State Rep. Jack Franks, also known as Chainsaw Jack, introduced legislation to allow Commonwealth Edison to chop down trees that were in the way of power lines.
Think of how much money that would have saved in tree trimming.
This past week I was reminded of that legislative effort when tree trimmers were in my back yard.
Tree trimmers on Lake Avenue in the Tree City of Lakewood, Illinois.
I knew they had been there because a pile of limbs with leaves ended up in the curb next to my driveway. A not on the front door verified that.
Today, the tree trimmers are going after “bad” trees with their chain saws. They destroy the evidence with chippers.
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Jack Franks let his Com Ed chainsaw bill see the light of day on March 6th in the House Public Utilities Committee. Opposition was so great that he did not allow an up or down vote.
Franks introduced legislation on February 28, 2012. An amendment to his House Bill 3884, which will allow Com Ed and Ameren to cut down any tree within 20 feet of a power line.
For those interested in how Jack Franks earned the nickname “Chainsaw Jack,” I present links to the following articles:
3-4-12 Jack Franks Shows Tree Killer Side
3-5-12 Fellow Democrat Finds “Chainsaw Jack” Franks Got $1,000 from Com Ed Ally Ameren
3-7-12 “Chainsaw Jack” Franks Can’t Power Tree Massacre Bill Out of Public Utilities Committee…Yet
3-7-12 Illinois House Chainsaws Jack Franks
3-11-12 Sunday Chicago Tribune Hacks at “Chainsaw Jack” Franks’ Tree Killing Bill
3-12-14 “Chainsaw Jack” Franks Blames Constituents for Introducing his Com Ed Clear Cut Bill
Lol Chainsaw Jack.
No non-Tea Party affiliated source other than Cal Skinner calls Jack Franks by anything other than his title: Representative.
Chainsaw is a sobriquet singular to this blog.
The same people who complain about tree cutting would be complaining louder when power lines go down.
We are lucky they are doing it and not making you do it and charging you.
Cal:
Whatever the reasons for your relentless attacks on Jack, please remember that he defeated and humiliated the same Culture of Corruption (Schaffer and Jordan, propriators) who back stabbed you.
The trimming must be done to prevent power outages.
Also, there are safety issues related to overgrown limbs taking out anything below.
More aggressive trimming is a safety issue.
You are right on that Charles, I remember!
But now they all seem to be siding together.
Why not bury the low and medium voltage power lines like it is done in many places.
Do not give me that argument that it cost five to ten times as much per mile.
These rare, strait and impregnated wooden poles must cost a pretty penny and by just digging a small trench by backhoe to lay down the power cable will likely not cost more than digging holes and anchoring these wooden poles with wires.
Then we also have the almost yearly trimming by the “Tree Nazis” (Asp….s), and I am sure they are not working for free with their multi-men teams decimating perfectly good trees along the roadway.
Also, the largest cost of all is the costs incurred by the home owner when the tree branches fall down and cause a power loss, sometimes for days (I am sure the utilility companies are not consider that in their argument again burying the cables).
@Flat Earth : Here are four good articles substantiating why above ground is less costly – especially when it comes to maintenance, and time to fix issues.
Happy reading!
http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/12/us/winter-storm-power-lines/
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/07/25/why-most-cities-dont-bury-power-lines/
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Undergrounding
Look under comparison.
http://www.entergy.com/2008_hurricanes/Underground-lines.pdf
They should be butchers, the way they ruin the trees that took so long to grow.
They most likely laugh at the mess they make but they don’t care it’s by their houses.
As a civil servant, is it known what Rep. Franks cares about?
I do not know that he operates in good faith for his Country, State and district.
We all know that things could be better and we know that elections are not generating people very hungry to serve.
Starve Rep. Franks with the fear of his maker until we know he fears not struggling to be the best.