When is half not half? When it's the 50/50 Sidewalk Program. According to City Web sites and aldermen's offices, homeowners can replace their cracked and dangerous sidewalks and only pay half the cost of the work. In fact, if they are senior citizens, they only pay one quarter of the cost. But recent revelations show that most have paid more than half, some have paid less than half, and a few lucky—or politically connected?—homeowners have paid the tiniest fraction of the cost. Homeowners are demanding restitution of overpayment, while the city claims that no restitution should be made, because the homeowners as a whole accounted for half of the costs.
The varying rates and amounts charged to homeowners for similar work are due to a couple factors. Seven different companies contract with the City to do the work, and they charge different fees. However, each homeowner is charged $2.25 per square foot of concrete. If the company charges the city more than $4.50 per square foot, the homeowner is paying less than 50 percent; if the company charges less than $4.50 per square foot, the homeowner is footing more than half the bill. |
