City Council 11/9

[Berwyn Patsy]

   Your right Pat, nothing new.    I think most suburbs charge for ambulance service? 
The problem comes in when the people in your community or anywhere don't have jobs,
insurance or money, who pays then?  Oh, but then Obama said he was going to fix all that.                 

[dukesdad]

This is all part of Obama's insidious plan to screw with the people. All he's trying to do is get folks in ambulances so he can take them to the death tribunals and do away with them. He's in Indonesia now sitting around laughing at us with his Muslim brothers.

[Berwyn Patsy]

  Ha!  and I thought you were going to say it's all Bushes fault.  lol

[Bonster]

That said, we (Berwyn residents) are NOT being billed.  Our taxes are our "dues" for fire and police services.

I was hit by a drunk driver in 2001 on 39th and Ridgeland. My car was on the Stickney side and the drunk's car was on the Berwyn side. The drunk crossed over the yellow line and hit my car in a head on collision, pushing my car back a whole block before he stopped.

 I believe it was a Berywn ambulance that took me to MacNeil and I was later charged for it. I received the bill directly from the ambulance company and paid it myself and then submitted the bill to the drunk's insurance company as part of the proof for the settlement.

So, I do think the city has been charging for ambulance services for some time.   I am not sure if I was sent a bill because my car was on the Stickney side but I am (and was) a Berwyn resident and I was still billed for the ambulance.

 Ted

As I stated earlier in a response to dukesdad, ambulance service has always been billed to the residents; it's never been "free." 
That's not what this ordinance is about.

[Homebody]

Most cities do charge for ambulance service. Those charges are paid out of medicare/medicaid or health insurance if you have it. Crash taxes and fire service charges are expected to be paid by casualty and property insurers. There is a big difference. Your auto insurance carrier and homeowner's insurance carrier may not pay. Call them and see. Marge

[berwynguy]

When my sister got into that accident in Westchester her insurance company did NOT cover the fire truck fee.  She had to pay it herself.

[watcher]

As I stated earlier in a response to dukesdad, ambulance service has always been billed to the residents; it's never been "free." 
That's not what this ordinance is about.

This is a continuation of the "shift, switch and shaft" school of revenue enhancement wherein stuff that used to be covered by tax dollars is billed directly freeing funds up for other stuff. When a new and clever way to double dip is conceived, it's almost instantly replicated everywhere.

Selling it by saying it's aimed at NON-residents doesn't make it less questionable unless local taxes are LOWERED accordingly. Otherwise it's just MORE to be pissed away spent.

[Terri]

Most cities do charge for ambulance service. Those charges are paid out of medicare/medicaid or health insurance if you have it. Crash taxes and fire service charges are expected to be paid by casualty and property insurers. There is a big difference. Your auto insurance carrier and homeowner's insurance carrier may not pay. Call them and see. Marge

What specifics would require an Alderman to abstain from a vote if there is a conflict?  
Out of eight Alderman, one is a fireman in a neighboring town, one is a city worker (fireman?) in a neighboring town, one has a husband on the BPD, one has a retired husband and son on the BFD. Have I left anyone out?
I can't believe this Crash tax burden will have an impartial vote.

[The Jackal]

LOL!!!!

Nice City Hall composition there....LOL!

Well Terri, theoretically the aldermen in question should probably recuse themselves from voting if a conflict exists.....now who determines that is another matter altogether, but let's say for arguments sake the four aldermen in question DO recuse themselves......then waht do you have? FOUR aldermen deciding the issue with half of Berwyn theoretically not represented?

THIS is why it pays to THINK before you vote, and or publicly support, certain candidates come election time. The mere fact that somebody is a nice person, or "has done a lot for Berwyn", or volunteers their free time is NOT sufficient cause to vote foer them....for this EXACT scenario, if nothing else.

[berwynguy]

Then who's gonna run for office Andy?  What is the incentive to be an elected official in Berwyn?  It sure as hell ain't the piddly ass ten g's a year they are making.  It sure as hell ain't all the arm chair quarterbacking that goes on here or in the taverns and watering holes in Berwyn.  The days of graft and kickbacks are pretty much over  .  So who is gonna run?  What's in it for someone to put themselves out there?  If it isn't that person who "has done a lot for Berwyn, or volunteers their free time" there ain't no one.  

Oh, and don't bother with "there's the doing your civic duty and devoting yourself to public service" crap argument as a reason.  Not many people in Berwyn seem to care about that.  

Let's go back.  When O'Connor was setting up the 2005 IVB slate he, and I quote EXACTLY as he told me PERSONALLY, "needed warm bodies to fill city council seats."  How did that work out for us?  Then even in this past election they couldn't even fill every ward with a candidate, and some that they did left a lot to be desired.  Lovero even had trouble in his camp.  I know first hand that Lovero didn't have anyone for the 6th ward until Polashek stepped up (someone who TRUST ME, Lovero had no idea who the hell he was).  Then they had this Vince Lapaglia guy in the third ward who was also an unknown.  The guy NEVER came to my house where Marge Paul was at my door like 10 times to his never.

Doesn't appear to be people busting down the door to run does it?  Thinking that one of these weak political parties in Berwyn could set up a slate with top of the line candidates and strategically take over Berwyn politics is a stretch at best.  Actually at least to me, it's laughable.

[Bonster]

What specifics would require an Alderman to abstain from a vote if there is a conflict?  

There are no requirements for anyone to abstain.  I do know that my alderman has abstained on Fire Dept related issues as she stated she would before the elections. 

[Bonster]

THIS is why it pays to THINK before you vote, and or publicly support, certain candidates come election time. The mere fact that somebody is a nice person, or "has done a lot for Berwyn", or volunteers their free time is NOT sufficient cause to vote foer them....for this EXACT scenario, if nothing else.

I'm glad I didn't choose any of those reasons.

[The Jackal]

Every single one of the four aforementioned aldermen ran against an opponent without any relatives employed by the Berwyn FD or PD, no?

Figure it out.

One of these people lost by TWO votes. Another lost with a 3rd party shill in the race. And in BOTH cases people in the respective wards bought the "works hard for Berwyn" "good person" bs.......hence, Lovero controls City Council in additional to occupying the mayoral seat. If those two aldermanice races turned out they way the SHOULD have, Phelan didn't waste all his damn energy bickering with OC, and OC would have woken up and put a halfway viable candidate in at least ONE more ward, then Lovero today would control squat and I highly doubt you would have been hit an overnight 15 percent tax increase, or this backdoor crash tax.

The point is, the Berwyn taxpayer DID have alternatives, but bit for the bullshit.

You live and learn.

Maybe next time.....NOT!

[berwynguy]

Maybe next time.....NOT!

This is one quote where you are actually 100% right on. 

[The Jackal]

Bonster,

I'm glad you didn't either, but in your ward, there were at least two surplus knuckleheads who voted for a candidate with a husband AND son on the Berwyn FD. Its just desserts.

[Bonster]

I think she's been great.

[berwynguy]

Im sure he and the Mrs. were those two knuckleheads Andy!  Who the fuck were they gonna vote for?  Erickson?  

[The Jackal]

No, I didn't say ANYONE in particular...there were more than just two people who voted for MS. Berwyn FD...enjoy it now, along with your 15 percent tax increase.

[berwynguy]

One of these people lost by TWO votes. Another lost with a 3rd party shill in the race. And in BOTH cases people in the respective wards bought the "works hard for Berwyn" "good person" bs.......hence, Lovero controls City Council in additional to occupying the mayoral seat. If those two aldermanice races turned out they way the SHOULD have, Phelan didn't waste all his damn energy bickering with OC, and OC would have woken up and put a halfway viable candidate in at least ONE more ward, then Lovero today would control squat and I highly doubt you would have been hit an overnight 15 percent tax increase, or this backdoor crash tax.

Wow, I just read this again and man, what a tall order Andy.  "If they did this, and O'Connor did that, and Oh, Oh, if he just did this......."  Are you kidding me?  WAYYYYYY to much to do for a weak political party to pull off.  You made a quote I recently stumbled upon like two years ago under your Zorba name (I am not like bonster in digging them up so sorry I don't have it on hand) where you said "Lovero wins in 2009 in a landslide."  Remember this was in like 2007.  

Again, here is my quote from a few posts above:

Doesn't appear to be people busting down the door to run does it?  Thinking that one of these weak political parties in Berwyn could set up a slate with top of the line candidates and strategically take over Berwyn politics is a stretch at best.  Actually at least to me, it's laughable.

[The Jackal]

Bguy,

You vote for the guy who isn't going to drain your pocket at evry turn and isn't in kahoots with the Lovero Quarter Poundr City Council, that's who....