Public Watchdog.org

Flood Rebates Pure Politics, Terrible Policy

07.15.09

According to reports in today’s Park Ridge Journal (“Talkin’ Thousands,” July 15), the $420,000 flood control rebate program being hustled by Ald. Frank Wsol (7th Ward) might be gaining traction among the politicians on the City Council.  And we can understand that: after all, what’s not to like about it – if you’re a politician?

Wsol gets to puff out his chest and claim he’s “getting something done” on flooding, even though he admits his program might benefit no more than 168 people if they all get the maximum $2,500 rebate.  He also gets to claim that his program is cheaper than relief sewers, which cost approximately $120,000 each to service an average of 30 residences, or approx. $4,000 per residence v. $2,500 per rebate.  And let’s not forget how much popularity and gratitude he can purchase – with our tax dollars – from those lucky 168 who will receive this windfall.

Can you say “pork”?  (Ald. Wsol, just oink once for “yes”)

The only real voice of reason among our elected officials appears to have been provided by Mayor Schmidt, who questioned the fairness of such a rebate program to the people who put in flood control systems before Wsol’s artificial January 1, 2008, cut-off date, as well as its fairness to the residents who can’t afford to install a flood control system in their own homes but will see their tax dollars used to subsidize those residents who can afford flood control.

Schmidt also asked the Council not to jump the gun on any expenditures of already-scarce funds until the City’s Flood Control Task Force, with the assistance of the City-hired outside consultant, can make its report and recommendations on how best to address the flooding problems on a comprehensive, city-wide basis.

That’s wise advice, although we are less than confident that the politicians on the Council – led by Wsol the Pol – will pass up this grandstanding opportunity to spend public funds for purely private purposes, even though they still haven’t come within $2.4 million of balancing the City’s budget and will likely be dipping into the City’s rapidly-depleting “savings account” to pay the rebates if that program is enacted.

But thanks to the video camera Mayor Schmidt purchased with the mayoral salary he can’t legally forego (and the camera work of a couple of civilian volunteers), you can see and hear the debate on this issue (and what went on during the rest of the meeting) at www.parkridgemayor.com (click on “video library” and choose videos 6 and 7), which is where Schmidt is having these videos posted until the City finds a way to accommodate them on its own, outdated website. 

If you check it out, you’ll see and hear resident Joan Sandrick channel the late Clara “Where’s the beef?” Peller with her “Where’s the money?” question to the Council.  Just don’t strain your ears listening for any meaningful response from our elected and appointed spendthrifts sitting around The Horseshoe.  You’ll also see and hear a resident question whether these private flood control devices won’t cause more flooding problems for those who don’t have them, and for our streets and sidewalks, on the theory that the water not going into flood-controlled basements has to go somewhere (like into neighboring basements?).

And you’ll also see and hear from some residents who can’t seem to resist the chance for a government handout like Wsol’s rebate program, even when they know it’s coming from their own neighbors.

We empathize with everyone who has endured flooding and sewer backups.  It’s a terrible mess and creates constant fear every time it rains.  But giving $420,000 of what amounts to taxpayer-funded home improvement handouts to 168 residents is just plain bad public policy.  It’s unfair, it’s economically unsustainable, and it diverts public money from serving the public good to providing a purely private benefit.

But who cares about “public policy” when there’s public money to give away and political profit to be gained? 

11 comments so far

I agree Pubdog!

Exactly right. And now you know why the Crew has begun to refer to him as Ald. assWsol.

Spending $420,000 on private flood relief for 168 residences – and leaving the other 13,000 residences, and all of the commercial properties, to fend for themselves – is beyond belief!

The city has done next to nothing over the past several years, and maybe even going back before Frimark was mayor, to remedy flooding or to maintain and improve the sewer system. But these kinds of pay-offs are not the community-wide solution we need.

I just KNOW we’re going to need a big bond issue to pay for repaired/improved sewers, and it’s going to be painful. But that is a bullet we are going to need to bite. And, fortunately, we didn’t already commit $15-20 million of our bonding power to a new police station – which Wsol wanted, as I recall.

Thank you, Joe Egan; thank you, Dave Schmidt; thank you, Park Ridge voters; and no, thank you, Ald. Wsol.

My basement has flooded 3 times in the last 2 years, and my flood insurance didn’t cover all the personal property like furniture, kids toys, etc. that we lost, just the carpeting and appliances.

Will the city counsel start a rebate program for people like me so that I can get $2500 to help pay for new toys and furniture?

Anonymous 2:17 pm.

Call Wsol and ask, you never can tell. Tell him Berwyn and Elk Grove village do it. Tell him you already spent $10K on replacement stuff, and then show up at a City Council meeting and demand action now.

If the city isn’t using those tax dollars to get the flooding under control and residents have to undertake the city’s job in keeping their basements from flooding, why shouldn’t they get their share of their tax dollars back that weren’t used by the city for that purpose?

6:14,

I’m sure that sounded like a good argument to you before you really thought about it, but now that you’ve thought about it you understand what a shallow and stupid argument it is.

However, in case you got distracted first, please think about what portion of your property taxes you can reasonably assign to flood mitigation or prevention, either yearly or since you moved into your home.

Wait, the light bulb just went on. Among the many flaws in Wsol’s argument, one of the biggest flaws just dawned on me. Relief sewers do not benefit only those in the immediate proximity. Rather, they provide a benefit to every resident, because they ease the burden on the entire sewer system. Wsol’s scheme actually makes things worse by adding to the system’s burden. The more I think about this plan, the worse it appears.

U.E.O…. BINGO!!!

Flood control valves for 13,000 residences @ $2,500 ea = $32,500,000. Sounds like a bargain. But when all that water can’t back up into the basements, where does it go?

How much more would it cost to tilt Park Ridge so that all the water flows downhill into Niles?

Anon @4:07:

“How much more would it cost to tilt Park Ridge so that all the water flows into Wsol’s basement?”

There. I fixed it for you.



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