Full of ideas: Money for Chicago!

I love my city.

Chicago is beautiful. Our neighborhood (Ravenswood, North Center, Lincoln Square -- whatever it's actually called) is awesome. We love it here.

And Chicago needs money. Like most things in this day and age, the city is short on money and long on this list of things that need the money.

But wait! I've got some solutions! These aren't just solutions for money problems, they also fix some problems beyond money. Mrs. Skerkoski, my third grade teacher, would call this feeding two birds with one cookie.

My brilliant idea is this: Enforce laws on the books. I'm talking stop signs, yielding to pedestrian, not having car alarms honking all day, drivers chatting on cell phones, and all such laws. Laws that make our streets, sidewalks and bike lanes safe. Just enforce them.

Certainly police officers might not have time for this, but I think and hope that enforcing regular laws can make Chicago a better place to live, which is good for police, city pocketbooks and everyone who spends time in this fair city. And, I suggest that a non-police crew or some sort of cadet squadron to do the job.

A few ideas for the Chicago Police, or their representatives:

• Sit at any 4-way stop and watch! No one stops. Most people roll through stop signs unaware of other vehicles, people and life outside of themselves. Cha-ching!
• Observe how drivers treat pedestrians in crosswalks. In Washington, D.C., our nation's capital, pedestrians are held in high regard. Cars stop at crosswalks and walkers can make it across a road with carefree ease. In Chicago crossing at a cross-walked intersection is risky. Chicago Police have ticketed before for this infraction and I think they should do so again -- all the time. I'm not trying to slow down everyone driving in the city -- honestly. Drivers may not do the math but I do: You are hurrying up to get to the next red light! You are not slowed down by slowing down on a regular city street. Slowing down is built in.
  
• Cell phones -- If I were deputized to only give tickets to drivers who are talking obviously on cell phones while driving I'd make the city about a grand each month.
  
• Ticket people who do not control their car alarms. No one objects to this. No one. It's the best idea ever.
  
• Jaywalking -- Here I am siding with cars! Jaywalking should be curtailed -- too often I observe people (sometimes with children or cell phones stuck to their ears) darting across busy streets when stop-lighted crosswalks are nearby. Get yourself to a safe place to cross, people!
• Asshole behavior -- There's not a specific law against that, but there are laws against many asshole behaviors like being loud, littering and zipping a scooter through traffic.

Enforcing these laws sounds stupid maybe but it's not. The Broken Windows Theory says big problems follow small ones. To make Chicago a nicer place to walk around, drive around means a lot. And to make some extra money for schools, police, parks and other wonderful Chicago things. Come on Chicago - what do you say?