Don't cry for me, Chicago

By Ethel C. Fenig

Adding to the nation's unemployment is the announcement in the Chicago Sun-Times from Chicago 2016 that they're laying off the 57 staffers. You remember Chicago 2016, the year Chicago was to play host to the Olympics on the basis of the impassioned speeches by the charming President Barack Obama (D) and Michelle Obama, capping the successful reigns of the presidential team and Chicago's ruler Richard Daley.

Insisting that the nearly $77 million extorted, er, raised for Chicago 2016 came from private sources such as businesses and individuals in Chicago (the city and state which elevated pay to play to new heights), the group spent over $48 million on the ultimately unsuccessful bid while another $13 million went to form World Sports Chicago

a new organization intended as a legacy of the quest for the Games. World Sports Chicago is supposed to help Chicago-area youth find Olympic and Paralympic sports near their homes.

Any millions remaining will also be donated to World Sports, providing a fine source for the city and other entities to buy numerous employees and sports enthusiasts to do their bidding.

Over its three years, Chicago 2016 reported paying $9.5 million to staff and contractors. It said that as of June 30, it had 20 employees loaned to it and paid by others, 32 volunteers, 12 contractors and 32 interns. (snip)

Executive salaries at Chicago 2016 reached a high of $300,000 a year, paid to Chief Operating Officer David Bolger. The group's president, Lori Healey, was among three staffers earning $250,000 a year.
Citing other salaries among nonprofit employers, Chicago 2016 said in its report that its pay packages were reasonable.

Chicago, a sports mad city, offers numerous sports training opportunities for youngsters through Boys and Girls Clubs, Ys, the city supported park district, schools and other facilities both private and public. Another organization might be redundant but having kids expending their youthful energies in sports while learning self discipline could be a plus. And those that would have profited from the corruption that a Chicago Olympics would have brought to the city can still get something for their filthy, sticky claws through the millions available at World Sports Chicago.

The biggest plus is that the citizens of Chicago are spared another huge tax increase to fund the 2016 Olympics and the Olympics Committee finally chose a continent that never hosted an Olympics.

Ultimately a win-win for many.