- Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to charge Taste of Chicago attendees for premium seating to see musical acts in Grant Park and for the chance to eat special meals prepared by prominent Chicago chefs cleared a City Council committee today.
Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Commissioner Michelle Boone told aldermen the hope is that the revenue will help Taste break even after three years in the red. Under the plan, the city would sell seats at the Petrillo Bandshell for $25 each night and charge $40 for three-course meals...
Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to use speed cameras to issue tickets cleared a City Council committee today.
The 7-3 vote came after criticism from aldermen led the mayor to offer up a revised ordinance governing the use of speed cameras in Chicago.
Instead of $50 fines for driving six to 10 mph above the speed limit near schools and parks, a $35 fine would be assessed under the revision, which also will include other tweaks, said Ald. Margaret Laurino, 39th, chairman of the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee.
And new efforts to shut down problem liquor stores:
With Chicago’s murder rate up 60 percent over last year, Mayor Rahm Emanuel on Wednesday launched a coordinated crackdown aimed at shutting down liquor and convenience stores that serve as magnets for crime.
“These locations often harbor drug dealers and street gang members and become a cancer on the community,” the mayor told the first graduating class of police recruits since he took office.
And circling back to the second story - the speed cameras. Here's some interesting stats that came out today:
- The Sun Times reported that city crews have installed 10,000 speed humps in streets and alleys since 2005. Many of them are near schools and parks.
Crews have also put in 400 traffic circles, 450 cul-de-sacs and 250 "bump out" curbs.
All those "traffic calming" devices built at a cost of how many millions? And now cameras are going to solve everything? And Rahm has his mouthpieces up at the microphones saying how it's all "for the children" and "no one is counting any money generated."