Historian and reporter for The Nation Rick Perlstein is doing a series of articles on the perils of privatization. In this 13 minute interview on WBEZ he lays out the reasons to be very skeptical about the sorts of deals Chicago is “forcing down the throats” of the taxpayers. He gives a shout out to the work of Tom Tresser and the CivicLab.
Author Archives: Tom Tresser
Tom On WVON 12/17/13
I was on WVON’s morning drive-time show with Matt McGill this morning. We discussed NSA spying, Tax Increment Financing, community development and Chicago politics (30 minutes).
Let’s Do Change The Game In Chicago!
“Who Owns West Woodlawn?” Community Forum
I’ll be presenting on the TIFs of the 20th Ward at this community forum.
UIC School of Social Work Does TIF Forum
TIF Illuminator Tom Tresser joins TIF and urban policy expert Rachel Weber on a panel discussing TIFs at the UIC School of Social Work on November 21. This forum is a project of a class at the Jane Addams School of Social Work. 9am to 11am at 1040 W. Harrison Street, Room 4013.
Tom Teaches Workshop On Nonprofit Basics
Is there a cause you feel passionate about? Is there an injustice that needs righting? Are you inspired to serve and innovate for the common good?
If so – then you may be thinking about starting a nonprofit organization to channel your efforts and deliver new solutions for your community.
This two hour workshop will walk you through the reasons to and NOT to start a nonprofit organization and what your first steps should be in you DO decide to start a new organization.
$15. Please register online via EventBrite = https://np101-11-6.eventbrite.com.
You will learn:
- Basic distinctions of the nonprofit organization
- Origins and place of nonprofits in American society
- Size and scope of the nonprofit sector
- Pathway to incorporate and get tax-exempt status
Tom Tresser is the instructor for this class. Tom is the co-founder of the CivicLab, which is the 13th nonprofit enterprise he has founded or led. He teaches nonprofit management for the Graduate School of Social Work at Loyola University and a number of classes on civic engagement, public policy and leadership for other local educational institutions.
My (Brief) Vision For Chicago
I was asked to give a few “now what” remarks at the end of this forum on running for office in 2015 as progressive standard bearer. Listen to these remarks (with introduction, 4 1/2 minutes).
It’s Good To Be A Lawyer In Chicago
How can Chicago be broke? The city has paid out $737.1 MILLION in legal settlement and judgement expenses in the nine years of 2003 to 2012. 65% of that is police-related litigation.
$96 MILLION has been spent by the City and Cook County defending Jon Burge and settling with his victims.
In addition, the City has spent $176 million over the past eight years in outside legal fees!
The City has spent a whopping $913,1 MILLION on legal messes.
I should’ve gone to law school!
Privatization 101
I gave this presentation to the Loyola Law School’s Public Interest Law Program Thursday. The audio is 47 minutes. If you’d like a copy, email me at tom@tresser.com.
Hey, Brad, Here’s An Idea – Let’s NOT Privatize Chicago
Chicago Ideas Week founder and chief honcho Brad Keywell (Groupon) ran a full page ad in today’s Chicago Tribune (my scanner isn’t big enough to get it all – this is like one third)…
Thing is, Brad and his wife, Kim each gave the mayor $5,300 for his re-election effort. This from his campaign’s October 2 A-1 report.
The ad gushes about Emanuel, “His vision is raising a city higher than its tallest buildings.” Really? What about the 49 school closings. The $68 million in cuts to the neighborhood schools left standing. The closing of public health clinics. The layoffs of public sector workers. The cuts in service to the CTA. The ever expanding privatization of city services – likehow we pay to get onto subways and buses and the pending shut down of city mammogram programs.
So here’s an idea for Chicago Ideas Week – throw the investment bankers out of City Hall and end the patronage, corruption and insider trading that stands for public policy here. We need MORE public, not less.