-- Connecting the dots between our economy, government and business --
Summary and audio linked here.
Chicago’s political leadership is floating a pension buyout program as evidence it is seriously addressing the city’s thirty-six-billion-dollar unfunded pension liability, but Mark Glennon, founder of the Illinois policy research organization Wirepoints, said that the proposal moves debt from one column to another rather than reducing it, and that the broader fiscal picture facing the city continues to deteriorate across every measurable dimension. Audio here.
Expect no retraction or apology. This what they do.
The state’s existing buyout program for its own pensions is the precedent for Chicago, which should be a warning: Look out for similar exaggerated claims and shoddy analysis.
Full interview and summary linked here.
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Folks, the heyday of Chicago hoteliers is long past. Now a guest has to contend with high rates and the potential to become a statistic.
When Old Joe was a kid in the sixties guests could park for free in a hotels underground garage and there was no such thing as a room occupancy tax or convention district tax, 10% sales tax, unionized chamber maids or a dozen other ways to shake down traveller’s.
It baffles me that anybody wants to come here anymore. There shouldn’t be more than a handful of hotels in Chicagoland.
Oops, I forgot that daily room cleaning was included and expected back in the day. The only extra charge I ever remember was for a room which faced Niagra Falls. That was nice to see the falls illuminated at night.
“ The three-year agreement also requires hotels to clean guest rooms daily”
Guessing this was included to force higher staffing levels on the hotel. I’d guess the uptake on guests denying service for a portion of their stay is significant enough to warrant reduced hours or staff.