tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245640.post834069301743086509..comments2023-10-24T06:05:38.954-05:00Comments on The Thinker--or Just Sitting Around?: The time has come to do as commanded/requestedPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17504383209010655249noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245640.post-61557527734594977602007-04-10T15:14:00.000-05:002007-04-10T15:14:00.000-05:00When responding to his more acerbic critics who wo...When responding to his more acerbic critics who would shout questions to him, Richard <B>J.</B> Daley would reply, “What trees have you planted.” An attempt to quell his critics by noting the lack of evidence in their accomplishments. Along that same vein I look at Richard <B>M.</B> Daley’s track record on his public works projects, how timely they were completed and whether or not they were on budget. There has been, to my knowledge, only one project that was completed on-time and under budget, and upon completion a new project was started at the same location (Lake Shore Drive reconfiguration around Soldier Field). <BR/><BR/>Look at any of his more prominent endeavors, those he felt compelled to come forward with a media presentation, and they’ve all taken longer than scheduled to complete and more often than not at least 50% over budget. The city’s 911 center: original cost $95 million, re-projected to cost $137 million, final cost $211 million. Soldier Field: came in at 20% over budget (numbers are hard to get because of categorization of costs). Millennium Park: Original cost was under $100 million and a completion date before 12/31/2000. The final cost still hasn’t been determined but the last accounting showed the costs to be over $450 million. The park didn’t open until after January 2003. O’Hare Airport anyone? Then there are smaller projects like libraries and schools which come in over budget and behind schedule (the current high schools being built in the city are coming in at 4 times their original projected cost). <BR/><BR/>Just sticking to this one aspect of objecting to an Olympics, the track record here is one which suggests that the final price tag will be 3 times what is projected and the long-term benefits questionable.From the other side of townhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03531350200707427188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245640.post-9072880729727940742007-04-09T15:03:00.000-05:002007-04-09T15:03:00.000-05:00Other,Looking forward to your contributions. The ...Other,<BR/><BR/>Looking forward to your contributions. The further away from the '06 elections and the closer we get to '08, the more it will heat up around here, and then the fun can really start.drmagoohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10348370006624173053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14245640.post-47966379146282011362007-04-09T13:58:00.000-05:002007-04-09T13:58:00.000-05:00Other,It is indeed a pleasure.A question on the Ol...Other,<BR/><BR/>It is indeed a pleasure.<BR/><BR/>A question on the Olympics and Chicago.<BR/><BR/>I am leaving for Athens in two weeks. When I was in school there in the late 70s, the city was living proof that "chaos" was a Greek word. The city had no real plan, traffic was a nightmare, etc. While I will believe it when i see it, I understand that the 2004 Olympics there were a tremendous incentive for the city to clean up its act--literally. Yes, they undertook debt that generations will pay, and yes, they made german firms rich (want order? Hire the Germans!) but Athens emerged with a state of the art metro system, a totally revamped traffic pattern and pedestrian-friendly walkways, etc.<BR/>Is that not possible here or is Daley-style graft even beyond "chaos?"Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17504383209010655249noreply@blogger.com