The Taste just isn’t as sweet

The Taste of Chicago just isn'The Taste of Chicago just isn't what it used to be, and there are numbers to prove it. The Taste not only lost money in 2011 but also had the lowest attendance to date, and safety has also become an increasingly serious issue.

Mayor Emanuel's choice to cut the food fest in half is a blessing in disguise. For many of us, it has been years since we've attended the Taste anyway. Is it worth compromising your safety just for ribs and corn on the cob?

An event geared toward family fun in a secure and welcoming atmosphere has grown to be an overcrowded, rambunctious playground where anything can happen. Many people were shaken when a 19-year-old girl was shot and killed after the fireworks show in 2008, a contributing factor to the event's downfall.

DePaul graduate student, Avery Connelly is not sad to see the Taste be trimmed down.

"The Taste always seems like a good idea in theory, but then you hear these horror stories of stabbings and shootings. Why would families want to bring their children there?" Connelly said.

While safety has been a primary concern, it was not the main reason Mayor Emanuel decided to make the cut. Although 2010 brought a much calmer and more family-friendly Taste, there was still a large decline in attendance, and the city wasn't making enough money to cover the costs of putting on the whole production. With the city's economy what it is, any chance we have to buckle down and conserve resources is just good leadership.

While you Chicago foodies may enjoy days of gluttony in the hot sun, the Taste isn't cutting it for the city. As a result, it will be cut. And rightfully so. With Chicago's current economy, we simply can't afford to waste taxpayers' dollars and it's the Mayor's responsibility to ensure that we don't.

So this year, the Taste of Chicago will be serving up the best of the city's eats from July 11 to July 15, a five-day celebration as opposed to the ten-day extravaganza the city provided in 2011.

The cuts may leave a bad taste in the mouths of some Chicagoans, but if it means cutting the economic strain and safety concerns in half too, then rock on, Rahm.