Letters to the Editor | February 2009

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in the Gazette’s letters column are those of the letter-writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Gazette’s editors. We also reserve the right to edit letters for space.

Dear Editor:

I just finished reading the editorial page in the Gazette, Jan. 2, 2009, and I must say kudos! to the magazine. Finally, someone had the guts to state the obvious! We, as residents and taxpayers, in Chicago have allowed Mayor Richard M. Daley to do as he damn well pleases and he has brought the City of Chicago down to its knees with all the corruption, wasteful spending, and lawsuits against the City.

He constantly brags about his “affordable housing,” especially for seniors. He has supported the “privatization” of senior housing at the expense of the seniors — those who can least afford it. These greedy corporations then charge exorbitant rents for their apartments. That is not “affordable housing” pricing — that is market value housing. When a corporation is given federal funding they are not supposed to charge more than 28% of a senior’s income for housing.

We have no one to blame but ourselves for allowing Daley to become the dictator of Chicago. Our aldermen do not have the courage to stand up to him. We should have voted out not only the mayor, but all the gutless aldermen who refuse to do their job—represent their constituents. The aldermen have forgotten they were voted in by the voters, not appointed by the mayor.

I hope and pray come the next election we get rid of them all and look for some real men/women who will work for their money. In fact, we should do the taxpayers a favor and get rid of 25 of the aldermen -— we do not need 50 time-and-money-wasters. Plus, we need to put term limits on all officeholders — before they become experts at “gaming the system.” Thank you for reminding us it is in our power to make “real change.”

Tired taxpayer of Bridgeport, Ann M. Gutierrez