Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Crain's Article

Someone gets the idea that all aspects of the city budget should be looked at - especially where money is obviously being wasted:
  • Having once famously suggested that no good crisis should go to waste, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is preparing for a huge property tax hike that, in retrospect, probably should have been enacted years ago. But the mayor will be forgoing a grand opportunity to accomplish more if he uses the city's pension woes only as cover to raise revenues and not to re-examine normally politically sacrosanct expenditures.

    I'm referring to the holy of holies, the untouchable third rail of city government that only the most foolhardy of officials (usually lame ducks) dare touch: the police and fire departments.

    Between them, the two eat up more than $1.6 billion a year, nearly half of the city's corporate (operating) fund.

    Even so, aldermen and community groups constantly call for more spending. Common sense suggests they need a close look.
    Yet, with each department having a potent labor union and even its own network TV show, “Chicago Fire” and “Chicago P.D.,” the tough questions aren't being asked.

    So here's one: Are the two departments as top-heavy with well-paid managers as they appear?
There are even some devastating numbers included:
  • In most city departments, the list of those making more than $150,000 a year—a good salary almost anywhere—is limited to the top boss and a few of others. The city Department of Finance has one official over that figure, the comptroller, according to the 2015 budget. The corporation counsel's office and all its be-suited lawyers have one; the Department of Public Health and the doctors, two; and the Planning Department just one: the commissioner, who gets $156,504.

    The police department is big—with 14,367 budgeted positions—and has 77 people with a base salary of at least $150,000 a year. Most of those earn many thousands above that. The fire department has 60, even though there are just a third as many firefighters (5,184 budgeted positions) as police. Add 25 percent for pensions and other fringe benefits, and those 137 commanders, deputy chiefs, district chiefs, etc., collectively are compensated nearly $30 million a year. Every year.
That's a textbook case of a top-heavy supervisory structure. The redundancy of command is ridiculous, with individual commanders having individual captains report to them in every district, and numerous units with an individual commander reporting to an individual deputy chief reporting to a single chief. Each of these offices has its own complete staff, hiding dozens of officers inside and tripling the paperwork that a single command position should be able to handle.

And let's not even get started on Rahm's personal bodyguard detail - 2 sergeants making commanders pay for the sole reason that they are politically reliable along with 24 or so officers making D-3 pay (sergeant) for the same reason...and not just making it every day. They make one-and-one-half times that every time they work overtime or take part in a Special Employment opportunity. Because they know somebody, are married to somebody or slept with somebody.

Time to trot out the Booz-Allen report again (the only known public copy in existence is at the Harold Washington Library). Or that "efficiency study" that was conducted three or four years ago. Times are rough all over - start looking at everything.

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52 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Exempts will not be cut. More police will be stripped from tax paying areas to appease ghetto

9/15/2015 12:44:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Hey Crains! None of those big spots are Union. All exempt in this meritocracy. Tell the truth now.

9/15/2015 12:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All city departments need to start slimming down - Police and Fire included. Start with the alderman first - cut down from 50 to 35 at least. Streets and Sans ? Lots of contracts to review there. And pension reform, going forward only. Don't touch current retirees or current employees - only future hires from 2017 on out. Just to start somewhere...

9/15/2015 12:54:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Couldnt agree more. There are a bunch of undeserving clouted positions that dont need to exist

9/15/2015 01:08:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Granted fire and police top brass is top heavy and should be whittled down. Still, even if that is done, property and other taxes should be raised to allow necessary spending to help the poor and disadvantaged. Then there all these refugees that may come to Chicago that need to be fed, housed, educated and provided medical care.

9/15/2015 01:23:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Clout is it's own reward in CPD and CFD too, we reckon...
CPD should have nowhere near as many hidey-hole,
taken-care-of, non-contributing, clout monkey "commanduhs,"
"depooty chiefs" and "how many undeserved stars I can get away
with hanging on my epaulets while bullshitting everyone about how
deserving I am of them" Chiefs...

The merit promotional process is the vehicle these nitwits use to ride
most comfortably to undeserved heights in the command echelon of
this department.

It is also the vehicle by which the elected official class can
destroy any iota of cohesion against the harmful and corrosive
Anti-police agenda they're advancing.

"We gotta keep you rebellious cops under control."

Be careful on these streets.

Anything anyone puts within your
18" of personal space, automatically
belongs to you. Depending on the
situation, you may have cause to
"claim your prize."

>Snicker!<

Old Timer once said:
"No disrespect Office, but that's a
NII-ICE left cross you got there!
I saw the whole thing. You need me
say somethin' for ya or make a call?"

Sometimes... The decent people WILL
reach out, but not often enough and in this
hateful era, it's too little and it's way too late anyway.

Watch yourselves...
Too many half formed m/fers out here who only
understand heavy fists, hard-soled/steel toed boondocker boots
and bullets.

Police like you have no friends...

9/15/2015 01:38:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The top heaviness is rather obvious and ridiculous to even a casual observer.
It's doubtful that Rahm would address the 800 pound gorilla in the room though.
The overwhelming majority of those top heavy spots are redundant and silly serving only one purpose: political patronage.

9/15/2015 03:18:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

has anyone made a copy of the Booz Allen report and posted it?

I bet SCC could get a dozen posts out of its findings.
An inquisitie reporter might find enough for a few stories too.

9/15/2015 04:20:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Crains is doing this for Emanuel/Rauner to attack the unions. Like previous posters stated, none of these exempt spots are union spots.

But... JQ Public doesn't get that and thinks they are.

Crains is a rag that does the Combine's bidding.

As a fuck you, they'll add 10 more exempts to bleed the pension.

9/15/2015 05:59:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

With the coming of the internet, is there really a need for big government? Many things could be done or processed on-line instead. You could probably cut Federal, State and local governments in half.

9/15/2015 06:13:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

No mention of the 50 aldermen making a 100 grand for a part time job and their 1.3 million dollar annual discretionary fund, also known as the hire the friends, family, mistress and buy votes fund. Generously provided by the suckers living in this city.

9/15/2015 06:26:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How about all the armed secretaries hiding in the station for a few hours a day?

9/15/2015 06:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

All these top-heavy positions are so the holders of the positions, all HACKS, will kick back a portion of their salaries to the City Hall and the Democrat Party. If they fail to do it, they are bounced. Was told this is how it works, years ago, by a retiring Deputy, who said it cost him 10k a year to Daley directly, and another 10k to the Democrat Party, annually, to keep his Gold Star. Not a bad deal. They still make out and steal a Gold-Braid Pension too. This was decades ago. Feebs still investigating.

9/15/2015 07:01:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Congrats to everyone who made the detective list. Class starts Monday

9/15/2015 07:30:00 AM  
Anonymous near north crier said...

Sure seemed like a lott to spend on someone rubber-stamping denial of time due, butt how else does one evah learn to ride the clouted bike without training wheels?

9/15/2015 07:32:00 AM  
Blogger SpankDaddy said...

Nobodies doing a whole lotta nothing.

9/15/2015 07:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

A question that begs to be answered, but never will, is what percentage of bosses are purely meritorious through every rank (det, sgt, lt. cpt)? Gold braid bill should be passed...pension only up to your civil service rank, and only 1 meritorious bump per career.

9/15/2015 07:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Please don't forget about the body guards assigned to Daily. Wasn't Rahm calling for the Daily detail to end?

9/15/2015 08:19:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

CPD & CFD may be "top-heavy" but the real "pork" is in the Asst. Deputy Directors and Commissioners spots below them in ALL City departments. You may have a few hundred exempts making over $150,00 per year but I know the CPD exempt don't get OT (I believe CFD do) whereas asst. deputy directors and commissioners do. And there are hundreds and hundreds of them, all with base salaries of between $80,000 - $100,000 per year. THAT'S where the real clout comes in ...

9/15/2015 08:40:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You don't want to see this article if your waiting on a promotional list like Sgt. Trust me this doesn't read well and could effect promotions.

9/15/2015 08:46:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

And let's not even get started on Rahm's personal bodyguard detail - 2 sergeants making commanders pay for the sole reason that they are politically reliable along with 24 or so officers making D-3 pay (sergeant) for the same reason...and not just making it every day. They make one-and-one-half times that every time they work overtime or take part in a Special Employment opportunity. Because they know somebody, are married to somebody or slept with somebody.

Don't forget also SCC they get a pension based on commander's or sergeants pay even though they are D-1 (Patrolman) rank how does that work pension board? Bueller you there? Not just his bodyguard detail but also treasurers detail and city clerk same thing! Rahm if for example securitas security is good enough for the peasants that use public transit why not use them on your detail? 1/4 the price, no pension payouts, they use small fuel efficient cars (You say your a green mayor, oh that would be green with envy)you could save needed cash parking the tanks your driven in now and heck securitas would even stop at red lights not roll through them winning!

9/15/2015 09:00:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That's just it, Spending.
Rahm even wants you to spend...your deflated dollars...on higher taxe bills. Not everyone, just the ones with houses worth $250k.
Giving this City a dime will cost you a dollar. No pensions or multi pensions for elected officials, how's that for starters.
Parks and stadiums are not going to produce revenue in amounts that are needed to offset, well, more spending. These are nothing more than a pyramid schemes to hide the Daley Deals with construction companies. Flower pots and fences, really?
There will never be a forensic audit maybe until ShortShanks is long dead.
Downtown and of course the "economic engine" O'hare are self sustaining, yet millions are dumped and funneled to spend on these projects. Small manufacturing dried up and those few that stayed are getting a bit of a boost with tax relief
This is one completely screwed up town.
TRUMP is absolutely correct when he stated that "politicians are stupid".
Especially in Chicago, that gave us a president and a chief of staff.

9/15/2015 09:22:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

top heavy is a big problem , hidden sworn police officers as office boys and girls another huge problem
come on FOP have district and unit reps submit a list of every office that is not assigned to front desk or a beat car

9/15/2015 09:32:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes, you could look at the entire department structure, but if you do also look at every city and every county department. Look at every job, the job description and what they are paid. See if everyone is doing a job that is needed, actually doing what is described and then look at the compensation. Compare the compensation to that of their private sector counterpart. And, I don't trust anyone in city or county government to do this work. Hire an outside consultant. I believe that you will find many, many millions to be saved. Companies used to hire Industrial Engineers to do time studies. These jobs don't exist anymore but find a decent substitute. Government employment is the first and last hire and the pay and benefits vastly exceed private industry. And, don't forget the education system while you are at it which account for over 60% of your tax bill.

9/15/2015 10:01:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

local 2 will have a hard time keeping the 5th man next contract,but the city can have 50 aldermen!

9/15/2015 10:05:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

In 1993 the city released the TRI DATA report on the Chicago Fire Department. It had nothing but good things to say about the rank and file but slammed the physical condition of the firehouses themselves and age and condition of the apparatus (trucks, engines etc.) Also determined top heavy management.

Naturally it was ignored

9/15/2015 10:09:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The Police may be top heavy a little, but not like the CFD. I was the watch commander one day in a south side district and we had a hazmat incident. There must have been 70 CFD personnel on the scene...of the 70, 50 were wearing white shirts. They were all barking orders!!!! WTF

Old retired guy

9/15/2015 11:41:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Gee.. I wonder if Crain's got this information after reading the SSC Post:

secondcitycop.blogspot.com/2015/09/wait-minute18.html

9/15/2015 12:52:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Finance is a bit more top heavy than just the Comptroller making over 150k.

I can think of at least 15 Senior Executives that are above 110k. Multiple Deputy Comptroller positions, a First Deputy, deputy directors at 115 to 125. Managers over 85k.

And 90% of the union grunt jobs paying less than 75k.

Hell, after 10 years with the city, I'm still not past 50k a year.

Regards,

Guy on a bike.

9/15/2015 01:09:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Don't forget about the dumping grounds for the clouted and inexperienced. The OEMC. One of the reasons it's so fucked up over there is because they have way too many useless administrative people with important sounding job titles that don't give a shit about Officer safety. They need more Dispatchers, good ones, not more administrative bullshit.

9/15/2015 03:20:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

PLEASE PLEASE...Take a gander at the Department of Water Management...layer upon layer of Assistant this, Assistant to that, Project Manager,Project Directer, Deputy Commissioners up the wazoo...and just for shits and giggles check the names associated to these titles...Cloutbabies all!!!!! Oh and good luck trying to find out what job they actually perform..

9/15/2015 03:25:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Rahms bodyguards plus how many 24/7 by his house? Why not use private security? That way no strain on pension fund, extreme savings on inflated salaries, plus smaller fuel efficient cars transport the "rahms crew" sounds like a great plan! The only difference between a beat copper and rahms details is the higher salaries and suits! Also they get extra uniform pay for that detail in case you are wondering! Maybe pension fund could look into this back door way to extract more pension money when by rank they are D-1 patrolman. This needs to change immediately rahm put some "skin in the game" reduce inflated pensions for your valets! That would be "change we can believe in" and "change we can add to the pensions funding" it's a start!

9/15/2015 03:31:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

10,000 more refugee SYRIANS heading to District 024! open the flood gates!

9/15/2015 04:00:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How much could the City save by eliminating Ed Burke's security detail?

9/15/2015 04:56:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...


Watch yourselves...
Too many half formed m/fers out here who only
understand heavy fists, hard-soled/steel toed boondocker boots
and bullets.

Police like you have no friends...

The next YouTube star

9/15/2015 06:41:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

OEMC top heavy with management .
Look at water department , many making over $100,000 a year , able to sleep when working OT , long lunch breaks , stations could be automated , any major repair has to be assigned to a private contractor .
So much waste in public works , and police officers are forced to work one man best cars , terrible , CPD should be all two man units .

9/15/2015 08:25:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

To the captain bashers , let captains run the district ,one commander per area , the three commanders report to a chief , no deputy chiefs necessary , one civilian secretary per chief and commander , no sworn police officers working office duty .

9/15/2015 08:40:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"A potent labor union"?? After all the posting regarding DeaNO & the do nothing FOP Board - Crains has a valid article except for the "potent" comment. DEANO is as potent as a gelding. If you don't know what a gelding is - ask a member of the mounted unit. Deano may have a PhD - but he has no "huevos!" Just ask someone who went to today's FLOP Meeting/pig roast/Bar-b-que.

9/15/2015 08:55:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm definitely a budget hawk, and reducing top-heaviness is a great idea. But let's look at the numbers. If 75% of those budget positions are officers, and if their average compensation is $75k (it's way higher than that with overtime, insurance, pension, etc.) that totals over a billion right there. If cars are replaced every five years, and there are say 10k cars, that's maybe $65 million a year. Brass, including clout babies, totals just $11.5 million. That's STILL $11.5 million, but reducing that, even drastically, isn't going to put much of a dent into a $1.6 billion dollar budget. I'll bet somewhere in the budget there's a line for coffee stirrers that is higher than that. Let's get rid of the clout guys AND the coffee stirrers.

9/15/2015 09:18:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

You don't want to see this article if your waiting on a promotional list like Sgt. Trust me this doesn't read well and could effect promotions.

9/15/2015 08:46:00 AM

Nobody should trust you, trust me.

9/16/2015 01:19:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

7:01 am- 10 grand each is high. Prob more like 5 each and the 50 dollar a ticket cocktail party fundraisers too

9/16/2015 04:58:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think cutting a few highly paid staffers is not going to make all that much dent in the city's budget hole. My guess is that the city needs somewhere around $1.5 billion a year in new revenue and/or budget cuts to fix the financial hole the city is in.

I can't even begin to imagine the pain the voters would put on the politicians if they tried to raise taxes that much. At least some of that is going to have to come out of spending and people are the easiest place to cut spending in the city budget. Police and fire are half the city budget once you remove debt service and capital projects.

That ought to tell you where things are headed as far as any new hiring goes.

9/16/2015 07:21:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Complaints about comp time being denied have surfaced. Didn't a judge issue a federal court order stating lack of manpower will not be considered as an excuse for lack of rearranging schedules to accomdate time owed to po's at the po's request???....

9/16/2015 11:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

what do you mean pig roast at FOP? Is that signifying anything? Roasting pigs? Roasting our own? Dean has lost his mind just like Mikey did.

9/16/2015 11:39:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Threatening po's with denying comp time, didn't we cover this matter already in a federal court magistrates order can anyone sged some light on these matters???

9/16/2015 11:42:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
10,000 more refugee SYRIANS heading to District 024! open the flood gates!

9/15/2015 04:00:00 PM

Many Christians are being persecuted for their beliefs in Syria by members of isis. Isis currently has around 300 Christian Assyrians in custody doing unimaginable things to women, children, and seniors. Isis has beheaded priests, destroyed churches, desecrated Christian graves. These Christian Assyrians harm no one. Christians represent 5% to 10% of the population in the middle east, they are being forced out of the homes their families have lived in for generations. Many Assyrians live in the 24th district. Im sure you have dealt with the small percentage from the Assyrian community that conduct themselves in a manner that results with police contact. I guarantee that isn't true with the rest of the community. I would be more worried about the Pakistani community up in 24. Lots of members of that community have strong ties to fanatical islam. While you sit on a computer and bad mouth people running from Isis, stop for a moment pray and ask God to protect the Christians whom everyone in the world including our coward president has forgotten about.

9/16/2015 12:05:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
To the captain bashers , let captains run the district ,one commander per area , the three commanders report to a chief , no deputy chiefs necessary , one civilian secretary per chief and commander , no sworn police officers working office duty .

9/15/2015 08:40:00 PM
This is an idea that has been floated for years. Terry Hilliard is the one who wanted layers of supervisors because he did not trust anyone. Other big city departments get along just fine with less

9/16/2015 04:03:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

try this website - www.chicagosalaries.com
Easier and faster then the city's
Just an example from the water department;

1 Thomas H Powers Commissioner Of Water Mgmt $ 169,512
2 Barrett B Murphy First Deputy Commissioner $ 154,428
3 William C Bresnahan Managing Deputy Commissioner $ 139,488
4 Julie I Hernandez TomlinManaging Deputy Commissioner $ 137,052
5 Michael F Sturtevant Deputy Commissioner $ 130,380
6 Irene Caminer Director Of Legal Services $ 129,096
7 Dwayne A Hightower Deputy Commissioner $ 126,564
7 Dariusz Panaszek Supt Of Construction And Maintenance $ 126,564
7 Timothy M Kavanaugh Supt Of Construction And Maintenance $ 126,564
7 Alan E Stark Deputy Commissioner $ 126,564

5 Of the top 10 spots deputy commissioner? Boy - that much management watching out for my glass of water?? WOW !

9/16/2015 10:35:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

@ 9/16/2015 10:35:00 PM

These examples that you lay out in just the Water Department
are how clout and fuckery are perpetuated in Chicago Municipal
government.

Seriously... These jobs are a closed loop of preselected people
who are clouted into these $100K jobs not because they're smarter,
harder working or better but because they kick back a portion of their
salaries to the mayor and to the democratic machine.

That's why the guy who keeps his nose clean and plays by the rules
is constantly being chumped and kept away from the levers of power
so he is unable to exact revenge or make things right.

Actually the only thing the little guy has IS quietly taking matters
into his own hands against these corrosive fucks.

Not that we condone such but we sure as fuck understand and
appreciate the sentiment that would drive such...

9/17/2015 04:02:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

1205pm>r u stupid? Of those refugees coming out of syria 99% are muslim..wake up and get in the game you dummy!

9/17/2015 06:54:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Less Police Top overstaff and crime is down lies lies lies!!!

9/17/2015 08:09:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Other countries can take the muslims. United States needs to open its door to the Christians of the middle east. Do you ever wonder why muslims dont flee to other muslim countries like saudi arabia,kuwait,dubai.because those countries dont want them.Obama has been letting muslims enter this country like we are the new mecca. Do you know how hard it has been for Christians to enter the United states. They have no safe haven. The terrorist are already here, they started making there way here when barrack hussein Obama was swore in January 2008.

9/18/2015 04:50:00 PM  

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