In Chicago & Another City Council Win

Tonight we're in Chicago and we'll be here until Sunday. Tomorrow the small group conference starts and part of the fun for us is that not one person in our group this year has been before (excluding us). They're all pretty excited and rightly so because we've told them how great it is! We also had a member of the group who hadn't flown before and another couple who had never flown together before today. They've both flown plenty separately but in 23 years of marriage, never together. Knowing how extensively they've traveled, I was stunned by this revelation.

Another exciting thing that has happened in the last 24 hours is that we had another final semi-victory in the city council last night. A couple of weeks ago I relayed the story of our big win. They all agreed our situation was not handled correctly and there had to be some responsibility taken. We actually had 4 of them on "our side" who were going to oppose the entire measure but then a councilman had a proposal to split the difference between the $33,000 we were told and the $76,000 it actually cost to complete the project. So, we all have to pay around $710 which is more than the $400 but considerably less than the $1025. I'll take that as a win, particularly since one of the councilmen was a huge jerk about it.

But, then the tax guy said we wouldn't be allowed to pay for it because the deadline was 9/30. Well, this DID NOT set well with those of us there and last night I emailed the mayor, every council person, the city administrator, and the finance director telling them it was unrealistic to expect us to pay 3 weeks before we knew what the amount was and since it was delayed at the last meeting, we should rightly be given an extension to pay. It's our right as taxpayers to pay an SID in full, without 6% interest. The tax guy basically said "it's too late, it will be on your taxes, the interest is your responsibility, and it's not my problem." Big mistake.....

With all due respect, it is his problem, thank you very much. So, the mayor was the only one who responded saying it wasn't right and he'd get back to me with a solution to the problem and that we should be given an extension. If that doesn't work, I plan to protest my taxes. Wow, I never thought I'd be a public protester but there it is. This is one of those things worth standing up for in this life.

And that's about it from here, for now.