Chicago's Snowiest Winter Since 1979 Depletes Budget

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from Bloomberg:



Chicago's Snowiest Winter Since 1979 Depletes Budget (Update1)

By Joe Carroll

March 6 (Bloomberg) -- Chicago's snowiest winter in three decades is taking a toll on Paul Matushek. He managed 15 downtown bicycle messengers in November, and now only five are willing to pedal through ice and drifts.

Matushek, a dispatcher for Don't Shoot the Messenger, isn't alone in coping with the 52.1 inches (132 centimeters) of snow dumped on Chicago from Dec. 1 to Feb. 29. Road salt is depleted, ice-clogged rivers stall barges with new loads, and the city has exhausted its snow-removal budget with weeks of winter to go.

Chicago hasn't been hit this hard since the record snows of 1978-79, when voters angry at the government's failure to clear streets booted Mayor Michael Bilandic out of office. Richard M. Daley, serving his 19th year as mayor and not facing re-election until 2011, isn't taking chances. He's spent $20 million dealing with the snow, $2 million over budget.

``Since '79, no one in their right mind in this city is going to run low on plows,'' said Tom Allen, an alderman and chairman of the City Council's Transportation and Public Way Committee.

Snow has fallen on Chicago four of every seven days since Dec. 1, according to the National Weather Service. The city used 90 percent of its 390,000 tons of stored salt, and had to buy an additional 250,000 tons to rebuild the stockpile, said Matt Smith, a spokesman for the Department of Streets and Sanitation.

``People need to be able to get through the streets,'' said Bennie Currie, a Daley spokesman. He declined to say how memories of 1979 may be affecting his boss's proactive approach. ``I'm not a historian,'' he said. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601109&sid=aOGKVKRgSWTY&refer=home