Chicago vice mayor and Alderman Bernard Stone
Some Chicago alderman are concerned about the timing of a new budget report by the city’s corruption watchdog.
Inspector General Joseph Ferguson laid out 24 ways to slash municipal spending. Alderman Ed Burke chairs the city council’s finance committee.
He took issue with a number of Ferguson’s cost-cutting ideas, including doing away with subsidized sewer service for the elderly.
BURKE: Well that’s an interesting suggestion Joe, but how’re you going to get that through the council? Can you find 26 members of the city council that are going to be willing to vote to take a $50 subsidy from the seniors in their constituencies?
The Inspector General’s report says eliminating the subsidy would save more than $5 million.
Overall the report lists $247 million in potential cuts to city services and infrastructure.
A number of aldermen questioned why Ferguson didn’t introduce the report when he spoke last week before the Budget and Government Operations committee.
A spokesperson for Ferguson’s office said the Inspector General planned to mention the report in his opening statements to the committee, but was asked to skip the opening statement.
Originally reported by Illinois Statehouse News. Read the original article here.