Bryan W. Alaspa 1Chicago’s parking meter problem
June 13th 2009 19:12
In Chicago we don’t just settle for your average scandal or political controversy. No, we don’t care about people taking bribes. That’s been going on here for as long as anyone has been keeping track of history in this town. We don’t care if the only way to work for the city is to know someone. Patronage, as it is known, is something that everyone around here accepts. However, if politicians do things to make us pay more money, well, you had better just watch out.
It doesn’t take much for a Chicagoan to turn against a mayor. The first Mayor Daley was a guy everyone in Chicago seemed to love. The rest of the country thought he was an idiot, but the city of Chicago elected him again and again and again. He finally died in office.
Mayor Daley the First was a guy who looked like he knew what he was doing. Sure, he had trouble pronouncing words or using them correctly, but as I have said before, the entire city talks that way. So, he was one of us. When the huge blizzard of ’67 hit he was on TV pleading for calm and begging citizens to help their neighbors. People did. I New York they would just curse, grab themselves somewhere inappropriate and then throw something at the TV.
A few mayors after Daley the First we had another guy. When the blizzard of ’79 hit, he did not go on TV and plead for calm. In fact, he went on vacation to Florida. This did not sit well with the people stuck here knee deep or higher in snow. He lost the next election just because of a blizzard. We don’t mess around here.
Now we have the first Mayor Daley’s son in office. He has been elected and re-elected numerous times now. He seems to do things people like. Does he pronounced words correctly? Not even close and he seems to be getting worse the older he gets. Well, for a lot of Chicago, the man could do nothing wrong until recently. Recently he messed with the parking meters in this town. This has not gone well.
There are often accusations that his administration is corrupt. He always manages to wriggle out of every controversy. But then, earlier this year, management of the city parking meters was taken over by a private company. Suddenly meters that used to cost a quarter to park for an hour now cost three or four quarters to half an hour.
The idea was to try and make more money. What it has done, in fact, is left blocks and blocks of empty parking meters. Store owners say people come in and dash out so fast they barely remember to take their groceries. The other thing it has started is a side business in vandalizing the meters.
Sometimes entire meters are pulled from the ground. Other times some sticky glue-like substance (probably glue) is stuck into the coinslot. Other time the window displays are painted over to blacked out. So, now, the company that has to maintain these meters has to keep repairing them and they aren't getting any money in return.
Daley has been accused of making a serious blunder here. So far, people still seem to like him. However, he has yet to plead for calm or step in to take charge again. He would do well to remember that blizzard.
You can bribe and steal and put your friends in office all you want. Just don’t mess with the snow removal or our parking meters. Got it?
It doesn’t take much for a Chicagoan to turn against a mayor. The first Mayor Daley was a guy everyone in Chicago seemed to love. The rest of the country thought he was an idiot, but the city of Chicago elected him again and again and again. He finally died in office.
A few mayors after Daley the First we had another guy. When the blizzard of ’79 hit, he did not go on TV and plead for calm. In fact, he went on vacation to Florida. This did not sit well with the people stuck here knee deep or higher in snow. He lost the next election just because of a blizzard. We don’t mess around here.
Now we have the first Mayor Daley’s son in office. He has been elected and re-elected numerous times now. He seems to do things people like. Does he pronounced words correctly? Not even close and he seems to be getting worse the older he gets. Well, for a lot of Chicago, the man could do nothing wrong until recently. Recently he messed with the parking meters in this town. This has not gone well.
There are often accusations that his administration is corrupt. He always manages to wriggle out of every controversy. But then, earlier this year, management of the city parking meters was taken over by a private company. Suddenly meters that used to cost a quarter to park for an hour now cost three or four quarters to half an hour.
The idea was to try and make more money. What it has done, in fact, is left blocks and blocks of empty parking meters. Store owners say people come in and dash out so fast they barely remember to take their groceries. The other thing it has started is a side business in vandalizing the meters.
Sometimes entire meters are pulled from the ground. Other times some sticky glue-like substance (probably glue) is stuck into the coinslot. Other time the window displays are painted over to blacked out. So, now, the company that has to maintain these meters has to keep repairing them and they aren't getting any money in return.
Daley has been accused of making a serious blunder here. So far, people still seem to like him. However, he has yet to plead for calm or step in to take charge again. He would do well to remember that blizzard.
You can bribe and steal and put your friends in office all you want. Just don’t mess with the snow removal or our parking meters. Got it?
| 15 |
| Vote |
