Thursday, January 12, 2006

* Special Service Area # 24 Scandal - Two SSA #24 Budgets

The Special Service Area tax #24 commissioners Budget Report, led by Alan Goldberg, reported at the January '06 meeting $69,000 dollars would roll-over to the 2006 Special Service Area budget.

Mr. Goldberg wasn't aware Ms. Kimmy Bares sent in the roll-over dollars already and the roll-over amount was $42,000 dollars, not $69,000 dollars.

That's a huge $27,000 difference. Lost money.

Mr. Goldberg figured the fact they didn't spend all the security money budgeted in 2005, there would be more money to roll-over in 2006.

Ms. Kimmy Bares warned the commissioners present..." You commissioners need to be on the same page!"

11 comments:

Hugh said...

MM, do I recall you are perhaps a Morse business owner? If so, you are uniquely qualified to call her and ask:

773-508-5885

This would be a great service to all of us. Let us know how it goes and we'll go from there, freedom of information request or whatever. This is crazy.

Hugh said...

Here is an excerpt from the ordinance authorizing the Special Service Area Number 24, the Clark/Morse/Glenwood SSA

Authorization Of Levy

There is hereby authorized to be levied in each year beginning in 2003 through and including 2012 the Services Tax upon the taxable property within the Area to produce revenues required to provide the Special Services, said Services Tax not to exceed the sum of sixty hundredths of one percent (0.60%) of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property within the Area.

Hugh said...

The ordinance levies a tax not to exceed. DevCorp North is not automatically entitled to the maximum 0.6% every year. DevCorp North is supposed to submit a budget, and then the levy is set to cover the budget. So any "roll-over" raises questions: Was the budget too high? Was some budgeted program canceled? Where did the "roll-over" come from?

Anonymous said...

I'm with John on Farwell. Even if it is just a simple accounting screw-up, it does not really increase public confidence...

Could someone from the commission or DevCorp PLEASE post here and tell us what the hell happened.

dan2 said...

So how many of you have contacted Jackie Leavy of the Neighborhood Capital Budget Group, at jleavy (at) ncbg (dot) org?

According to the gentlemen who was kind enough to offer us the information, she is leading a new Accountable Development Task Force to help bring some oversight to SSA's. This could be the chance to bring some accountability to DevCorp and the SSA's.

GF? Craig? Toni? Hugh? RogersParker? Nico's Mom? Are you people down with this?

Here's your chance to really push DevCorp into some accountability.

If you are honestly concerned about this issue, surely you can dedicate an hour of your time to this for a meeting, right? If you have time to post here, you should have time to send her an email.

At the very least, it something to write/blog about, correct?

I know everyone is busy, but maybe some of you could set aside one hour sometime within the next two weeks to meet with her?

I would be willing to set-up the meeting and attend if some of you that are constantly attacking DevCorp and SSA's would be willing to discuss it in a civil tone with someone from the NCGB. We could ask her how to get ahold of the budget (as MM would like), and what we can do to make sure the SSA meets its intended goals.

How 'bout it?

Anyone willing to set aside an hour to put your money where you keyboard is?

Anonymous said...

I would be happy to attend such a meeting. Thanks for taking the time to organize it. Please send the details to Stephane and I at rrouilly@earthlink.net

dan2 said...

Great! I need two more people (three people does not a meeting make) and I'll email her and set it up. Who else wants to make a difference.

GF? Hugh? Craig? Rogers Parker?

You guys are frequent critics of SSAs and DevCorp. Here's your chance to do something about it. Don't let me down. Are you in or out? We'll try to keep the meeting to an hour -- two hours max...

Knightridge Overlook said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Hugh said...

> We could ask her how to get ahold of the budget ...

Depends on what you mean by budget, there's so many.

1. Ask Ms. Bares 508-5885

2. Ask an SSA commissioner

3. Ask the City of Chicago Department of Planning and Development. Each year, DevCorp North submits a budget to DPD.

If these requests fail, we FOIA.

dan2 said...

So I take it your down for the meeting Hugh? Let me know so I can forward you the information.

gf said...

dan2-

hey, thanx for the effort and info. would like to attend. please foward info to garyfuschi@yahoo.

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