Chicago is held hostage by a 75 year lease of its parking meters to Morgan Stanley, impacting public transport and alternate transportation funding.

  • Rokin
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    141 year ago

    At least this is a lession for other cities

  • snooggums
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    601 year ago

    Yet another example of how terrible privatizing public infrastructure turns out in most cases.

  • aard
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    371 year ago

    I just googled that, assuming it must be something from the 50s or maybe 60s - but 2008? What the fuck is wrong with you guys over there?

    • @[email protected]
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      1 year ago

      I mean, it is tempting if you are a soulless politician that only thinks as far as the next reelection. In 2008 the economy and therefore city finances were just a tiny bit under the weather. If you are then able to pull a deal that nets the city over a billion dollars, that’s great. You won’t be there to see the repercussions and you bolstered the balancesheet for a year, what’s not to like? /s

  • Yardy Sardley
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    181 year ago

    That brick wall gag was incredible. Matt Parker & Rollie Williams as a duo is too powerful

  • @[email protected]
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    281 year ago

    I heard about this situation a couple years ago and thought it sounded like a terrible deal for Chicago. Turns out it’s even worse than I thought! Hopefully the city can find some way to mitigate the damage caused by it.

    • @[email protected]
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      101 year ago

      I was living in Chicago at the time. Everyone knew it was a terrible deal but Mayor Daley ruled the city with an iron fist and did whatever he wanted.

      • Brawler Yukon
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        51 year ago

        Mayor Daley ruled the city with an iron fist and did whatever he wanted.

        Exactly. Just ask Meigs Field.

        • @[email protected]
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          41 year ago

          Story still pisses me off to the day I heard about it.

          TL,DR: in the dead of night bulldozers physically tore up portions of runway. Standing 50+ airplanes. FAA approved using taxiway to evacuate

          • @[email protected]
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            21 year ago

            I always appreciated it because it’s probably the only time a politician specifically fucked over the ultra rich for the benefit of the general public.

  • @[email protected]
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    121 year ago

    Matt Taibbi piece that ops video probably pulled from. For those to whom this is news, don’t pay yourself on the back, municipalities and states all over are doing this and have been for a while: https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/exclusive-excerpt-america-on-sale-from-matt-taibbis-griftopia-47769/

    If you like the piece, Taibbi was one of the few who dug into and wrote about the great bailouts and all the scamming of American public at behest of lobbyists, the powerful and the “elected”. He’s got lots of other good work.

    • @[email protected]
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      131 year ago

      Nothing mentioned in the sources about this being a source. Not cited. I don’t think this video was pulled from that. Sorry, nothing against the piece (never read it), but this is definitely Climate Town’s bread and butter. It’s just what they do.

  • hash
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    201 year ago

    Don’t miss standupmaths side of this collab. Caught both on premier but the poking fun at climate town’s video style is hilarious.