The Morris Daily Herald reported that a tentative budget for the next fiscal year was presented to the city council. Mike Farrell, who seldom misses an opportunity to disguise editorial as news, reports the story under the misleading headline, "Morris Finances Strong."
But read past Farrell's ill-fitting headline (thanks for your opinion, Mike), and we find the following tidbit:
"Revenues for the fiscal year are estimated at $25 million and expenses at $46.7 million."
According to my math, this would be $21.7 million of deficit spending in the upcoming fiscal year. Read on a little further, and we find this:
"Costs related to Community Landfill closure, including attorney's fees, are estimated at $670,000."
And this is only for one fiscal year. It looks like it will be another banner year for the lawyers feeding at the City of Morris public trough.
Morris Herald article
34 comments:
If I was spending twice as much as I made, I wouldn't have "strong finances". Sledge, your BS detector is working great!
THE HEADLINE SHOULD BE
"MAYOR PROPOSES $21.7 MILLION DEFICIT BUDGET"
Gerry Burke is asleep at the wheel again. He and Farrell don't know the difference between an opinion column and a news item.
Farrell sometimes spins his stories to look more favorable for the mayor. He doesn't seem very objective. I bet the Joliet Herald News would have picked a different headline.
So has an agreement been made between the City of Morris an the IEPA? Has Farrel reported on the particulars of the agreement?
Its not politics, the MDH did the same kind or reporting with the last mayor. I believe its a lack of a spine of some reporters to ask the tough questions. Also i think Farrel does not have an understanding of basic math.
You're not going to get a real reporter for the money the MDH pays these clowns. The City of Morris deserves an accurate report of local news. I believe that is why the local blogs have become so popular with some that need news not somebody's spin or opinion.
Christina Chapman of the Joliet Herald does a lot better job reporting local news.
Dickie will call Farrell in his office and spoon feed everything he wants printed on the front page.
It truly is amazing how it all works.
Morris used to have a comfortable cushion in savings, but it will be nearly depleted after next fiscal year. This administration has squandered our safety net, much of it on lawyers. Look for much higher taxes in the next few years.
Without the TIF money that ends in 2009 and tipping fees from the landfill that ends in 2013 over $4,000,000.00 between the two the city would be broke. So look for a future landfill expansion and a new TIF agreement coming soon. The money is like crack to our local pols. But the problem is now we all need it to survive.
Relax, i understand whats going on now, over the last six years the city has paid Scott Belt close to $1,000,000.00 in legal work but i understand now that Scott is just saving it for Morris's rainy day when the City of Morris has trouble making their weekly payroll. God bless both Dick and Scott.
Watch out new alderman as soon as you get seated you will recieve a visit from the Morris landfill attorney and he will be selling you a expansion of environtech landfill which is worth about $60,000,000.00 over 30 years to the city of Morris. But know this about your salesman he also represents environtech "allied waste". And even though we have paid him hundreds of thousands dollars the other fish is alot bigger. When i got divorced my wife talked me into a sharing an attorney to save on cost and my rectum has never been the same.
The Morris Herald is spoon-fed by city officials. Lap dog.
Is it true that the city is negotiating for a landfill expansion, while at the same time touting that waste-gasificiation thing?
Is there any truth to the rumor that Kopczick wants to appoint Brian Feeney to fill the alderman vacancy? People are fed up with the cronyism, as Coal City voters said loud and clear on Tuesday.
Dick has done the right thing in the past about installing an alderman from the right party. Brian does not live in the 1st ward anyway.
What alderman need to be looking for is monies hid in the finance budget for 2007 that will provide funds for Brian's purchasing agent, science consultant, whatever flavor of month job that he was promised a year ago by the mayor. That kind of devious crap has happened in the past. But if course it was an accident. Remember John Enger "the city clerk" told the council to read the budget over very thoughly at the last council meeting. I believe that this was a buzz word for something is up kids. Remember Brian Fenney is the chairman of finance.
yes, but landfill expansion was just an contingency plan in case the SenreQ plant fell through. LMAO, you just can't have enough places to get rid of gargage.
Aldermen be alert! Review the budget very carefully. It would not be the first time he tried to slip something through. Is there a Feeney job hidden in there somewhere?
The city has become very dependent on money from the (other) landfill. The last thing that the mayor wanted or expected was for the landfill money to stop. Was his advocacy for waste gasification just a charade? Where there other motives?
I just don't understand this "Mike Farrell Math." Is that what they are teaching in the schools now? Maybe at least in Dist. 54.
Morris officials plan First Annual Fire Truck Poker Run to protest surgical centers. By Golly we have to keep those damm doctors out of here. Grab your hose and a beer!
Just noticed the Will county board blocked a family member of highway department executive from being hired . Good for them, I would love to see that kind of responible thinking on our city council. Maybe one of our new alderman will step up to the plate and say, wait a minute something is very wrong about hiring family members for city positions. One thing for sure is if they won't the voters will.
Sledge, whats with the MDDP and the people that run it. Seems like their always patting themselves on the back for all the donations they hand out. By golly when you recieve around $60,000.00 a year from the City of Morris its really not your club handing out the money, Its kind of the tax payers. If the alderman feel they need to donate our money they should go straight to the non-profit, eliminating the middle man. Just my opinion
now you see what the independent physicians are up against, with the MDH spin machine.
Help wanted: Alderman. Must be able to drive fire truck. Apply at city hall.
The landfill on the east side of town is brilliant, it will keep the city of Channahon from getting closer to Morris. Add some gasification and it is a perfect way to establish the border.
Why is the city making donations? That is not what tax dollars are for. Donations should be made by individuals to charities they choose. If Dick wants to give to charities, he should use his own money.
I see that the new operator of the airport restaurant made a campaign contribution to Dick Kopczick in August 2006. But I am sure this was just a coincidence.
Yah and the GEDC made a donation last August. If they make another one this year it will be the tax payers money coming back.
The FBI needs to investigate.
The Morris Daily Herald is so steeped in the local culture of cronyism, that they actually believe they are doing a community service by defending the questionable activities of our local politicians.
Papers like our Morris Daily Herald simply find it easier to 'go along and get along' than to search out the truth. The Herald has never uncovered a scandal. They simply do not wish to get involved.
Fortunately, local papers have yearly events at which they give each other awards for their fine reporting. No one has to feel bad, except perhaps the public.
maybe the heritage project can do something on this
MDH ever hear of truth in reporting? How about investigative reporting?
Could you imagine mayor, city attorney, and others in front of REAL reporters, at a news conference, getting asked the tough questions? Won't happen...
Is there any truth to the story the U.S. Attornies office is looking into these issues?
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