At its next meeting in February, City Council will likely approve legislation to expand the scope of the inspector general’s role to overseeing aldermen.
Donna Arduin is an Illinois Policy Institute senior fellow and a partner at Arduin, Laffer & Moore Econometrics, a group that advises federal, state and municipal leaders, as well as political candidates and private-sector clients, on economic, fiscal and state policies.
Both the administration and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 have agreed to stay at the table until they reach impasse.
The proposed change in city code would further tilt the scales in favor of the politically powerful, as they could be granted full knowledge regarding the investigation on their wrongdoing, including information on who brought the case to light.
Responsibility for Illinois’ sorry state of affairs falls at the feet of House Speaker Mike Madigan, Senate President John Cullerton and their combined 80 years in state government.
Chicago’s $1.15 billion projected budget gap is the latest in a decades-long string of structural deficits. Making Chicago’s high taxes worse is not the solution.