I voted for my fellow Austin resident, Mayor Brandon Johnson, but almost daily, he provides yet another reason for me to question that decision.
Johnson’s decision to play the race card is tiresome and usually unjust. His most recent decision, however, demonstrates an ignorance of — or a refusal to accept — reality. His decision to form a reparations task force begs the question: To what end? No reasonable person disagrees with the proposition that people of color have been — and continue to be — harmed by discriminatory practices. The problem is, however, with the belief that for every injury, there is a remedy — and specifically, a financial one.
The city of Chicago is all but bankrupt. Budgets are “balanced” by sleight of hand, but the reality is that they are not balanced. The pension debt looms before us. And no mayor can tax his or her way out of this.
There is no money to pay reparations, so what is the point of forming a task force? All this will serve to do is raise hopes, which will then lead to disappointment, not to mention further dividing folks along racial lines. Johnson’s time would be better spent trying to address the many problems facing this city — the lack of access to affordable mental health services being one of them. On this, he and I agree. Dexter Reed would be alive today if he had received the mental health treatment he so obviously needed — and apparently attempted, unsuccessfully, to get!
The city’s limited resources are better spent providing folks with the programs and services they need to overcome obstacles and open the door to a better quality of life.
— Paul N. Eichwedel, Chicago
Johnson is out of touch
Two of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s recent ideas show out of touch he is. He established a task force on reparations and a subcommittee to create new taxes. Both approaches would further increase taxes for Chicago residents, drive people and businesses out of the city, and contribute to Chicago’s demise.
We are already heavily taxed by the city and state. Two major tax proposals have been rejected in the past few years: an increase in the real estate transfer tax and Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s graduated income tax plan (in place of a flat tax).
The first thing Johnson seems to think about is how to tax more to feed a bloated city budget. How about instead starting with streamlining city government, reducing bureaucracy and regulations, and making city government more efficient? (A recent study said Chicago is one of the worst-run cities in the country!)
Johnson’s approach will hurt the city, particularly the areas and people he says he wants to help.
— Andrew Robertson, Chicago
Live within your means
In the Sunday Tribune, there is a story about aldermen seeking new city taxes (“Chicago aldermen exploring new city taxes”). Ald. Will Hall, 6th, is quoted as saying, “No one would disagree with the fact that we need revenue.” I presume he means additional revenue. Perhaps he is referring to his colleagues in City Hall, but I can assure the alderman that he is mistaken if he includes all of the citizens of Chicago.
The budget of government at all levels — city, county and state — grows faster than the average income in nearly any year one looks at. How about this novel idea? Live within the amount of money you already collect.
Too bad these ideas can’t be subject to a vote of the people — they would meet the same fate as our feckless mayor’s plan for a real estate transfer tax increase. But there will never be such a change toward democracy here, where the politicians basically pick their electorate through the sleight of hand of gerrymandering and the brute political force of the public unions.
— Mark Frank, Chicago
Try reducing spending?
Regarding the article “Chicago alderman exploring new city taxes”: How about exploring ways to reduce spending and consolidate services? Are we electing aldermen now just to tax us? Makes no sense to me.
— Mike Swift, Chicago
Same story of corruption
Having grown up in Chicago and now as a senior citizen, I have unfortunately witnessed the same old story of public corruption over and over, from governors to aldermen and lots in between. The script has always been the same: Use your position to make money, and if you get caught, apologize and hope the judge has some sympathy for your sob story.
In the matter of ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich, this was not the case, as repentance was not in his vocabulary and the judge duly rewarded him with a long sentence. In the case of ex-Ald. Edward Burke, you have a person who is 80 and just sending him prison along with a very hefty fine will have the same effect as a longer sentence.
To me, if history repeats itself, and it always does, politicians and their cronies will continue to do what they have always been doing since the beginning of time, and nothing will ever change. Let’s hope I’m wrong.
— Howard Kirschner, Morton Grove
Where is the sympathy?
A woman walked into Whole Foods and approached the front desk. Why, she wanted to know, is store management allowing people to sit outside the store with their children, asking for money?
I’ve been thinking about this woman. She was shopping in an expensive store, almost a luxury market, while a family sat in the hot sun trying to get help. She would make her purchases and load them into her car and drive to her home, where she might enjoy her air conditioning. She will not see this family again, or if she does, she will be exposed to them for a few minutes at most.
Why do they bother her? How is her life adversely affected by their presence? Did she feel guilty passing them or just scorn? Perhaps she let that encounter upset her day as she fumed to others. She could choose to simply dismiss their humanity and move along.
Why are we so cold and caught up in our own comforts? Why are we so afraid of people who are different? I don’t know the answer, but I continue to think of all of us who have it good. I didn’t have to walk for miles and miles with my children across dangerous and unwelcoming lands. Many of our ancestors did, though. Mine came from Europe, not South America, Asia or Africa. Life here wasn’t easy for many of them. And yet there were enclaves of ethnic neighborhoods that provided safety and comfort and support. I hope they stored those memories and treated the immigrants who followed them with kindness and understanding, regardless of where they came from.
People have arrived at these shores for a very long time. And yes, as today, some who arrived were of the criminal element. We can’t pull any punches here; humanity will forever have its dark side. Still, our country decided to welcome them, despite the mix of good and bad. Realize, though, that my ancestors were white and Christian. Lucky me. Had they not been, I might not now have such a good life.
Ultimately, we all have to ask ourselves: What did we do to deserve all that we have? Many of us were just plain lucky. Why are others not worthy of a dream? Why do they have to not only endure loss of home but also loss of respect?
We are human. So are they.
— Monica Wiedlin-Torres, Chicago
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