Aldermen Should Demand Greater Budget Transparency
Statement from Brian Imus, State Director with Illinois PIRG
CHICAGO, Oct. 22 - "Mayor Daley's decision
to fill next year's budget gap with $350 million from the parking meter
privatization deal not only ignores long-term budget problems, it
borrows from future generations. By spending revenue generated on the
expectation of revenue of future generations, the Mayor's proposal is
like a bad payday loan that their children will have to pay back.
"Proceeds
from the parking meter privatization deal is money that would have
otherwise been a steady stream of income for future mayors to use to
balance their budgets. Mayor Daley is taking this money from those
future mayors as well.
"If ever there was a time for the Chicago
City Council to demand greater transparency and oversight of the city
budget, it is now.
"Budget transparency and other basic taxpayer
protections, while far from revolutionary, are the ingredients missing
in Chicago. The type of backroom policymaking that led to the parking
meter debacle is the same type of governing that is responsible for the
budget mess we face today.
"Chicago can and should be a leader
in providing information on government budgeting, spending and
contracts to the public. The city's roughly $6 billion annual budget is
comparable to that of states such as Rhode Island that have implemented
tools to increase transparency. Moreover, investment in greater
transparency can help Chicago overcome its reputation for backroom
politics."
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