Here’s a bumper sticker that I found on a winter day in the front McHenry County College parking lot.
GOD is NOT
a Republican
…or a Democrat
Seems pretty obvious, but a group called Sojourners thought you ought to know.
1
It was August 10th and we were off to the annual Family PAC cruise.
This CTA train was heading toward us.
As usual, I took pictures of Kennedy Expressway traffic and CTA trains.
And, once in Chicago, skyscrapers.
Pretty amazing the shots one can get from a car when one is not driving.
Having been the last people on the boat one year, we were determined not to be in that position again.
The boat was docked on the Chicago River near the elevated track.
This year we were first.
John O'Neill and Tom Morrison re-acquaint themselves. Dan Patlak is seen behind Morrison.
The first candidates to appear were state representative candidates Tom Morrison from Palatine and John O’Neill from McHenry. Morrison seems to have driven in with Dan Patlak, who is running for the Cook County Board of (Tax) Appeals.
The guest of honor Jim DeMint talked with Maria Rodriguez before boarding time.
As the crowd gathered, U.S. Senator Jim DeMint talking to Maria Rodriguez, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for the 8th District GOP nod.
WIND's William Kelly interviews Cedra Crenshaw.
As I was working my way to the check-in table I saw a woman being interviewed whom I didn’t know. Turns out it was the Joliet State Senate candidate whom the Will County Democrats threw off the ballot, causing continuing Fox TV news coverage because of her TEA Party credentials, her gender and her race.
Not the type of Republican that a Joliet Democrat would want to face in a state senate race.
Although I did not know it at the time WIND’s William Kelly was interviewing Illinois political media star Cedra Crenshaw.
Steve Baer, the conservative who ran against Jim Edgar for governor, talks with Dan Patlak, GOP candidate for the Cook County Board of (Tax) Review.
Next I found former gubernatorial candidate Steve Baer talking with Dan Patlak.
More tomorrow.
The renovated Illinois House of Representatives chamber from the Democratic Party side.
One of the way lawyers in the General Assembly make money is by attracting clients who have not only a business agenda, but a legislative agenda.
Because state law does not require attorneys to list their clients, there’s no central place to look to see if a particular lawyer-legislator is benefiting personally from his legislative position.
Now comes evidence in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel from neighboring state Wisconsin that this practice actually existed in Wisconsin.
Columnist Daniel Bice writes of two admitted felons asking for rollbacks of their verdicts based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s Enron Jeff Skilling “honest services” case.
That’s the case U.S. Attorneys have used to convict numerous politicians whom, it was argued, did not provide their constituents with “honest services.” The Supreme Court ruled that was not a specific enough crime, that to fit there had to be a bribe or a kickback.
Most Illinois politicians, a highly evolved species, know better than to be involved in such direct behavior. They prefer the “I’ll do a favor for you now,” “You do a favor for me down the road” approach.
Anticipation of the Supreme Court decision required a last minute re-work of the case against Rod Blagojevich.
Now Bice is telling readers that Nicholas Hurtgen, a Wisconsin political operative turned Bear Stearn biggie in Chicago is seeking to withdraw his guilty plea.
Hurtgen, of course, was involved in the Crystal Lake Mercy Hospital scandal.
But the more interesting part of the column is the information about ex-State Senator Gary George, described as the most powerful African-American politician in Wisconsin. He “pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy for accepting kickbacks of legal fees paid by an inner-city social service agency” and is now out of prison.
Now read what the man with a now-suspended law license says,
“”It is not bribery behavior under federal law to seek and receive legal work as a state legislator.”
Think that might apply to lawyer-legislators in Illinois?
= = = = =
After finishing this, I found this commentary on lawyer-legislator Abraham Lincoln on Tom Roeser’s blog:
Anyone who has deeply studied Lincoln, a political and literary genius, knows that he was a successful railroad lawyer while he was a state legislator…knows that he unfurled a map of Illinois on his desk in the House and bargained the routes of railroad lines across the state, making deals on what towns the trains would stop at…which he used to run for the U. S. Senate where he got more votes than Stephen A. Douglas (not that it did him any good as the legislatures in those days named U. S. senators and they picked Douglas).
Remember there were no serious conflict of interest laws then binding state lawmakers.
In the “a picture is worth a thousand words” category is the crowd scene you see below of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi’s fund raiser at the Boulder Ridge Country Club.
The dining area of the Boulder Ridge Country Club could have held a few more tables, but Lou Bianchi's fundraiser was the biggest event I have attended at the venue.
Bianchi listed the financial accomplishments of his office, pointing to his predecessor’s expenditure on one outside attorney of “$2.8 million for employment cases alone.”
But, the highlight of the speech was his conclusion:
“In concluding, I have spoken about three ways we have saved taxpayers money,
- our check enforcement program
- out in-house attorneys and
- those attorneys who work to save taxpayer money,
and I have introduced those attorneys who battle crime daily.
“Let me thank all those here tonight for their continued support for me and our office. Your presence here tonight is humbling and your appreciation is our payback.
“And, in my parting words, I want to remind everyone that I am not a career politician.
Lou Bianchi
“I ran for office
- to do justice
- keep the community safe and
- to return the office to the people.
“And, despite any outside pressure or threats, I will continue to do that.
“I have kept my promises and, in doing so, I serve the people and those who put me in office.”
Bianchi is not on the ballot this year.
"Together Everyone Achieves More" are the words that make up the acronym "TEAM."
I was standing behind the wearer of this tee shirt at a McHenry County McDonald’s a couple of years ago.
Since the Soar to Higher Heights Foundation said today more information would be available, I thought it would be appropriate.
Front of the Cary Education Association tee shirt.
It’s from the Cary Education Association.
Erwin Betancourt
18-year old Ervin A. Betancourt, who was arrested by Huntley Police for convincing a young Huntley High School girl to accompany him on a bus trip to the southeast, has been allowed by a McHenry County judge to return home so he can attend college this fall.
That’s what the Daily Herald is reporting today.
So far, there is no indication that the young lady did not accompany him voluntarily.
Chuck Keeshan reports he is due back in court September 21st.
Today, the Illinois Republican Party is holding its day at the State Fair. Busloads are people are heading that way as I write this article.
When I went, it was called Governor’s Day. That was back in Jim Thompson’s time.
We would go to the lawn of the State Fair Superintendent’s on-site home and eat lunch before the Governor would speak.
I remember one year when I ate with State Rep. Harlan Rigney’s family. The Red Oak farmer had been a 1970 Con-Con delegate before being elected state representative in 1972, the same year I first won.
One of the highlights was to be Thompson’s signature of a bill that would eliminate the sales tax on farm machinery. The argument this northwestern Illinois Republican offered was that business was going to Iowa, where no sales tax was charged.
“Cal, this is tax relief I can see on my kitchen table,” he told me as we chowed down. Harlan had such an engaging grin.
Reminding me of this is an email I received from the Illinois GOP rolling out its Dismiss Quinn web site.
Dismiss Quinn promotion on the Illinois GOP email.
I am amused that the actual web site has something missing on the promotion in the email.
Top of the page of the Dismiss Quinn web site.
Notice the difference?
“Donate Now.”
And, of course, those wishing change in state and local government could help their cause by sending a check to the candidate whom they most wish to be victorious. It doesn’t have to be a big one.
I remember the $15 check I received from a woman in Wonder Lake in 1972.
McHenry County State’s Attorney Bill Cowlin had commented to the Elgin Courier-Review in an article written by Algonquin’s Marion Gallery that electing me would be like “putting a fox in the chicken coop.”
She had received my first mailing, which, of course, asked for contributions. On the part she returned was a drawing of a fox.
Receiving it certainly made my day.
Every one-on-one race in which there is an incumbent boils down to a referendum on the incumbent. The challenger is essentially irrelevant.
Notice that there is no mention of Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Brady on what I have reproduced above.
It’s all about the suitability of appointed incumbent Pat Quinn’s service. Some of us remember when he used to be a reformer, listing the names annually of the Double Dippers of Illinois.
The Coalition for Political Honesty.
That’s what he called his organization.
Now he takes the Double Dippers’ money to get elected.
The House Speaker has a podium display that shows how everyone is voting or not voting. He can see who is voting Yes, No or Present.
I made many difficult votes as a state legislator during my sixteen years in Springfield.
When Barack Obama was state senator he gained a reputation for his “present” votes.
There are three votes an Illinois legislator can cast:
- Yes
- No
- Present
In 2007, this Veteran was playing patriotic tunes at the tent-covered memorial overlooking where the World Trade Center stood before 9-11. We didn't find a memorial this summer.
“Present” has the same effect as a “No” vote, because legislation must obtain an absolute majority to pass. (There are exceptions calling for a 60% majority when approving bonds, but without enough “Yes” votes, legislation fails.)
It’s basically a chicken’s way out.
Someone who votes “Present” can concoct an explanation that will leave a naive constituent believing he was really on his or her side on the issue.
Now, as President, Obama doesn’t want to say whether it’s wise to build a mosque two blocks away from 9/11 ground. I am pretty certain the ruble from the twin towers flew more than two blocks as a wave of debris was sent hurtling through the air.
A political firestorm was ignited when Obama held a Ramadan dinner at the White House and announced his support for building the mosque.
That’s the impression everyone in the room got including the New York Times who printed this headline:
Obama Strongly Backs Islam Center Near 9/11 Site
You can find it here.
Clarence Page column in the Chicago Sun-Times commented on Barack Obama's mixed message.
Obama then created a second, larger political firestorm when the next day he explained how he really voted “present” and didn’t take a position on whether the mosque should or shouldn’t be built there.
If you believe the Associated Press and New York Times, Obama voted “present” 129 times.
Aside from this mosque issue what the business community has picked up on is they can’t trust Obama to be really for something, even when members of his friendly media believe that’s what Obama communicated.
A campaign slogan of
“Yes. We Can!”
has become a governing slogan of
“Yes, We Can’t Trust Obama When He’s For Something”
It reminds me of the story of a guy being confronted by his wife finding another woman’s bra in the family car’s glove compartment. When confronted by his angry wife the husband exclaimed
“What are you asking me for? It ain’t mine!”
President Bill Clinton infamously answered how it depends on what the definition of “is,” is.
A thriving economy in our country depends on a political climate where businesses can invest in more jobs and depend on not getting clobbered by higher costs and higher taxes because of the whims of politicians.
No such confidence exists in Illinois, of course, and one could reasonably argue in the rest of the nation, as well, as far as Federal tax policy goes.
Having never worked in business, Obama has a lawyer-centric view of the world. He can give impressions to people, while figuratively insisting he voted “Present.”
Not much has changed since the time he spent in the state senate.
More tomorrow.
One of the comments under the Daily Herald article on a 17-year old boy’s train suicide near the Barrington High School yesterday morning follows:
“Looks like Phil Pagano started a new trend.”
Readers didn’t think it was appropriate, turning enough thumbs down to make me click to be able to read it.
Of course, there is no way to know whether the widely publicized suicide of Crystal Lake’s Pagano led the high school senior to his death, but it certainly might have.
One can say with great certainty that Pagano’s exit from this life did nothing to deter suicide on a train track.
Unlike Pagano, whom media reports took pains to point out decided to step in front of the last train to Chicago, the teenager killed himself about 6AM, causing huge delays for commuters.
Deanna Griffin, who chairs an ant-teen suicide group called HERE in Barrington is quoted as saying, Teens “are learning, in a tough way, that looking after one another is important.”
= = = = =
In other Metra news, the RTA Board is scheduled to select a replacement for Pagano today.
Mike Tryon
My Crystal Lake State Representative Mike Tryon is doing exactly what I would do. He is filling out all sorts of questionnaires and publishing them on his campaign web site.
Here it is the latest one, a comprehensive one from Project Vote Smart:
Project Vote Smart
2010 Illinois State-Level Political Courage Test
Michael W. Tryon
Abortion and Reproductive Issues
Do you consider yourself pro-choice or pro-life? Pro-life
Should abortion be legal only within the first trimester of pregnancy? N
Should abortion be legal when the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape? Y
Should abortion be legal when the life of the woman is endangered? Y
Do you support requiring parental notification before an abortion is performed on a minor? Y
Do you support requiring parental consent before an abortion is performed on a minor? Y
Do you support sexual education programs that include information on abstinence, contraceptives, and HIV/STD prevention methods? Y
Do you support abstinence-only sexual education programs? N
Budget, Spending and Tax Issues
Using the key, indicate what state funding levels (1-6) you support for the following general categories:
1= Greatly Increase 2= Slightly Increase 3= Maintain Status
4= Slightly Decrease 5= Greatly Decrease 6= Eliminate
Higher Education 3
K-12 Education 3 (a #1 priority, but the system needs reform)
Environment 3
Health Care 4
Law Enforcement 3
Transportation and Highway Infrastructure 3
Welfare 3 (the system needs reform)
Alcohol Taxes 3
Cigarette Taxes 3
Corporate Taxes 3
Gasoline Taxes 3
Property Taxes 3 (however, the General Assembly does not control this)
Sales Taxes 3
Income taxes for low income families 3
Income taxes for middle income families 3
Income taxes for high income families 3
Budget Stabilization
Indicate which proposals you support (if any) for balancing Illinois’ budget.
Tapping into Illinois “rainy day” fund Y (but there isn’t one)
Issuing the early release of certain non-violent offenders N
Increasing tuition rates at public universities Y (modestly, but only if needed after significant reform of expenditures)
Instituting mandatory furloughs and layoffs for state employees Y
Reducing benefits for Medicaid recipients Y
Privatizing certain government services Y
Campaign Finance and Government Reform Issues
Do you support eliminating the position of lieutenant governor? Y
Do you support limits on the number of terms for Illinois governors? Y
Do you support limits on the number of terms for Illinois sate legislators? Y
Do you support limits on the number of terms for the four top legislative leadership positions? Y
Do you support limits on the following types of contributions to candidates for state government:
Individual Y
Political Action Committee Y
Corporate Y
Political Party Y (though this could be unconstitutional)
Legislative Leader Y
Crime and Public Safety Issues
Do you support capital punishment for certain crimes? Y
Do you support alternatives to incarceration for certain non-violent offenders, such as mandatory counseling or substance abuse treatment? Y (I was chief sponsor of a new law that does exactly that for Veterans suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome)
Should the possession of small amounts of marijuana be decriminalized? N
Should a minor accused of a violent crime be prosecuted as an adult? N (but Y is some rare cases)
Should a minor who sends sexually-explicit or nude photos by cell phone face criminal charges? Y
Do you support requiring all motorcyclists to wear helmets? N
Do you support the enforcement of federal immigration laws by states and local police? Y
Economic Issues
Do you support reducing government regulation on the private sector? Y
Should video gambling be legal in Illinois? Y
Do you support increased state funding for job-training programs that re-train displaced workers? N (I can not support any increased spending at this time)
Do you support expanding access to unemployment benefits? N
Do you support providing financial incentives to the private sector for the purpose of job creation? Y
Do you support increased spending on infrastructure projects for the purpose of job creation? Y
Do you support providing direct financial assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure? Y (but no new spending)
Education Issues
Do you support National Education Standards? N
Do you support requiring public schools to administer high school exit exams? N
Do you support using a merit pay system for teachers? Y
Do you support state funding for charter schools? Y
Do you support the state government providing college students with financial aid? Y
Should illegal immigrants who graduate from Illinois high schools be eligible for in-state tuition at public universities? N
Environment and Energy Issues
Do you support state funding for the development of alternative energy? Y
Do you support state funding for the development of traditional domestic energy sources (like coal, natural gas, oil)? Y
Do you support providing financial incentives to farms that produce biofuel crops? N
Do you support state funding for improvements to Illinois’ energy infrastructure? N
Do you support state funding for open space preservation? Y
Gun Issues
Do you support restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns? N
Do you support requiring a background checks on gun sales between private citizens at gun shows? Y
Do you support allowing individuals to carry concealed guns? Y
Do you support requiring a license for gun possession? N
Health Issues
Do you support a universally-accessible, publicly-administered health insurance option? N
Do you support expanding access to health care through commercial health insurance reform? Y
Do you support interstate health insurance compacts? Y
Should individuals be require3d to purchase health care insurance? N
Do you support monetary limits on damages that can be collected in malpractice lawsuits? Y
Do you support legalizing physician-assisted suicide in Illinois? N
Do you support allowing doctors to prescribe marijuana to their patients for medical purposes? N
Social Issues
Should marriage only be between one man and one woman? Y
Do you support state funding for stem cell research? N
Do you support state funding for embryonic stem cell research? N
Do you support the state’s use of affirmative action? Y
Do you support the inclusion of sexual orientation in Illinois’ anti-discrimination laws? N
Do you support the inclusion of gender identity in Illinois’ anti-discrimination laws? N
Legislative Priorities (100 words or less)
Illinois is facing its worst economic crisis in the State’s history.
While the private sector is contracting due to the current economy, state government continues to expand.
Difficult decisions need to be made to reign in spending, but the leadership in Springfield is unwilling to make them.
Additionally, state government needs to be more transparent so that citizens have easy access to learning how their taxes are being spent. Lastly, ethics reform must be a priority.
Corruption in Illinois must end and significant reforms in the area of ethics are needed to restore Illinoisans’ faith in their government.
Crystal Lake City Hall
From the Crystal Lake Police Department comes this area warning:
Telephone Scam Warning: Beware of subjects posing as DEA agents requesting fines to be paid
Crystal Lake police received a report from a resident who had received suspicious telephone calls from a subject posing as an agent for the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The caller indicated the resident had been determined through an investigation to have purchased pharmaceutical drugs illegally via the internet, and demanded a fee be paid to avoid prosecution.
The DEA does not conduct investigations in this manner.
The DEA is aware of several such scam attempts in other areas of the country, and is investigating further.
Crystal Lake Police wish to remind all residents to be wary of any unsolicited caller requesting money be sent to them.
When in doubt, contact police to investigate further.
The following press release has been received from 16th District Congressman Don Manzullo:
Manzullo: Pentagon Continues to Send American Jobs Overseas,
Weaken U.S. Defense Industrial Base
[WASHINGTON] Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) today said the Pentagon has again flouted the Buy American Act by planning to use American taxpayer dollars to purchase 21 Russian-made helicopters for use in Afghanistan when a less expensive American-made alternative is available, sending American jobs overseas and weakening the U.S. defense industrial base.
In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Manzullo asked the Pentagon to re-evaluate its procurement policies that have continually allowed the Department of Defense to bypass American companies and purchase foreign products with American tax dollars against the spirit of the Buy American Act, which requires at least 50 percent of all goods and services purchased by the government to be made in America.
The U.S. Naval Air Systems Command recently announced its intent to purchase 21 Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters to train Afghans, claiming the Afghans are familiar with the aircraft.
American-made Sikorsky Aircraft says its S-61 model is similar in size and ease of operation and is actually less expensive than the Russian version. United Technologies owns Sikorsky as well as Rockford’s Hamilton Sundstrand, which supplies each Sikorsky S-61 with fuel pumping equipment made in Rockford.
Manzullo said the Pentagon’s decision to buy Russian instead of American helicopters sends taxpayer dollars overseas instead of putting Americans back to work. In addition, it takes business away from an American defense contractor and further weakens the U.S. defense industrial base, the manufacturing sector that makes weapons that protect Americans from our enemies.
Don Manzullo
“If we can’t start converting the Afghans’ helicopter fleet away from Russian technology now, what makes us think that we’ll be able to sell them U.S.-made helicopters in the future? The Afghan forces will be even more reluctant years from now to buy from U.S. sources with a large contingent of Russian-made equipment already in stock,”massive unemployment continues to plague the American manufacturing sector.”
“Now is the time for Afghanistan to bite the bullet and upgrade to better U.S. technology, especially when the U.S. taxpayer is footing the bill and massive unemployment continues to plague the American manufacturing sector.”
For many years, Manzullo has been on a mission to change the Pentagon’s misguided procurement policies that often favor foreign companies over American manufacturers.
As Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, he subpoenaed a 3-star General in 2001 and convinced the Army to cancel a contract for Chinese-made U.S. Army berets and give the work to an American firm.
In 2003, he convinced the Air Force to stop using Russian-made titanium in aircraft procurements, which helped to save the U.S. titanium industry when it was on the ropes.
Finally, he also persuaded the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Pentagon to change their plans to supply the new Iraqi armed forces with American-made M-16s instead of Russian-made AK-47s when using U.S. taxpayer dollars.
The intended Chicago Sun-Times front page before the Rod Blagojevich jury delivered its verdict.
Failed politicians sometimes get rehabilitated.
From the front page coverage intended for former Congressman Dan Rostenkowski by the Chicago Sun-Times, you can see that bringing home bacon to Chicago and making deals with Republicans like Ronald Reagan was more important to its editors than his felony conviction for mail fraud.
Charges including stealing tens of thousands of dollars in unused postage money.
But, there was another front page in the Sun-Times today.
The real front page in the Chicago Sun-Times today.
It featured Rostenkowski Republican successor, Michael Patrick Flanagan, who was beaten by now-convicted felon Rod Blagojevich.
Rostenkowski and Blagojevich.
Bookends of representation.
One rehabilitated.
Will the other one be, too?
The stalling tactics of McHenry County College didn’t work.
OK, so it's photo shopped. You get the point, right?
You may remember that I filed a Freedom of Information request for the performance evaluations of ex-President Walt Packard.
You remember him.
The one sent packing Feb. 26, 2009 with no explanation, but with a golden parachute that kept him on the payroll through this summer and he and his sick wife on tax-paid health benefits through August 21, 2012, according to the MCC press release.
That’s three and a half years.
The reason given for hiding this man’s performance evaluations follows:
“because it contains personal information, which if disclosed, would constitute a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
The denial letter then quotes Section 7(1)(c) of the Freedom of Information Act thusly,
an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy means “…the disclosure of information that is highly personal or objectionable to a reasonable person and which the subject’s right to privacy outweighs any legitimate public interest in obtaining the information.”
Now comes Public Access Division Assistant Attorney General Matthew Sebek telling the college that it has not met its burden of proof in its lawyer-prepared denial.
Ex-MCC President Walt Packard
“Evaluations of public employees directly address the manner in which public employees perform their public duties. Public bodies use these evaluations to determine the public duties of public employees for purposes of Section 7(1)(c) of FOIA. Accordingly, disclosure of such evaluations would not constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy.”
The letter goes on to say,
“We further note that MCC’s citation to Section 24A-7.1 of the Illinois School Code and House Bill 5154, in support of its 7(1)(c) assertion, is unpersuasive.”Section 24A-7.1 of the Illinois School Code, which exempts from disclosure performance evaluations for certain public educators is simply not applicable to MCC, which, as a community college, is governed b y the Public Community College Act [citation given] and not the School Code.”
Is that a smack down of MCC law firm Robbins, Schwartz, Nicholas, Lifton & Taylor or what?
But there’s more.
“With respect to House Bill 5154’s proposed amendment of Section 11 of the Personnel Record Review Act to exempt performance evaluations of public employees, that Bill was amendatorily vetoed by the Governor on July 26, 2010 in a manner that significantly limits the scope of that legislative change to certain law enforcement personnel.
“In accordance with this letter, MCC may release the requested records to the requester.”
The opinion is below. Click to enlarge it.
Many public officials are in denial about how their own actions and non-cooperation add to the public’s mistrust of government and even disgust of government.
Public officials adopt either a public servant’s I’m-here-to-help attitude or a self-serving I-don’t-want-to-bother attitude.
John Burkey
I asked former Huntley 158 School Board member Larry Snow if he had seen a copy of the recently negotiated contract with the support worker’s union (HESPA).
It is before the Huntley Board of Education to be voted on.
Snow looked online in Huntley’s board packet and wasn’t able to find it. He volunteered to ask Supt. John Burkey for a copy of the contract. I said, “Sure.”
Snow negotiated the last contract with HESPA along with Burkey and Shawn Green.
While Snow was on the board there wasn’t another board member who put in more time getting the district financially on track and getting its accounting reported correctly.
In other words, Snow put in thousands of hours helping the district keep the district solvent.
Let’s see how helpful as a public servant Burkey was.
Here is Snow’s email to Supt. Burkey and above, Burkey’s response:
Subject: Re: BOE Agenda 8-19-10
From: Burkey, John
Date: 8-17-10 5:29 pm
To: Larry Snow
Burkey, John wrote:
I cannot email it now as it is not a public document until after the
Board approves it. It will be online after that.—–Original Message—–
From: Larry Snow [mailto:lsnow@mc.net]
Sent: Monday, August 16, 2010 7:40 PM
To: Burkey, John
Cc: Fettes, Naomi
Subject: Re: BOE Agenda 8-19-10Can you email me a copy of the HESPA contract that will be voted on at
the board meeting?
That’s pretty close to what I asked for myself and the reply I received from Public Information Offier Lori Woods.
While Burkey writes how he “cannot,” there is no legal prohibition preventing Burkey from providing the information because it is not a public document.
It is a decision on Burkey’s part how he “won’t.”
He can, but simply “won’t.”
While the proposed teachers’ contract was available on the internet on the District 158 web site, the support workers’ contract is not.
It’s a deliberate choice to switch from transparency to secretiveness.
Some superintendents choose to be uncooperative, as Burkey has, while insisting that residents and parents be cooperative.
Such unresponsive and uncooperative government is, frankly, unworthy of local government.
Cooperation on small matters or lack thereof turns people off.
Stakes are much higher in the national arena where the public’s trust is eroding in President Barack Obama. As a candidate he promised his would be the most transparent government.
He would not receive a passing grade on that subject today.
The choice in December is to sweep Illinois Dems out of office, not to save our country, but to definitely help save ourselves from unresponsive people in government positions of authority.
I understand plenty of union members have a copy of the contract, so why won’t the administration share copies with Snow and me?
If the district can post the last teachers’ contract online before it was voted on, as it did, it should matter of factly include the HESPA contract in the online board packet where it could be seen by taxpayers.
Putting that packet online before meetings puts District 158 out in front of most local governments, after all.
But, the District 158 board and superintendent can hardly brag about transparency when they won’t post the contract until it is too late for public input.
And won’t send out copies when requested.
Pat Quiinn
Governor Quinn is a lawyer, as is Rod Blagojevich.
So when I read in the Chicago Tribune,
“Quinn said, ‘My conscience always guides me to do the right thing.’”
it occurred to me that “guides” gives Quinn plenty of wiggle room. Quinn can always say it was only a guide and he didn’t violate the law.
Dems haven’t passed serious reforms into law to prevent corruption in Illinois.
Can you imagine Chicago Dems ever voting for such nonsense?
For the Dems in Chicago and Dems elsewhere, reality is a game of
”Catch me, if you can.”
Press conference after the trail.
The Blago’s aggressiveness and lack of contriteness typifies the in-your-face unionism that has become the Dems’ core beliefs and behavior.
Rod actually spoke after his conviction of how he was the victim and persecuted by the Feds.
He
“never let anyone down.
Guess what?
Taking Illinois from $5 billion in debt (his number when he took office) and more than doubling that to ($13 billion, according to successor Pat Quinn) brokesville is letting people down.
Rod had many willing Dem accomplices in the General Assembly.
Blago’s temperament and values have become part of Illinois Dems’ DNA.
Until Dems get widely swept out of office, we will have more Blago in the form of other Dems’ swearing they are innocent and doing everything possible “for the people.”
The Sheriff’s Department advises the following:
Sheriff’s Office Investigates Attempted Child Abduction in the Hebron Area
The attempted abduction Tuesday afternoon was near VanderKarr and Kemman Roads
Sheriff Keith Nygren announced today that on August 16, 2010 at approximately 4:25 p.m. members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of an attempted child abduction.
Deputies spoke with the juvenile victim on scene who stated that while riding his bicycle near Kenman Rd. and Vanderkarr Rd., Hebron, Illinois he was approached by a man in a red vehicle.
The offender asked the victim for directions and actively tried to get the victim into the car.
Members of the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division spoke with the victim and determined that the offender was driving a red in color four door vehicle similar to a Chevy Cobalt.
The victim described the vehicle as new and had Illinois license plates. No other indicative features of the vehicle stood out to the victim.
The victim described the offender as a white male in his late 20’s, with blonde or light brown hair, wearing a white tee shirt, and cargo shorts.
Sheriff Keith Nygren encourages anyone with information regarding this investigation to contact either the Crime Stoppers of McHenry County at 1-800-762-STOP(7867), the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office at (815)33-2144, or the tip line email address; TipLine@co.mchenry.il.us. Callers can remain anonymous and may be eligible for a reward up to $1,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the offenders(s). Crime Stoppers does not use caller ID.
Mike Tryon
State Rep. Mike Tryon has issued the following statement about former Governor Rod Blagojevich’s conviction for lying to the FBI:
Crystal Lake…..Today, former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was found guilty of making false statements to the FBI, a felony punishable by five years in prison, but the jury could not reach consensus on the 23 other counts against him.
While I am pleased with the jury’s verdict on the false statements count, I am disappointed that they were not able to reach consensus on the other charges against Blagojevich.
The people of Illinois want closure on this issue, and they want a definitive ruling on all 24 counts that were brought against the former governor. To that end, I am pleased to hear that the prosecution intends to retry the former governor on the remaining 23 counts.
Corruption by this Democrat Governor was unlike anything we have ever seen in Illinois.
Not only was he corrupt, but recordings in his own voice paint the picture of a man disdainful of the position he held and of the people he was elected to serve.
And while the jury did not come back with guilty verdicts on all counts, the fact is that Rod Blagojevich has been found guilty of making false statements to the FBI and he will go down in the history books as a convicted felon.
This cartoon is the Rod Blagojevich side of JimRod, the Two-Headed Chicken. A new message--"I'm guilty?"-- has been put in the balloon above this hapless creature's head.
Rod Blagojevich doesn’t understand how he could have been found guilty on any count, of course.
Ex-Governor Rod Blagojevich has won the Corruption Championship Blue Ribbon at this summer's Crook County Fair.
He is clueless.
But the governor who increased the state budget by $1 billion a year–with the complete cooperation of Democrats who control the General Assembly–instead of working the state out of the $5 billion deficit he said he found when he took office now faces jail time.
He has helped his county maintain the blue ribbon in corruption.
Of course, Rod will say,
“They found me guilty,”
rather than
“I’m guilty.”
= = = = =
Apologies to Crook County, Wyoming, the location of Devil’s Tower.
When we were getting our 1880’s pictures taken next to the KOA Campgound restaurant that served buffalo-shaped burgers, I saw the blue ribbon shown above. There was a sign in the trailer advising that photos were not allowed.
I asked if I could take a photo of the ribbon and was given permission.
The wife of the team asked,
“Don’t you have a Crook County in Illinois?”
I told her the official name was “Cook County,” but that I referred to it as “Crook County.”