By Steve Rhodes
“Mayor Rahm Emanuel [Wednesday] unveiled a new budget that he says doesn’t include new tax, fine or fee increases but contains a warning about the financial havoc the city’s looming government worker pension problem could wreak,” the Tribune reports.
“Much of the mayor’s speech is a listing of what he views as the greatest hits from his first budget last year: more efficient garbage collection, a wellness program for city workers and cracking down on those who owed money to City Hall.
Last year, Emanuel raised water and sewer rates, vehicle sticker fees and a host of fines to help balance a budget that was far more out of whack than this one. Today, Emanuel made a promise about asking city taxpayers for more money in this spending plan.
“We will not raise property taxes; we will not raise sales taxes; we will not raise the fuel tax; we will not raise the amusement tax,” he told aldermen.
So amusement in the city should increase marginally.
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There’s never an egg-timer around when you need one.
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Rahm is also holding the line on taxing denial, which Todd Stroger quickly took advantage of.
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The self-interest tax will also remain at Chicago’s historically low rate.
Math Lesson
“Chicago Public Schools have 600,000 seats and only 400,000 kids, underscoring the need to ‘consolidate’ under-utilized schools that should been closed over the last decade, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Wednesday,” the Sun-Times reports.
That makes sense, considering CPS only has 200,000 textbooks.
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That amusing punchline taxed at the same low rates as last year’s textbook jokes!
Seasonal Aisle
This is not amusing so low rates shan’t apply.
Group Think
“Groupon In Talks With Agencies On Brand Campaign.”
Huh. I thought they were doing just fine in that department, but I’m easily amused.
United We Stand
“Airfare experts say United Airlines is raising prices on most flights within the U.S. by up to $10 per round trip,” AP reports.
Flights to become even less amusing.
Pop Tarts
“Toys R Us will open 1,500-square-foot pop-up shops starting Monday at 24 Macy’s stores nationwide, including Macy’s flagship store on State Street and Macy’s at Oakbrook Center and Woodfield mall, the retailers said Wednesday,” the Sun-Times reports.
Other pop-up shops we’d like to see:
* A popsicle pop-up shop.
* A push-up pop-up shop.
* A push-up bra pop-up shop.
Local Music Notebook
La Super Banda Macho!
Reporting Dark Money
A few good ideas.
Cutler, Kipling & Kielbasa
In The Blue & Orange Kool-Aid Report.
Programming Note
I feel a bit sheepish and cheap making amusement tax jokes, but we do what we have to when we’re in a crunch.
To our new readers looking for QT – which resumes tomorrow – it gets better.
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The Beachwood Tip Line: Popped up.
Posted on October 11, 2012