Wednesday, November 04, 2009

How Much?

When times are good, no one cares:
  • Like most other city departments, the Mayor's Office of Special Events decided the city must cut down, so to speak, to a smaller tree -- in this case, about 54 feet tall and donated by a family in Palos Heights.

    The tree in the past was 88 feet tall but was "actually comprised of 113 smaller trees -- it tended to be a bit of a costly venture," said Cindy Gatziolis, a spokeswoman for the special events office.

    Costly and time-consuming for the city's Christmas elves.

    "The budget last year was in the $300,000 range. It took two, three or four weeks to build," said Megan McDonald, the office's chief executive. "We've cut our costs by more than half. Likewise, it will take two, three, four days to build out. There will be no ornaments ... they're too heavy now that we're only using one tree. For now, we'll just go with the big, bold, beautiful lights."

Gee, for a "green" mayor, Shortshanks sure was a bit environmentally irresponsible cutting down 113 trees to make a single "tree." And $300,000? Wow. Iron Workers, Electricians, Streets, probably a couple of Cranes, the obligatory "no-shows" for Tony Soprano and company. Thanks goodness they are keeping it down to $150,000 this year.

Labels:

31 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I could buy 100 trees at home depot for around $3,500. Are you telling that the other $285,000 was labor for putting the tree together. Well, this is Chicago so that sounds about right.

11/04/2009 12:04:00 AM  
Anonymous Don't Tell Me! . . . said...

This is a cost cutting initiative? The city has all of the tree ornaments and decorations that are scaled to size for the larger tree. With governments being as stupid as they tend to be, I am now waiting to hear that ALL NEW tree ornaments and decorations needed to be purchased to match the size and scale of the new tree... at a cost to the taxpayers of an additional $1 million! So much for saving money!

The only worse news will be that they were purchased from the Mayor's nephew through his new company, Urban Street Decorations LLC which now has the no bid contract to sell the city all of their future holiday decorations. Of course, the Mayor is UNAWARE that his nephew is the owner of the company... Well you've heard this story before, I guess!

11/04/2009 12:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Shortshanks, the Grinch that stole Christmas and put the money saved into his pockets.

11/04/2009 12:09:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maybe shortshanks just wants to keep the tree in line with his own stature.

11/04/2009 12:22:00 AM  
Blogger TWENTY and OUT said...

Hey SCC this is off topic because I'm a little behind in reading the blog. Anyway in several recent posts money is the topic. Of course the property tax increases is mentioned often too. Is there any correlation where the biggest increases are taking place to TIF districts?? After all a large increase in a TIF area won't even help the city's bottom line, it will only line the mayor's and his cronies pockets with tax money.

11/04/2009 12:37:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

If things continue to digress in this pit of a city it should resemble the Charlie Brown christmas tree by next year!!

11/04/2009 12:39:00 AM  
Anonymous West Side, Inside Do-Nothing said...

How about NO fuckin' tree? Supplemented by NO Christmas Day parade, NO temporary skating rink downtown and NO lights, tinsel or ornaments on thousands of street light poles across the city.

The waste of money in manpower putting up and taking down all that crap that very few even notice, let alone appreciate, is staggering. Not to mention the inflated product cost of this shit; Vanecko Holiday Decorations LLC getting fat stacks of cash this time of year!

And yes, I was raised Catholic. And yes, Santa came to my house when I was a kid, so it's NOT a religious or cultural beef with me.

11/04/2009 01:06:00 AM  
Blogger John Northen said...

I always enjoy the Kriskindlmarkt with the red and white tents. Drink a few cups of the steaming hot mulled wine (gluhwein) and you just might think you're in Munich.

You can buy bottles of gluhwein (pronounced GLUE-VINE) at Sam's, Binny's and other large liquor stores for Christmas holiday celebrations. The Scandanavians have a similar hot holiday drink: glogg

11/04/2009 01:59:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

another ploy by mctightwad to make people think he is broke--- how much money did he spend for all the planters and wrought iron fences and da lympics boondoggle--- he saved 150,000--- ha ha ha....

11/04/2009 02:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My family tried to be "green." We tried to be responsible humans and reduce our carbon footprint. Yes, I do believe in this. But then that idiot mayor eliminates the recycling program? And puts in blue garbage cans in the ghetto? WTF? Recycling Flaming Cheetos bags and red pop cans?

11/04/2009 03:56:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Cindy Gatziolis, a spokeswoman for the special events office.

________________________________

Does she have to take UNPAID furlo days????

11/04/2009 04:08:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

He should make this a yearly thing. Let different families donate a tree on their property every year. Let the homeless decorate it.

11/04/2009 04:08:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WOW! Good job DICK!Lead by example.I'm gonna do my part to save money too.First off,I wont be going to any unit Christmas party.That'll save me a good chunk of change.Next,I'll do ALL my Christmas shopping OUTSIDE Cook County and that should save me a ton.

In my unit we always honor our retirees on their last day w/cake and coffee,socializing and congradulations for making it out of this shithole w/their pension.Much more personal than a Christmas party.



I/F KMA

11/04/2009 06:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The tree was donated? Why? If the City can pay all these years $300k to put a tree up, they can't pay someone FOR a tree? They still saved money. What is the matter with these people in Palos Heights? Jesus.


---not a cop

11/04/2009 06:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

it still we cost 130.000 fuck the tree

11/04/2009 07:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gee I wonder if he hired Kenny Construction to put it up,(laying off more city workers) like he hired them to take over the Sewer department jobs on 111th ST for the last 3 or 4 weeks.

11/04/2009 07:15:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There is still hope. Republican Chris Christie beat Democrat Jon Corzine in New Jersey. The Democrat had the blessing of the messiah, had ACORN registering voters, had the highest in the nation property taxes, had a voter base of liberal pukes and the Rats still lost. There is still hope for us.

11/04/2009 07:50:00 AM  
Anonymous Jihad Joe said...

I call bullshit! They just don't want to offend the muslamics. They are Christmas haters and shit is getting ready to hit the fan folks.

FBI shot up 11 islamical nuts in Dearborn, Mi, to include killing one who happened to ne the immam. No news coverage, of course, because we don't want to portray these "people" as something they are not.

Wake up Chicago/America! Our beloved way of life is going bye-bye...

11/04/2009 07:51:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Where are the forms for the Property Tax Relief promised by shorty? They are supposed to be available at the Public Library but as of Monday they were not available in Edgebrook. Are they only going to be available in the ghetto or will the real taxpayers have a chance at it too?

11/04/2009 08:31:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
The tree was donated? Why? If the City can pay all these years $300k to put a tree up, they can't pay someone FOR a tree? They still saved money. What is the matter with these people in Palos Heights? Jesus.


---not a cop

11/04/2009 06:46:00 AM

**********************************

daley gave someone in the family a part time city job that pays $150,000.00 per year.

It's the Shitcago way !!!

11/04/2009 09:32:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Let's have a chicago style festivus pole. Just get a utility pole from Edison, sharpen one end and stick it up daley's ass ! That would definitely put a lot of folks in a Holiday Spirit.

11/04/2009 09:34:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Is there any correlation where the biggest increases are taking place to TIF districts??

11/04/2009 12:37:00 AM"


BINGO

11/04/2009 09:48:00 AM  
Anonymous "No Comment" said...

LOCAL MEDIA:

Don't waste your time trying to contact me about anything. Want to know why?

Ask that former Channel 5 "investigative reporter" scumbag Peter "Judas" Karl. When we finally had "smoking gun" incontrovertible evidence that the City of Chicago had rigged a police promotional "process" for their clout babies, Mr. Karl appeared on the scene as "our knight in shining armor on his great media stallion".
Psychometricians even set the odds at less than one chance in 13,800,000,000,000 (13.8 Trillion) that the "oral board" was legit--insurmountable for the best and brightest cops who never sought clout. I volunteered to be the point man for more than 93% of the victimized sergeants.

Then, when Daley and LeRoy Martin launched their incessant retaliation against me for telling the truth, Karl was nowhere to be found. I learned that he had been contracted for big bucks by--get this--the City of Chicago to publicize those bullshit C.A.P.S. programs.

In addition, one of my dearest buddies, a former managing editor for the largest local newspaper, taught me much.

Fool me once: Shame on you.
Fool me twice: Shame on me.

Have a nice day!

11/04/2009 10:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lets hope he gets smart and starts charging an entrance fee for the taste of chicago this summer.

11/04/2009 11:12:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Before I take ANY unpaid days, the fucking tree better be gone...along with the fireworks, festivals and flower pots.

11/04/2009 12:25:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Bah humbug says:

How about a coffee-table tree like I plan on doing this year. That will save the city thousands. I'll donate the lights, two other schmucks can donate the tree and table.

Signed:
poor city worker

ps
Fu shanks

11/04/2009 12:56:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My family tried to be "green." We tried to be responsible humans and reduce our carbon footprint. Yes, I do believe in this. But then that idiot mayor eliminates the recycling program? And puts in blue garbage cans in the ghetto? WTF? Recycling Flaming Cheetos bags and red pop cans?

11/04/2009 03:56:00 AM

....why do some neighborhoods have these blue bins, and some don't. I recycle all the time and to schlepp everything to a nearby recylce center. Why is the mayor discriminating against me and my block?
I'm gonna contact the ACLU and beef.
Signed:
REcycle This.

11/04/2009 01:01:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You think Satan and the dark angels are going to care about a chrismas tree.

11/04/2009 02:45:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

WGN INTERVIEWED THE OWNER OF THE PROPERTY DONATING THIS FUCKING TREE TO THE CITY.
GUESS WHERE HE'S FROM????

HE GREW UP IN BRIDGEPORT!!

EVERY DONATION IN THIS CITY HAS A KICKBACK.IT' THE SHITCAGO WAY.

TYPICAL.

11/05/2009 06:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Trees do in fact cost that much at the Vanecko Tree Farm in Michigan. Then they are transported by the Marina Cartage company (owned by Michael Tadin) and installed by the Teamsters mandated minimum of 850 laborers, 250 carpenters and 175 electricians.

But not this year, this year they got a family of suckers, um, good samaritans, to "donate" a single tall Christmas tree. The good samaritans from Palos are no doubt on some list to get Midway or O'Hare concessions or an asphalt contract or a no-bid consulting contract.

And the chump citizens who are now seeing all those tax and fee increases on the bills that Daley swears didn't go up get to feel all warm and fuzzy thinking they aren't getting fleeced for the equivalent of one tenth of one cent for each household in Chicago.

Gee thanks mayor. I will go fuck myself now, if only to keep you from doing it.

11/06/2009 03:36:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Save money on a smaller tree? Why is the city putting sprinklers on Ashland Ave near 65th? To water trash along the street?

11/06/2009 06:23:00 PM  

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