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Published weekly...or so--usually on Friday.
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Taxpayer Money At Work
By JOHN F. KUCZAJ
Big news last week about the huge severance outgoing Chicago Schools CEO Paul Vallas will be receiving: One year's salary. All his missed sick & vacation days.
What?
Was this a golden parachute, negotiated before he took his job? I know of no news outlet that made this clear, so I have no idea WHY Vallas got a severance package.
In the real working world, a person who quits his job does NOT get rewarded. As great a job as Vallas did, I see no reason to reward him with--essentially--a one year paid vacation.
Compensation for missed sick days? When did sick days become entitlements? Here in the real world, sick days are only to be used if you are sick and they go away at the end of the year if you don't use them. Who the hell gets compensated for not using sick days?
Compensation for vacation days? Here in the real world, the saying is, "Use 'em or lose 'em!" Vallas didn't use his vacation days when he was allocated them so he should not be entitled to them. In the real world, vacation days rarely carry over to the next calendar year, much less eight calendar years.
Vallas got a great deal--over $200,000 just to walk away from that job. That would be a sweet deal if it were coming from a very profitable corporation.
But it's not.
It's coming from the eternally cash-strapped Chicago school system. You know, the one that promised a high school in the Little Village area, then pleaded lack of funds to the parents who staged a huger strike. Lack of funds. They seem to have plenty of money to give a guy who handed in his resignation. "Sorry--we did promise you a high school three years ago, but we have no money right now. Paul's leaving and we have a gift for him."
Nice to see that taxpayer money is still woefully wasted by the school system. Why don't I hear anything from the news media on this? Is it not sexy enough?
Paul Vallas gets a one-year paid vacation for quitting his job. We should all be so lucky.
What!? The Airport I Moved Near is NOISY?!?!
By: JOHN F. KUCZAJ
The Chicago Tribune ran a great editorial on May 31st entitled, "(1) AIM AT OWN FOOT. (2) SHOOT." It was about Elk Grove Village and how they were going to pull village money out of banks that publicly support O'Hare Airport runway expansion. The editorial pointed out that without O'Hare, Elk Grove Village would never have existed and that at least 86% of that money is generated BECAUSE of O'Hare. The editorial also pointed out that the village Mayor had a responsibility to place the money in accounts that would most benefit the town, and a knee-jerk reaction could place the money in positions that do not maximize the benefit to the town.
Last week a few more towns started talking about doing the same thing--Elmhurst, Park Ridge and Bensenville.
It may take exhaustive work, but I wish someone would look at tax records and figure out how O'Hare benefits all the whiny communities that surround it. I really hate to say this, but there is one smart suburban mayor who is keeping silent because he knows how his bread is buttered.
These other whiners should follow his lead.
I refer to: Rosemont Dictator, Donald Stephens.
Follow the Money Trail
By: JOHN F. KUCZAJ
A small story on page 16 of Friday's Sun-Times may seem like an insignificant story to most, but as detailed in the Michael Miner's May 18th Hot Type column, there are a few people around who cringe at the fact that the Sun-Times didn't go deeper--and neither will anyone else in the mainstream media.
The story, "Fitzgerald unloads millions in bank stock," points out that Senator Peter Fitgerald dumped $2.85 million to $8.85 million of his estimated $51 million in inherited Bank of Montreal stock last year. The web site, Illinois Politics,has an interesting perspective on Fitzgerald. If even 10% of what they say is true, then the mainstream media seems to be missing a very large scandal.
Why?
Little help here...??
I'm still hoping more people send in comments, opinions, or rants for me to post on this site. If you have anything to say about the Chicago news media...send it in. Hey, I'll even print anything bad written about this site. No really.
Take a look at the previous issue: Sunday, June 10
Take a look at the issue before that: Tuesday, June 5
Published weekly...or so--usually on Friday.
If you'd like to contribute, e-mail your article to the editor
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