Cops are Smart Folks - Much Smarter than Politcians. Give City Employees a Tax Break for Living Here.

The late Billy Higgins,CPD, who went home to Christ on January 9th, 2010, was a brilliant man - witty, insightful and honest. He had absolutely no PC blood in his veins and was equally critical of fools regardless of race, creed or color. Billy was an Equal Opportunity Ball Buster.

Billy Higgins caught a murderer in downstate Illinois, at the request of a police department sent to Supt. Terry Hilliard. Billy analyzed the information sent to CPD by the downstate detectives and identified the murderer of a young girl, who was subsequently arrested, convicted and imprisoned for life. Billy was an Area 2 Homicide Detective who along with his partner Det. Martin J. Tully (ret.) held the highest homicide closing records for years.

Cops are some of the smartest people I know. The other day, the issue of residency for cops, firemen and other city workers came up. Only Carol Moseley Braun, of all the candidates clearly and honestly articulated the realities of such a move - middle class flight. By middle class, Senator Braun means white exodus from Edison Park, Sauganash, Garfield Ridge, Hegewisch, Clearing, Scottsdale, Beverly, Morgan Park and Mount Greenwood - that is where white cops, firemen and city workers live.

On Second City Cop Blog a commenter offered this concerning the Residency Issue -

If u have a home in the city , it's the worst idea. Your house will not have a buyer all the police neighborhoods will loose value and sit on market waiting for a buyer for a very long time. How about giving us a tax break instead for living here.

Understatedly elegant and brilliant!

Carol Moseley Braun alone artculated the realities of the residency rule problem, but a cop articulated the solution.

Cut taxes for City Employees forced to live here.