On Monday Chicago teachers ended a three day march throughout the city
to protest the closure of over 50 public schools Mayor Rahm Emanuel says the
city can’t afford. But while Emanuel says there’s no money in the budget for
schools, he does expect residents to foot the bill for a new stadium.
Even though Mayor Emanuel won’t allot more public funds for public
schools, he has a plan to use public dollars to help fund a stadium at DePaul
University, a private, Catholic university.
Emanuel’s plan entails having the university pay $100 million towards
development of a new DePaul Blue Devils arena, while the city
would add an additional $70 million.
The city would pay its portion of the bill through the general tax fund
and tax incremented financing, which assumes that new construction projects
will increase real estate values, and raises property taxes to the levels of
projected future values.
As one might imagine, not everyone is on board with Emanuel’s plan.
“Our biggest concern is killing the neighborhood with a venue that sits
vacant for most of its useful life and, the only time it is used, it’ll be
largely an alcohol-focussed sporting venue that will bring unwanted rowdiness,
security and parking issues,” said Tina Feldstein, president of the Prairie District
Neighborhood Alliance.
An independent board issued a report opposing the closing of 13 of
Chicago’s schools, but Mayor Rahm Emanuel has expressed that he will not follow
the report’s recommendation.
“The board will take what they’ve said [and] work through it, but do
what we need to do as a city because this…has been deferred through the
years…We haven’t addressed it in the past — both on the academic side and on
the financial side,” Emanuel said last week.
SCRIPTURES
ISAIAH 31: 1Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on
horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because
they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither
seek the LORD!
ISAIAH 30: 1Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take
counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit,
that they may add sin to sin:
2That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to
strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of
Egypt!
3Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust
in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
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