Here's Where to Save Money
- Chicago’s Inspector General is out with his latest list of options
that could help the city reduce its nearly $300 million budget
shortfall.
[...]
“They’re absolutely not recommendations in the sense that we’re endorsing any one or more,” Ferguson said.
For example, he said the city could save more than $5 million by reducing the number of paid holidays for city workers.
That's a negotiated item - isn't (or shouldn't) happen automatically:
- He also resurrected an old, controversial idea – reducing the minimum
staffing on fire trucks from five firefighters to four. That move could
save $71 million a year, according to Ferguson’s report.
“In many instances, the same level of safety and operational efficiency can be achieved with four on a rig,” Ferguson said.
Safe - except for the part about someone watching the equipment while everyone else is in the fire. Or running the ladder while teams of two go in. And after CFD gets gutted, guess who's next?
- .... The police side of the ledger – civilianizing positions in the various administrations of the Police Department – we estimate preliminarily that could save as much as $3.6 million a year,” Ferguson said.
You can tell the police side of things has been gutted pretty badly when the listed "savings" is around one-twentieth of what the CFD reduction is. We're only burying forty bodies a month and patching up 140 or so, all directly attributable to budget cuts and no police. And they still want more.
Labels: money questions
posted by SCC at 12:03 AM
72 Comments:
“In many instances, the same level of safety and operational efficiency can be achieved with four on a rig,” Ferguson said.
Notice that he says "MANY instances", not even MOST instances.
"Safety" is non-negotiable.
Geez, even Ferguson is drinking the Kool-Aid now.
rb
Still no recommendations to cut Alderman down to at most 25. Think of the savings in staff, offices, details, etc. Nope, lets get rid of police and fire instead.
Obviously they didnt know that there are at least 15 full duty officers that work in various admin spots per district. Since the commanders hide them.
How much would the city save by eliminating 25 alderman. Being that the media steals stories off of ur post scc we gotta make noise on this issue.
How about all those sweet ass spending moneys for aldermen and other privileged employees? I bet that does not get mentioned at all
Cut number of Aldermen to 20 - a BIG savings.
Any mention of cuts within the political jobs??
And how much would be saved by getting rid of those USELESS aldercrooks???
But those administrative positions are where the bosses hide their girlfriends.....I mean...the future leaders of this department.
The desk dollys aren't going anywhere.
Bank on it !
why is it that you never hear about budget cuts at City Hall? Why isn't the Mayor and or his office staff taking any cuts? How about all those alderman and their pay as well as all their staff? It amazes me how all these politician's keep getting rich and how some if not most are millionaire's. You want to start trimming the fat, well start from the top. Politicians don't care about no one else but themselves and their own pockets.
Apparently Ferguson forgot to look at the Tracy Ladner model of staffing.
Cut the civilians that are left and who does that work?
Tracy Ladner is eliminating the limited duty position. Hence, those jobs and the work done by those that get laid off will never be done.
Downloaded Fergie's list but didn't see option #32 on there.... Cut the alderman in half & save at least 4.6 million in salary and expense accounts alone.
Civilianizing Administrative Positions...Just another case of History repeating itself..Happened twenty years ago to drive out higher salaries
How bout dumping the alderman and stopping the waste. I'm sick of all this tax money going for "programs" to shot bags that don't pay taxes and walk around with their hand out talking on the "Obama phone". This city gets worse by the day.
“They’re absolutely not recommendations in the sense that we’re endorsing any one or more,” Ferguson said.
<><><><><><><><><><>
And they're absolutely not recommending even entertaining the thought of scaling back entitlements for the "47 percent", either.
Nor are they recommending cutting the number of Alderwhores.
Nor are they recommending ending the Gold Braid Pension Plan for the clouted, multi-bite of the merit apple motherfuckers.
And by the way...please focus on this Rahm Emanuel created, City Hall orchestrated distraction while Mike Madigan and Company ram through Constitutional Amendment 49.
Sure the civilian thing could save money ,but goddamn are they incompetant. Have you ever called leads or central warrant??? I was on hold the other day for 25 minutes waiting for my hold number. After receiving it the goofy civilian then asks what the offender's name is . When I tell her she says , " oh shoot ,baby. I gave y'all the wrong number please hold on". Needless to say another 10 minutes passes and she finally gets it right. 35 fucking minutes to verify a leads warrant. What a joke. How about putting these silly bike paths and the ridiculous Maggie Daley park on the back burner and you just saved about 150 million.
Alder thieves get over 3 million plus per year times 25 your talking real money dump them now!
How much money would the city save by eliminating the position of Inspector General? He has no authority to enforce his findings and is quickly becoming a shill for the mayor.
When can we revive the petition to cut the number of alderthieves in half?
thats over 500 jobs the firedeptment would lose,not to mention 500 less guys putting into a pension system that is already screwed! pensions are next.
How much would we save by eliminating that fraud of an office that isn't allowed to investigate the city council?
Useless fucking twerps.
Lets see, how about not paying for stupid stuff like ceasefire. Stop paying lawsuits because jr skinned his knee because the police had to chase his ass. Or because he would never,ever have a gun and point it at the police, and had to be shot.
Really? Why do the "powers that be" constantly punish those that put their lives on the line every day while you sit on your asses and do nothing except lie about how crime is falling, and how everything is fine in the wonderful land of oz.
Wait till the first fatality occurs because of understaffing on fire trucks. And then the first lawsuit.
With only four on an engine the driver (engineer) must still stay behind to run the pumps etc. That leaves 3 to go inside a building. I bet the SOP gets changed for the first engine/truck on scene of a working fire will have to wait for the second piece of equipment to go inside.
But don't bother listening to experienced CFD bosses like former Commissioner Hoff. Now you have Rahm Emanuel boot licker/ass kissers who spout the company line of bullshit to get the top job.
Maybe the CFD will get lucky and get Tracy Ladner over there to order shit around and help to thoroughly fuck up the CFD like she has the CPD.
If our aldermen do not start speaking up on the union voters behalves then we need to rid the tax payers of the burden of 25 aldermen.
mr ferguson, you are a genius--- now the city can take all that money they saved and pay all the money it owes our pension fund--- you know, ALL the money that the city has failed to put in there....
50 aldermen. Each with a 1.3 million dollar "slush fund" each year. Cut them in half and look at all the money I just saved. Ferguson is a politician wannabe.
Here's where you REALLY can save some money. We can use all of the dogs and cats at the pound for an Obama-Kenya style BBQ. That's a lot of free meat, and tickets sold can generate cash for the Maggie park and other projects that they found money for leading to the lack of funds for public safety.
If you don't eat dog-ka-bobs, you're a racist. Now pay up! A little free range rat meat is next. Yummy! Now this is real third world living!
You really could downsize fire. There's not the number of fires today like say, 20 or 30 years ago. Most of the time, fire just does ambulance work. (Ever notice ladder rigs on ambulance calls)
civilianizing the police dept. the only problem is now rahm and the aldercreatures put their friends in these civilian spots, clout and then pay them even more than a p.o. and then operations get messed up because the clouted person doing the job was never the police. remember district managers.
Alder-cuts ?????
security (read burke / daley) perks ???
miss these fergy?
Ferguson is an idiot – just think how many billions of dollars will it cost the people of Chicago when their fire insurance rates go up because the fire department can’t put out the fires.
How could he miss the one area that could save us millions upon millions – jail the new Felonious Midget and his band of thieves in City Hall.
Civilianizing Administrative Positions...Just another case of History repeating itself..Happened twenty years ago to drive out higher salaries
9/28/2012 05:36:00 AM
Hmm..Civilan managers going to re-appear and no PO's cut from the front office? What city department did this happen in not that long ago? Hmmm. I can't recall....
And by the way...please focus on this Rahm Emanuel created, City Hall orchestrated distraction while Mike Madigan and Company ram through Constitutional Amendment 49.
9/28/2012 06:21:00 AM
THIS POSTER IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY SCC, READ THE FOLLOWING LINK
http://couriernews.suntimes.com/opinions/letters/14953585-474/pensions-amendment-hides-true-impact.html
Better get the word out to vote NO
How about the Mayors detail and their Sgts. pay. Can't be a dangerous job like SWAT is, the detail guys don't even wear vests. I guess they are not worried about gunfire. If they got paid like everyone else, would that not be a good start toward fairness.
The sheeple (citizens) do not matter they are just a source of revenue for those who run Chicago, i.e., the mayor and the alderthieves.
Chicago can be compared to a corporation that is losing money left and right, it's stock is tanking and there is no money for raises for employees, however, somehow money is found to pay bonuses, stock options, and other rewards to the C.E.O.
So who will pay the money from the lawsuits when someone sues because a family member died because of these cost when it is an instance where they couldn't operate at the same level as with 5 men on a rig?
Could you imagine The C/O of news affairs running a watch?
Has she ever even worked in a district?
Give me a break with the fucking firemen. 90% of what they do is ambulance shit. It's 5 guys cross trained as medics who only took the training because they were forced to or wanted the extra money. The training could have taken 5 minutes. "ride to the scene, grab a red bag and stand around till the paramedics get there and do the REAL work". When's the last time you saw a burning building. If the fires big enough, they send multiple vehicles, so there can be plenty of people around to "handle the ladder". Technology, building codes and construction techniques have changed the firefighting profession and 5 on a rig is a luxury. They need less guys, we need more. Shift some of that 70 million a year to hire some coppers.
And before the firemen jump on me, I also think that the people being hid in offices and phony car assignments should get out on the street too. There's too many 50 to $70,000.00 clerks on this job. Grab a set of keys and go do what you were hired to do, be a police officer.
Why stop at Aldercreatures? Cook County Commissioners, part time gig, full time pension, bodyguards, expenses without receipts, meals, travel. Why would any fool recommend cuts to police and fire? You can reduce OT by hiring certain disabled police and fire. But not to staff manning fire truck or police on the street.
Not to mention SWAT was promised D-3 pay seven years ago and take home cars. I'm sick of this city and its bosses cutting corners especially since SWAT is here to protect the Blue Shirts. We may wear green but we are blue shirts. I have to respond from one end of the city in my personal car with all my gear including a baby seat. Yes I'm a whiner but you know what it's for good reason. We train hard so we could be ready for you guys. Our leadership, the Sgt's and Lt including the Chief could care less if something happens and you need us. They all gave take home cars but the rest of us suffer. They gave us take home cars a year ago only to take half of them back and there not even being used. Do your job Lt MM and Deputy Tina!!!!
Do we still have a Marine Police Unit? If so, why? Seems like it would make sense to eliminate.
Not a cop
Newsflash! Cut 25 useless alderthieves and save millions!
It'd be very simple to do and very cost effective.
Buy some fire extinguishers and arm yourselves tax payers.
Looks like he dusted off the Booz Allen report from the early 90s. What looks good on paper doesn't always work in reality. Why do we even have an inspector general when he has no power to do anything?
Does the report suggest the city could save $56,000,000 (THAT'S FIFTY SIX MILLION DOLLARS BOYS AND GIRLS) if we don't build a park in the memory of Maggie Daley. The wife of a mayor who sold every asset the city had.
Before they take away any holidays , personal days , baby furlo days , let's go to a new medical plan . Every recruit starts with a bank of 300 days. When you use them up , time for disablity pension . Medical days not IOD should be deducted from time counted toward pension .
I see that Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills are now talking about merging PDs...
Here is an idea..drop from 50 alderman to 25...that would save like 50 million...each alderman spends how much in his ward......on top of salaries ...offices...staff workers..etc etc....then get rid of all take home cars...for gold stars and tact LT's...on gas alone we can save a couple mil...
Once again, a potpourri of flawed analysis, in varying degrees, by the IG. Shame on the news media for not scrutinizing the IG's assumptions, data, methods and conclusions. Mindless parrots.
Obama doesn't want Chicago to save money. He wants them to tax more.
You boys and girls need to learn the "one call at a time theory" We will do our job one call at a time and do it correctly and thoroughly and well.
Then watch what happens.....don't worry and complain about all the other things you CAN'T control. Take charge of what you can control!!!
I'm surprised that they haven't suggested one man police cars yet just like the 'burbs.
The police department has already been decimated so the only thing left they could do is put the house mice back on the street and put the medical abusers with fake injuries at the inside spots.
Not to mention SWAT was promised D-3 pay seven years ago and take home cars. I'm sick of this city and its bosses cutting corners especially since SWAT is here to protect the Blue Shirts. We may wear green but we are blue shirts. I have to respond from one end of the city in my personal car with all my gear including a baby seat. Yes I'm a whiner but you know what it's for good reason. We train hard so we could be ready for you guys. Our leadership, the Sgt's and Lt including the Chief could care less if something happens and you need us. They all gave take home cars but the rest of us suffer. They gave us take home cars a year ago only to take half of them back and there not even being used. Do your job Lt MM and Deputy Tina!!!!
This is why you hairgels are indisposeable to the city and department. Not only do you happily allow yourself to be butt fucked continually, you ask for more by joining these "elite" units. You go out of your way, spend your own cash, burn your own time and train extra hard FOR WHAT???? Time to grow up and figure it out Mr SWAT tough guys. Bail from that unit that doesn't respect you and go back to the district and push that beat car. Let me tell you that there's a ton less stress this way, minus the occasional asshole supervisor. Give it up, leave the dark side and ditch that chip on your shoulder. You'll get D3 pay and a take home car when the Keesing Bandit explores punanny.
Could you imagine The C/O of news affairs running a watch?
Has she ever even worked in a district?
***************
She's too busy studying for her John Marshall degree. Must be nice to study while working!!!!
Do we still have a Marine Police Unit? If so, why? Seems like it would make sense to eliminate.
Not a cop
9/28/2012 02:43:00 PM
Google "chicago police marine unit rescue", since you're not a cop. Many people would be dead by now, if not for them.
when they make cuts on the fd, the insurance cos will jump for joy. one of the factors they use for determining the rates is manning. when they close fire houses, do you think it will be in the ghetto. or maybe downtown, you what that leaves our neighbor hoods. if you dont think 5 or 10 minutes dont matter, think again. rahm is smiling knowing he can cause a riff between ffs and pos.
"In many instances, the same level of safety and operational efficiency can be achieved without" Maggieparks and Maggieboxes and "drainage grooves" and go-arounds and phony antique light poles and cast iron grilles for illegal aliens to sell at the scrapyard and tiny street name signs that some people can't read, without Hispano/rev/radical/Che Guevara "charter schools" takeover, without stupid banners and new Apple-picker express buses called the "Jeffery Jump" after CTA stripped Northwest Side service and "boathouses" and "skate ribbons" and bird hospitals and Gabe Klein/Alison Cohen team city-after-city Canadian rent-a-bike scams and "sculling parks" and "free Wi-Fi" graft/kickback plans and "Infrastructure Trust" influence-peddling and TIF ripoffs and "NATO surplus funds" and all the city's rat poison being stolen and sold off on the side, and without women being paid to paddle around in kayaks with Border Collies to scare off seagulls and without every other kind of vastly expensive, spectacular busywork, without all the useless, destructive, "politically correct," look-at-us-we're-so-nice criminal insanity for profit you can think of.
Should I go on?
"Maggie Daley. The wife of a mayor who sold every asset the city had."
--9/28/2012 04:15:00 PM
...and who then left office to be appointed a Distinguished Senior Fellow at the University of Chicago, a "rainmaker" at the Katzen Muchen Rosenbaum law offices, and to start his own consulting firm (with son Patrick "Batters" when Pat's not in Russia) to teach other cities to sell their assets off the same way.
I actually heard a mainstream media reference recently to the effect that "the City has already considered selling off the park system, but that there wouldn't be enough money in it."
"Do we still have a Marine Police Unit? If so, why? Seems like it would make sense to eliminate.
Not a cop"
--9/28/2012 02:43:00 PM
I think this is the same one who pretends not to understand why the police would ever shoot anyone.
Go troll in that big wet blue thing over there. Lake, uh, Whatsitsname?
Maybe you'll hook another body, like the Marine Unit pulled out, oh, a whole two or three days ago.
Idiot.
Happy now?
Two comments here, one after the other.
"I see that Hinsdale and Clarendon Hills are now talking about merging PDs..."
--9/28/2012 05:25:00 PM
"Drop from 50 [Chicago] aldermen to 25..."
--9/28/2012 06:52:00 PM
Public safety first -- if they can put garbage collection on a rational grid, surely aldermen can be cut back instead of police when there is 311 to call for quick, efficient service and a city web site that always works. Right?
Why have aldermen or wards at all in the FreeWiFi 21st Century? Huh?
Let the garbage men lead the way!
The whole city should be gridded-out into "service zones," irrespective of "race, creed, or national origin." Follow the general direction of city policy and "outsource" the "service manager" positions. Everyone needs the same running water, etc. -- right?
...unless these alderman positions and these ward boundaries merely serve to deliver votes and create a political power base for the Mayor and for competing pressure groups.
Hey, Rahm. Put your money where your mouth is.
Oh, dear. I take that back.
Not to mention SWAT was promised D-3 pay seven years ago and take home cars. I'm sick of this city and its bosses cutting corners especially since SWAT is here to protect the Blue Shirts. We may wear green but we are blue shirts. I have to respond from one end of the city in my personal car with all my gear including a baby seat. Yes I'm a whiner but you know what it's for good reason. We train hard so we could be ready for you guys. Our leadership, the Sgt's and Lt including the Chief could care less if something happens and you need us. They all gave take home cars but the rest of us suffer. They gave us take home cars a year ago only to take half of them back and there not even being used. Do your job Lt MM and Deputy Tina!!!!
_________________
You know what SWAT? I am sick of hearing how you deserve anything more than you are already generously given. The guys on the front lines are the ones who deserve the most so please have a little sense and stop whining. You volunteered for your unit and it is a non taxing unit on you financially and physically. So please think of your fellow officers on the front line and stope being so freakin SELFISH! You are losing much respect with these rants of greed.
Before they take away any holidays , personal days , baby furlo days , let's go to a new medical plan . Every recruit starts with a bank of 300 days. When you use them up , time for disablity pension . Medical days not IOD should be deducted from time counted toward pension .
9/28/2012 04:41:00 PM
You are an idiot.
Do we still have a Marine Police Unit? If so, why? Seems like it would make sense to eliminate.
Not a cop
9/28/2012 02:43:00 PM
Who is posting this crap?
You SWAT guys suck!! You really think you deserve D-3 pay. You're out of your minds!!! You have come to the wrong place to whine. No one feels sorry for you. You don't do anything except train.
TO: 9/28/2012 08:38:00 AM
AND 0135pm
These are the most stupid posts I have ever read on this blog. I was the police for 25 years not fire. I grew up across the street from a firehouse in ENGLEWOOD, fires around my continually. God bless the firemen that put out the fires in my apartment building, several times! Ambulance assists are not good because the city shorted the ambulance protection. That's why that happened. Yes shorting firefighters on rigs is extremely dangerous. Just like shorting coppers in districts. When IT does happen, it doesn't matter if it's one time, it's your time and some citizens time. You obviously don't know anything about firefighting. You obviously do not think something could happen at your home and to your family. I hope it never does. You are talking about losing your protection for your family and property. Be very careful what you wish for. We are all in the same boat. We all live in this city. Why do you think our emergency services should continually be cut to shreds. And you encourage this? WOW
"Obviously they didnt know that there are at least 15 full duty officers that work in various admin spots per district. Since the commanders hide them."
This poster has no clue how the city works and will continue to work.
"But those administrative positions are where the bosses hide their girlfriends.....I mean...the future leaders of this department.
The desk dollys aren't going anywhere."
On the other hand, this poster is switched on.
Get used to it. It's Chicago.
"Do we still have a Marine Police Unit? If so, why? Seems like it would make sense to eliminate."
Yes, because we have hundreds of boats in numerous harbors, hundreds more transient boats, miles of waterfront and cribs miles out in the lake that provide drinking water to the city and many suburbs.
Do you really think the Coast Guard is going to assume the responsibilities that go along with these things? Heck, the Coasties moves their helicopters from Glenview NAS after Slick Willie Clinton sold it, to Michigan!
"Not a cop"
Obviously.
You know what SWAT? I am sick of hearing how you deserve anything more than you are already generously given. The guys on the front lines are the ones who deserve the most so please have a little sense and stop whining. You volunteered for your unit and it is a non taxing unit on you financially and physically. So please think of your fellow officers on the front line and stope being so freakin SELFISH! You are losing much respect with these rants of greed.
You call it whining. Try wearing that gear for 12 hours on a job in the cold or heat. Not to mention training in all different types of harsh conditions. We're not being selfish we were promised take home cars and D-3 pay. The city and FOP need to come through. The slower we are in response time and we can't help you on the front lines. Our bosses don't seem to get that. Then again as long as they have cars they don't care. I'm sick and tired of driving my personal car to the HBT incident. That's not called greed but being smart. You can expect the minimum out of me. Less is best!!!
Anonymous said...
You know what SWAT? I am sick of hearing how you deserve anything more than you are already generously given. The guys on the front lines are the ones who deserve the most so please have a little sense and stop whining. You volunteered for your unit and it is a non taxing unit on you financially and physically. So please think of your fellow officers on the front line and stope being so freakin SELFISH! You are losing much respect with these rants of greed.
You call it whining. Try wearing that gear for 12 hours on a job in the cold or heat. Not to mention training in all different types of harsh conditions. We're not being selfish we were promised take home cars and D-3 pay. The city and FOP need to come through. The slower we are in response time and we can't help you on the front lines. Our bosses don't seem to get that. Then again as long as they have cars they don't care. I'm sick and tired of driving my personal car to the HBT incident. That's not called greed but being smart. You can expect the minimum out of me. Less is best!!!
9/30/2012 12:06:00 PM
SWAT, who cares. Do the minimum. You hardly get any calls anyway so boo hooo. I gotta wear this gear day in and day out too plus carry a ton of crap etc. I have to drive to work and so do you. We both don't get company cars. I think they can give you guys cars but extra pay, I don't think so. Get over it. They promised me state of the art computer systems and a 30 minute lunch too but I don't always get that either. Stop being a whiner.
What's punnany?
Now, kees me you fool!!!!
I respect firefighters, but let's be honest -- there are just way, way too many people, stations, equipment and pensions associated with this function. Once in a while it comes in handy, sure, but I'd have more police if it was my choice.
Post a Comment
<< Home