Investigation Into Misuse Of Funds Continues

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley was wrong to bulldoze Meigs Field in the middle of the night and now, Chicago will have to pay. That word comes from the FAA, which has ordered the city to pay a $33,000 fine. But the city still faces the possibility of a much larger fine -- as the investigation into allegations that Daley misused $1.5 million in FAA grants continues.

"We are saying either send us a check for $33,000 or request a hearing" before an administrative law judge, FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory told the Chicago Tribune. The FAA accuses the city of using that money, derived from passenger taxes and federal grants.

If the FAA finds that the money was indeed illegally diverted, the penalty would be much more severe. The city could be ordered to pay $4.5 million -- three times the amount of the funds in question.

Daley's administration contends its actions in destroying Meigs were perfectly legal and that no money was misappropriated in the process. The city is now reviewing its options, according to a spokeswoman for Chicago's legal department.

FMI: www.friendsofmeigs.org, www.faa.gov, www.egov.cityofchicago.org