Message me
Chicago's Better Government Association and Channel 2's Pam Zekman teamed up to understand how aldermen spend their $1.3 million in ward improvement money each year. The money is referred to as a "menu" because aldermen can pick and choose improvements for their wards.
How do aldermen spend their "piggybank" money?
cbs2chicago.com - 2 weeks ago - 175 views
11 Comments Have your say. Vote up the best responses. ↓
Reactions on the web
Latest tweets linking to this story (Share url: http://windycitizen.com/weZx)
Latest tweets linking to this story (Share url: http://windycitizen.com/weZx)
Invite your friendsExplore this story
People: Andy Shaw | Bernard Stone | Jose Hernandez | Pam Zekman | Raul Montes | Ricardo Munoz | Ward Ald | WARD MENU
Organizations: Better Government Association | Chicago's Better Government Association
Top Politics Stories This Week
25
Comments
Aldermanic "piggy banks" substantive investigations such as that reported by investigative journalist Pamela Zekman should make all taxpayers proud. She's one of Chicago's treasures!
substantive investigation?
I was delighted that Zekman at least mentioned the little known factoid that the so-called "aldermanic menu" funds roll over, that is, it's not use it or lose it. As far as I know this little tidbit has never appeared in the mainstream media, and in some sense it stilla hasn't: it's not even included in the CBS text report, it came out in the witty repartee between Zekman and the anchor after her tape.
So an alderman who squirrelled away just a few hundred thou a year could be sitting on millions after a few terms. The total across all alderman could be tens of millions.
But this question did not get asked.
Please remember this was an even-steven joint investigation conducted with The Better Government Association. You will be seeing a lot more from the BGA!
Soup & sandwiches go together, sduros!
"Every year, 50th Ward Ald. Bernard Stone spends all of his menu money, mostly on streetlights to help deter crime."
This is very sloppy reporting.
According to a FOIA response, Stone spent less than his full menu amount in 3 out of the 4 years 2003-2006.
Year Committed Allocated Percent
2003 $1,200,000.00 $996,370.00 83.0%
2004 $1,200,000.00 $1,200,000.00 100.0%
2005 $1,200,000.00 $1,163,282.00 96.9%
2006 $1,303,000.00 $16,982.00 1.3%
Stone (50th) spent $1.4M of "his" menu money on a new park (now known as Willie White Park) North of Howard - in the 49th! This was more than an entire year's worth.
Stone pitched in more than Moore (49th) did ($1,082,000)!
http://www.chicityclerk.com/citycouncil/journals/archive_journals/2008/j...
Zekman's producer (below) confirmed that they based their story on reports Stone showed them, and only on the last 2 years, I asked for a correction but don't expect one:
We looked specifically at 2007 and 2008 and supplemental reports which Ald. Stone showed Pam Zekman... that was the basis of the statement in the story.
Thanks for your interest
Dan Blom
CBS-2 News,
Investigative Producer
"Every year"???
Stone has been in office for 36 years.
Mobbed up attorney Robert Cooley placed Stone in the company of the late 1st Ward Alderman Fred Roti in Cooley's book--When Corruption was King. Stone was never formally charged as part of Cooley's Operation Gambit federal investigation; however, his past associations & the slow pace of adjudication of 2007 voting irregularities may shed doubt on whether voluntary reporting of aldermanic slush fund tells the whole story.
http://www.whencorruptionwasking.com/
I'll admit I had never heard of the menu. I knew about the yearly budget and everything. What I really want to know is why is Munoz so intent on building a park?
Aldermen are supposed to serve the people in the area that they represent — supposed being the key word. I bet if I drove around that area I could find a dozen potholes that needed to be fixed that he could be doing. And right now police cameras make more sense than ever with the cuts in the police force.
His actions come across as very selfish.
Post new comment