEOPLE'S EYES....NO LONGER SHOULD THERE BE A PROMOTION BASED ON WHO YOU KNOW RATHER THAN WHO'S QUALIFIED...(FOR EXAMPLE TERRY HILLARD EX-SUPER) AND FORMER CHIEF OF DETECTIVES............WAS NEVER A DETECTIVE BUT WAS GIVEN THE GIG.......MUST BE NICE...........
Whatever happened to earning your promotions...
Many sgt.'s I know and/or Lt.'s studied period. True, some make it on merit, but others don't. Next time there's a test, join a study group or two, and STUDY!
Also take advantage of tuition reimbursement. Many Fortune 500 companies don't have this benefit, take advantage of it.
Can't some of you fuckers talk about one topic without ripping coppers from 016, 022, TRU, or SOS? You can't act like a bunch of 6th graders and expect your opinions to be taken seriously.
Phil: Mr. Mayor what do I do? What's the deal w/ this Perez in LAPA being a felon?
Daley: Youse don't worry bout a ting dare Phil.
Phil: But Mr. Mayor, Matt went down in flames over his association w/ Milito?
Daley: Listen Phil, dares tings you just gotta live wit.
Phil: With all do respect Mr. Mayor, this looks real bad a convicted felon being on the board of advisers to LAPA. This gives the impression that all the Elected Officers of LAPA are associates w/ a convicted felon. After all don't the officers of the LAPA Board vote or have a say in who the advisers are going to be?
Daley: Phil, youse worries too much.
Phil: But Mr. Mayor, The news article says that Perez is a distributor of Cherry Master Machines. You know Mr. Mayor what the public thinks about those machines and who , well, you know, runs them?
Daley: I don't knows noting bout what any publik knows.
Phil: But Mr. Mayor with all do respect to you and , you know, da boys, the public thinks that the outfit and or it's associates run those machines. So now it looks like not only are the members of the CPD in LAPA associating w/ a felon but a connected felon. Shoud I take action a move Grau and the rest of the LAPA Board out of their spots? I mean it's not like we would hurt them after all they all have been meritoriously promoted all the way up.
Daley: Phil. youse always been a real good boy, youse know, with doin away wit ya know dat Organized Crime unit we used to hav. I told da Boys how cooperative youse been and believes me thay likes it. And they respect it.
Phil: But Mr. Mayor, this looks bad.
Daley: Phil, listen good, real good. When our guys are in were in. When our guys are out were in. Youse get it. Don't worry bout a ting. This will blows over, after all I gots them media types in my pocket, I own them.
Phil: What ever you say Mr. Mayor. But remember when Matt got into trouble being observed in Joes Tailor shop along with the boys.
Daley: You mean the tailor shop over by dare. I remember now, it was no big ting, it was just Matt's time to go. Remember Jerry Swarbrick?
Phil: You mean Capt. Swarbrick? Isn't he rather heavy with the Unions?
Daley: Yea, now he's da Captain. He used to be da coffe boy at the tailor shop for Matt and da boys. He was seen in dare and now he's a Captain. So don't worry bout notin.
Phil: Okay Mr. Mayor. I feel a little better.
Daley: Good, Good. Now bring the Canollis, leave the gun.
The Daley-Cline dialogue is hysterical. You should be a writer on Saturday Night Live. Bravo!
8:05:41 PM Stop insulting our intelligence with your promotional "STUDY" bullshit.
Believe or Not! I remember receiving the results of the SGT TESTS, some years back via U S MAIL..I checked the accompanying form which had my name on it, SS# employee # and Unit of assignment ALSO the grade.....funny I NEVER TOOK THE TEST...so much for studying!!!!
THIS IS THE GOD'S HONEST TRUTH
Hey if Parra is gang affiliated then why is phil sending him to executive training??
BECAUSE HE'S GONNA BE AN EXECUTIVE IN THE LATIN KING ORGANIZATION.
Thats a good one! LOL
TO: 11/15/2005 08:54:17 PM
wish i had the last 2 minutes of my life back. moron.
to 11/15/2005 09:36:02 PM
don't be bitter cause you can't make the 70% dip shit.
WHATS GOING ON WITH SOS I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE WORRIED THAT THE UNIT IS ON THE SKIDS?
Actually Parra wouldn't be caught dead associating with a Latin King. His loyalties lie with the Satan Disciples, of which his son Tommy AKA Tommy Gun is a shot caller. It must be a coincidence that the Satan Disciples are very active in 012, and Capt. parra is assigned to 012.
Tommy Parra is not a shot caller... he is the shot caller
To the 3.:04 poster. Lenti isn't Hispanic. He's Italian. He conveniently changed his race several times to suit the political climate. So did Cpt. Dorey Deloughery. If she's Hispanic, then I'm Korean (F/1)
BTW, does anyone know what happend with Lenti's son? I heard through the grapevine that a lot of people we really upset (yeah, right) when he got in trouble.
to 10 35 PM
How can you refer to a person who has been victimized by the joke the cpd calls the promotional process a dipshit??
If youre a PO I hope you get a nice taste of a big CPD pee pee in an unnatural orifice. Better yet in two orifices simultaniously.
If in the unikely event that youre not a PO I hope that a meritorious copper or supervisor really ruins your day with his/her incompetence.
In four years when you are eligible to take a sgts test you will see how it feels.
Let's grow up a little its not only the hispanic or black officers that are getting promoted meritorious. Every one gets thrown in because of who they know, and on those rare occasions for the work they do.You may think studying is B.S."cause its all fixed' but untill the F.O.P. stands up and actually starts fighting. Thats all we got so study, make it on your own. One of the things FOP needs to do is , since they have conceded the 20 or 30 % "merit", then have the city make the "merit" folks, after those on the list. Not only are they throwing "merits" a bone, but now they are even getting over on the membership even more, by giving these folks seniority over those who studied and have to wait their turn. In closing from the postings I have read i sure this post will get a less than logical reply.But those of you who have a rational comment know untill we have a better way to actually promote those who are truly MERIT, study for the next WHATEVER exam, "merit" is only 20/30% the other 70% is what you put in to it. The best way for the "powers that be" to continue getting what they want, is divide and conquer. As previous posts have stated watch what you type on here. Ignore the infiltartors and stick together.
Statistically white males have done better with "meritorious" promotions than the other groups. "Merit" is not used to race norm, its used to take care of political hacks of every ethnic group.
M/2
to 03:56
Promoting meritorious AFTER everyone else is an excellent idea
I mean why should a guy who finished 1500 on the list be in the first class?
The ONLY reason they wont do that is THEN we will surely know who the meritorious people are and they will be labeled as such
But I say too bad
By the way years ago Meritorious has been around a LONG time, it used to be called CLOUT
CAPT LENTI:
HOPE HIS SON FRYS FOR THE STUPID SHIT HE DID.....AND FOR THE OPLD MAN HE'S A BIGGER PIECE OF SHIT!
IF TIS JOB WAS RUN LIKE A NORMAL COMPANY WE'D ALL BE LOOKING FOR NEW JOBS AND OUT OF BUSINESS
Whats with all this B/S with the study class's. Just go to Ald Ed Burke for $10,000.00 you can be what ever you want SGT LT CAPT'thats all.
Does LAPA still stand for Leave Art Parra Alone??
Lenti was a meritorious SGT and Lt. He was put in for Capt. by then rising star Cmdr. Guerrero. He NEVER passed a promotion exam. Also hes a Daggo put acts like a Spic.
Must you use incendiary ethnic epithets? If so, why?
LIsten Mr. fucking sensitive, lighten up. What are you some 3 yr wonder from outta state or some asshole suburb who doesn't know shit about real life? If you are SOOOOOO offended by my post then you should get the fuck off this job. I have been called every fucking thing imaginable and it don't bother me one bit. You is what you is and you ain't what you ain't. Im not race baiting, im just making a post. Try to toughen up pussy, grow a pair.
You did NOT answer his/her rational question. I'll repeat if for you.
"Must you use incendiary ethnic epithets? If so, why?"
I didn't make the 12:24 post, but as an observer, may I comment? "incendiary ethnic epithet"....1) incendiary...why?, this country has had, and continues to have, numerous refernces references to ethnicity; 2) the City's use of "merit", i.e., clout, in CPD promotions will continue to fester an old wound, and that practice will exacerbate an unjust practice (and provide its critics with ammunition (sometimes justly deserved) that the merit promotions are based, in part, on ethnicity)...thus the reason for the ethnic comments. None of this will cease, until the Mayor and the Supt., stand up and eliminate all political/merit/clout influence in CPD assignments and promotions. However, there's the big picture: the mayor has enormous political clout and capital, but is he the right person for the job? I mean,if he wasn't the mayor (in large part from political birthright), what else would he be doing for a living? Probably, practicing law (some firm would carry him, based on favors for his dad); barely able to pass the Ill bar exam, if not for that, maybe selling insurance or real estate (there's some Dem clout heavy firms that would have taken care of him). And the bottom line: do either the Mayor or the Supt have the character to stand up, say and do what's right (regardless of race, gender, political/friendship connection), as it concerns the city or the CPD? My conclusion...no
Hey 12:24--If your going to talk about somebody, at least know what you"re talking about.Lenti was not a merit Sgt--there was no such thing back when he made it.And his juice for Lt. was Ernie Hernandez, not that other goof.And he joined LAPA based on the fact that his grandmother took a vacation to Acapulco one time!
Capt. Lenti listed himself as "Armenian" to get his first promotion.
no, ARGENTINE
Argentina |ˌärjənˈtēnə| a republic that occupies much of the southern part of South America; pop. 39,144,000; capital, Buenos Aires; official language, Spanish. Colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century, Argentina declared its independence in 1816. It emerged as a democratic republic in the mid 19th century, but has periodically fallen under military rule. In 1982, Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands led to an unsuccessful war with Britain.
DERIVATIVES Argentine |ˈärjənˌtēn; -ˌtīn| adjective & noun Argentinian |-ˈtinēən| adjective & noun
Why must most coppers kick other coppers when they are down? Lenti the son, is one of the nicest dudes you will meet, and will do anything for a copper and a friend. Grow Up assholes!
It's called SCHADENFREUDE.
someone said Art Parra was a security guard at Sears and a registered informant for the narcotic section before he came on the job. Anyone else heard this?
Is it true that Art Parra has not only never passed a promotional test,he's never even taken one????
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