Let’s see, the city of Chicago faces a $25 million budget shortfall. And the City Council is pondering a payraise. They already get $85,000 a year plus $32,000 in office expenses! Outrageous.

But the biggest perk that aldermen get is nowhere on the pay stub. Rather, it’s the power every aldermen gets over any development in their ward. Any zoning exemption, any new business or construction, just about any private initiative must be cleared with the local dictator. It’s a sad state of affairs where aldermen trade their undying loyalty to Mayor Daley in exchange for near complete power over their own little fiefdoms. Everyone knows the deal, and they accept it either as a cost of doing business or are just resigned to it.

So why upset the apple cart with this ridiculous request for a pay raise during a budget crisis? I just don’t get it. Don’t they have any shame?