bad pr for mayor daley.

When does a PR firm need good PR? Right about now. From the Chicago Tribune:

Aldermen bash city's spending of millions on public relations
Millions on salaries, more on PR firms

By Dan Mihalopoulos | Chicago Tribune reporter

In the first day of City Council hearings on Mayor Richard Daley's 2009 budget proposal, several aldermen questioned why the administration spends millions of dollars to get out its message to the public.

The aldermen on Monday cited a recent Tribune article detailing how City Hall spends $4.7 million on salaries for more than 50 public information officials and has paid millions of dollars more to public relations firms.

Ald. Michael Zalewski (23rd) noted that the city is laying off almost 1,000 laborers, tree trimmers and other employees to plug a $469 million budget deficit. Read more.

While I do not feel it is inherently wrong for government agencies to employ public relations professionals, I will admit $4 million (and 50 public information professionals) over four years seems a bit excessive.

We're right back where I was earlier: PR in and of itself is not the bad guy. But in the face of a ballooning budget and sagging economy, a high-priced PR firm will not win when it's up against layoffs and elimination of other programs for citizens.

I may be on the side of public relations as a good thing, but not when it's getting fat off the taxpayers.

That, my friends, is BAD PR!