Letters to the Editor

| September 2, 2012

No Justice

This letter is for all people who have respect and compassion for animals.In regards to the July 19th court date in Franklin Park on the animal abuser subject (August Letter to the Editor), I wish to inform Franklin Park residents that in spite of my eye witnessing my neighbor’s abuse and killing and even his admission of doing such, the judge did not even fine him or admonish him.  He was charged with reckless conduct and he could have shot children playing in that yard. He is now very pompous and even threatened me after. I however do not worry about myself as I can handle the bully and coward; but I fear for the animals and the safety of Franklin Park residents. The judge’s decision was irresponsible and if I knew his name I would tell you. This is what happens when you try to correct a serious problem and you have a judge who used no common sense. Patricia Mangano Sandfor, Franklin Park  

Bond Issuance Should Be Submitted for Voter Approval

At the Franklin Park August 13th Village Board Meeting, I found it quite disturbing that a $15.5 Million Bond Issuance appeared on a “Consent” Agenda and was accordingly approved without discussion or debate.  Particularly, since once issued these bonds shall be and forever remain until paid or defeased the general obligation of the Village for the payment of which the Village’s full faith and credit is pledged subject to ad valorem property taxes upon all taxable property in the Village without limitation as to rate and amount.  In layman’s terms, what this means is a property tax increase! Equally troubling is the purpose for which the bonds will be issued.  $4.5 to continue funding the Police Station.  $2.2 million for “contingencies”, Pedersen-ease for the Police Station.  The Village just issued $10 million in General Obligation Bonds to fund the Police Station.  A Police Station Pedersen previously assured the residents would cost only $10 Million.  Importantly, Northlake recently built a state of the art Police Station that adequately provides for public safety for $6.9 Million.  Pedersen has never justified how, what has now become without warning, a $20 Million Dollar Police Station will make us any safer than the one Northlake built for $6.9 Million. I and other concerned residents will be circulating petitions to have placed on the November 6th ballot a referendum requiring voter approval for the issuance of these bonds.  I hope every concerned citizen will see fit to sign these petitions so this matter can be placed on the November 6th ballot and there can then be a vigorous debate regarding whether their issuance and the accompanying tax increase is warranted. Ken Zurek, Franklin Park 

Thank You!

Dear Barbara, I can’t thank you enough for taking an interest in my book and making many people aware of it. My goal is to inspire all people and to give some good advice to parents with disabled children. I contacted the editor of Chicago Parent Magazine and she told me to send her all the information. I am now waiting for an answer. Thank you also for letting people you know that there is a Nook and Kindle version of my story to read. You are a very special person and it is a pleasure to know you. Sincerely, Benedetta Lino (Author, Tears of My Angel)

School District 81 Concerns

I have lived and paid taxes in the Schiller Park-Leyden Community for more than 40 years.  My seven children were educated through the public school system, both in District 81 and Leyden High School District 212.  I currently serve as one of seven board members on the Schiller Park/Franklin Park School District 81 Board.  The purpose of this letter is to provide some insight to the community of serious problems I have observed while serving as a Board Member.

By far the most serious issue is the matter of rampant spending by the Administration.  I constantly question items on the monthly bill list and have resorted to using the Freedom of Information Act to elicit information on several troubling expenditures as well as other matters.  My concerns – and I would think taxpaying citizens’ concerns – are fueled by finding unnecessary and exorbitant expenditures by the district in areas that have nothing to do with the education of the community children.

For example, the annual “HOLIDAY EVENT” continues to eat up over $10,000 of our tax dollars every year to enable the ENTIRE SCHOOL STAFF (including the well-paid teachers and administrators) to enjoy a night of fine dining and entertainment in the style of a wedding reception (BEUJOLIE  BY VICTORIA (FORMERLY STARLIGHT INN) I have asked other districts about their “Holiday Events” and have not found one that uses this much money to pay for such a party!  District 81, however, feels entitled to spend your money in this manner (AT THE BOARD MEETING APRIL 2012 A 5-2 VOTE WAS TAKEN TO KEEP THE HOLIDAY EVENT.)  Oh, and I understand that most of these events have included an ‘open bar’ for the adults to enjoy throughout the evening – clearly the wrong use of tax dollars!

Another observation I’ve made after 3 years on the board is that we rarely see any items of services bid out in order to get the best price.  This is one of the main functions of the board to oversee the bidding process for the tax payers.  Board policy states that bids are required in cases where expenditures are in excess of $25,000.  The Administration recently hired companies to do work to provide bathroom accommodations for Special Education students at Lincoln School (the NEW ONE!) that totaled more than $25,000.  Apparently, they didn’t bid out the work because they chopped the lump sum into smaller amounts and wanted to use the same companies that performed similar work at our other buildings previously.  Seems more than a little wrong to me!

Some residents have started attending the monthly meetings to try to get a response from the Board Of Education and Administration about spending in the District.  Their anger and frustration has resulted in many shouting matches between the Board President, the Superintendent and the residents.  The lack of transparency and trust between the District and the public is very obvious.  The attitude seems to be “SPEND, SPEND, SPEND AND SPEND SOME MORE! Raise the taxes if we want more money, too bad if the taxpayers lose their homes!”  Does the arrogance of Marie “Let them eat cake” Antoinette seem to fit here?

The Annual hearing for the public is scheduled for the September Board Meeting, Wednesday September 19, 2012, 6:00pm.  I urge you to attend.  If you don’t, maybe stop by the holiday party in December to see your tax dollars hard at work.  David C. Stachura “TAXPAYER”/District 81 Board Member

 

 

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