June 11, 2003
25th District Commander
Grand-Central Station
5555 W. Grand
Chicago, Illinois 60639
 
 
Commander McCotter:
 
This letter is being written in response to a denial of our first request to the 25th District via the Freedom of Information Act,  hereafter referred to as FOIA, pertaining to the “Rules” for CAPS.
 
Please consider this letter as a new request for information pertaining to two entities, referred by all other districts that have indeed fulfilled our initial request,  called the District Advisory Council (or Committee) and the District Steering Committee (or Council).
 
We hereby request the following via FOIA.  As a matter of convenience, since you might not know about FOIA, and the Corporate Council lawyer definitely seems to be ignorant of the “intent” of the law, we are informing you that legally, you have 7 days to reply.
 
Timeframe:  1/1/99 - Last Statement received.
 
1.  A complete list of all banks and respective account numbers through which the District Advisory Council (or Committee) or the District Steering Council (or Committee) had funds transferred within the above timeframe.
 
2.  Names of any and all firms that have audited all accounts along with copies of their reports.  Please include both summary and detailed reports.
 
3.  Copies of all monthly statements for every aforementioned accounts/funds.
 
4.  Complete list of payees, with detailed information that includes check numbers, date issued and amount disbursed.
 
5.  Complete list of revenue sources, be they fund, fund transfer from other city accounts, donations, etc. -  include reference account numbers, amount transferred and from where - same for every revenue source.
 
The above should include information for every subcommittee as well.
 
Have a great day!
 
Sincerely,
 
Wayne A. Strnad
Director
 
CC:  Other interested parties

This information was reprinted with permission.

Highlights...

McCotter, like many administrators, fear giving out information that might explain where the people's money goes.

We believe that if you want to track corruption, follow the trail of money.

Here are just a few examples where money trails disappear:

An area becomes TIFfed (Tax Incentive Financing).  The theory is that it's an incentive for business in an area.  To make up the difference in tax revenue, the surrounding area is graciously given a higher tax.  The TIF money ends up in an account were nothing can be looked at.

Another Example:  CAPs not only receives funding from taxpayers but also from corporations.  How much?  That information is not readily available.