Daley Urges Obama To Lease Federal Assets

Mayor Daley has already unloaded four of Chicago's most valuable assets for a $6 billion mountain of cash amid concern he is mortgaging the city's future.

Now, he wants President Obama to follow Chicago's lead.
[...]
"If they start leasing public assets -- every city, every county, every state and the federal government -- you would not have to raise any taxes whatsoever. You would have more infrastructure money that way than any other way in the nation," Daley said.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[RationalDubSteppa]

Mayor Daley treats the people of Chicago like if we where his personal servants and slaves, he is an abomination to all that is decent, true and honest.

[47th]

Amen!

[Totto]

Privatization of tax-payer funded public assets is theft. A public-private funding of an intercity rail system or national power grid could be beneficial. Does Daley favor the selling of Lake Michigan? Privatization of water is next. Daley ought to be more concerned about the collapse of retail on State Street than selling off the infrastructure.

[RationalDubSteppa]

Your right! The problem is that Daley wouldn't know that cause well he's as crooked as a barrel of snakes

[000Jade000]

Is Daley nuts?

Chicago ought to boot his arse. Putting financial workers back to work should NOT be a concern. All of those jobs were created to service FRAUD. Give those folks an infrastructure job and let them earn an honest day's work.

[47th]

Dump Daley!

[RationalDubSteppa]

...down a very jagged cliff!

[BushBites]

There's a reason Daley was one of Bush's favorite Democrats.

[Mahi Joe]

Daley is not going to be around much longer. He is acting more and more like a republican every day. He doesn't get it. Privatize and you get a bunch of greedy crooks who will eventually rape the average citizen.

[RationalDubSteppa]

Don't be so sure, unfortunately there are many in Chicago that have just drank the cool aid and vote him in, but anyone with half a brain knows that Daley has pretty much run chicago into the ground and he needs to go now!

[BushBites]

Daley's selling off any thing of value in Chicago.

Chicagoans don't care because he puts planters everywhere and makes things "green."

It's pretty crazy what that crook is getting away with just because he pretties up the city.

[IhaveaDREAMwhitegirl]

Daley just wants his buddies to "own" our parking meters etc. and make a little/LOT of money.

WRONG Daley . You do not have Obama's ear, you wish mobster, and we Chicagoans are watching you. You must really hate working class people.

[RoveRoveRoveYourBoat]

...the selling/leasing of OUR COMMON PROPERTY is CRIMINAL!!!
Like a widow selling the family furniture and jewlery to make ends meet.
Wake up soon and find that your entire country is owned by Europe or Asia
DALEY IS WRONG - STOP IT!!!

[mjb5406]

Daley has this misconception that every part of the city of Chicago is his (and his henchman aldermen) to do whatever they please with... the city infrastructure was funded by taxpayers from years ago, which is something that nobody seems to have brought up. If things like the Chicago Skyway Bridge were built using taxpayer money, how does the city have the right to lease it to a private corporation? Something doesn't sound right here.

[plutocrat03]

When taxpayers pay for an asset, it is strange to sell that asset back to a private enterprise. If it should have been in private hands, the the private entity should have built it in the first place.

Of the assets that King Richard has leased, only the Skyway made sense. Even then the users of the system will have to pay a toll increasing at a rate far greater than what would have occurred had the city retained possession.

It was downright foolhardy to lease out Midway airport. It has been a profit making entity most of its life. I have not yet seen the analysis of the parking meters. It will only make sense if the City will shed the workers associated with the meter maintenanc­e/collecti­on operations.

Having the money in reserve is one thing. utilizing the assets for the citizens as opposed to your friends is another.

[BobinKS]

The cost of funds built into the lease is going to be higher than the feds can borrow at. It may work in the city sector but on a federal basis I think that it would be a disaster. Selling the airports and parking meters like Chicago has done is good for right now but lets check back in 12-15 years when the money is gone, the infrastructure has worn out again and they don't have the asset to sell again.

[gevan]

Call me when they are selling Yellowstone.

[joewalters]

He might be onto something.­..

[mjb5406]

More likely ON something.

[joewalters]

lol.