Just in time for the first big snow of the year, the Department of Public Works is ready to present its plowing strategy for the coming white season. And it looks like patience will be a mantra for drivers and pedestrians. Aldermen asked DPW to set up a plan after last year's somewhat disjointed approach to plowing.

The plan's priorities are to open mass transit routes and main streets within six to 12 hours after a storm and then get to residential streets within 24 hours. The goal for residential streets is to at least clear the center lane in parking congested areas. The guidelines for those streets were termed "safe and passable, not bare pavement." Getting back to streets with alternate side parking and general clean-up would come within two days, plowing sidewalks crosswalks and alley opening would get done within four days as well as clearing bus stops.

Clearing bus stops and crosswalks was a topic with some contention throughout the year as DPW officials were called on the concrete to explain who was going to do the work, since last year it wasn't getting done in a timely fashion.

The department noted in its report that it added $280,000 to the budget to handle bus stops and crosswalks, as well as 10 more pieces of sidewalk snow equipment and end loaders, and, of course, 10 additional inspectors for quality control issues.

Cops and Schools: The City of Milwaukee and the Milwaukee Public Schools are ready to re-up their agreement to have squads patrol trouble areas at the end of the school day. MPD agrees to provide two-man squads between 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. at the discretion of MPS officials.

MPS will pay no more $60,000 next year for the added security. MPS has paid the city $60,000 for the 2006-07 and the 2007-08 school years. A Common Council committee will consider the deal this week.

Privatization Exploitation: Residents in Chicago are getting a grasp on what privatization of major services can do for them -- mainly get grasp on their wallets. The city leased its metered spaces to a private firm for $1.1 billion for 75 years. Most city meters are 25 cents an hour. Those rates got to $1 an hour next year and to $2 an hour by 2013, according to city officials.

Rates in the Loop now run $3 and those will go to $3.50 an hour next year and $6.50 an hour by 2013. City officials have no say over the rates until after 2013. The private operator is actually made up of two Morgan Stanley infrastructure funds.

There were 30,559 metered spots in 2004 bringing $13.6 million to the coffers. That rose to $18.9 million in 2007, according to the city.

One question that comes too mind is why is meter parking cheaper in Chicago than it is in Milwaukee? Milwaukeeans have been paying $1 an hour in the central business district for years already and aldermen eyed increasing the rate as a way to help out their cash-strapped budget. They ended up raising the fine for overnight parking violations.

Taking on Taxis: Amid all the hoopla over garbage and ice removal fee hikes for Milwaukee residents, fees for folks with licensed services appear to be heading skyward, too. A Common Council committee will consider this week more than doubling license fees for public passenger vehicles. Public passenger vehicles are most visible in the form of taxis plying city roads, but also include limousines, handicapped transports, pedicabs and horse and surrey livery services.

The proposal would increase license fees from $165 to $175 and change the length of the license from two years to one year. Renewals would cost $100.

Speaking of taxis, there's good news for folks fond of riding in them. Of 321 taxis inspected by the Police Department, 320 passed inspection. The annual analysis checks on things like cleanliness, whether the heat and air conditioning work and even the thickness of tire tread.

Only 18 cabs failed the first inspection and 17 of those passed the second time around. Joe Sanfelippo, who owns the most cab permits of any single individual in the city through his American United company, had only four cabs that failed first inspections.

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