Oct 26, 2009 6:17 pm US/Central
Blogger Suggests Cutting Size Of City Council
Idea Comes After Alderman Says Cops And Firefighters Should Be Subject To Pay Cuts
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
An internet blogger who claims to be a Chicago police officer wants to fire 25 aldermen.
The Second City Cop blogger says it's his response to West Side Ald. Ed Smith. Last week, Smith said police and firefighters should no longer be immune from the cuts in pay and benefits that are hitting other city workers.
Smith himself said he's taking 24 unpaid days in 2010.
Everyone should put "skin in this game," he said.
Political Editor Mike Flannery reports.
The cop blogger wants this non-binding, advisory referendum on the February 2010 ballot: Should the Chicago City Council be reduced from 50 aldermen to 25?
It's a far-fetched idea, maybe, but it could save taxpayers more than $10 million a year.
It wasn't hard to find taxpayers who'd be happy to see the City Council's size -- and budget -- cut in half. Far fewer were willing to cut salaries of police officers or firefighters.
"Chicago will never, ever, ever miss aldermen off the payroll for 24 days," Andy Shaw of the Better Government Association. "But we will miss a cop or a firefighter or a garbage man."
Still, with police, fire and other public safety functions eating up 64 percent of Chicago's budget and the city facing a half-billion-dollar shortfall, former Ald. Dick Simpson said Smith's controversial statement on pay cuts makes sense.
"The public wants police and fire safety. The public does not demand that they get X number of dollars in salary, however," Simpson, a political science professor, said. "So, it's perfectly reasonable to have a furlough day for a policeman."
Jim Tobin of National Taxpayers United Illinois said the council-reduction idea is worth considering. So are police and fire salary adjustments, he said.
"I think we have too many of them," he said. "I think they're overpaid. And I think their pension benefits are out of line, as well."
Fraternal Order of Police President Mark Donahue and Tom Ryan of the firefighters union said they're currently negotiating wages and benefits with City Hall and would not comment.
Will police and fire ever have to take a cut? Ald. Smith concedes it's doubtful. As for the Chicago City Council's size, it's second only in the country to New York City, which has 51 council members.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Jewish Celebrities
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
