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I'm proud to have received the endorsement of the Springfield & Central Illinois Trades & Labor Council. Unions get a lot of criticism but they're still the only organizations that work exclusively to protect the economic interests of middle and working class people. I hope to represent the interests of the average voter on the county board, so I'm honored to have the Council's support.
I recently recorded a discussion about the clean energy plan worked out between the Sierra Club and CWLP for the Cable Access 4 show, World in Progress. I believe it already aired once but it will be shown again Thursday, October 5 at 8pm. It may also show at other times so check the Access 4 program schedule.
There has been a lot of news coverage on this issue but you can tune into the show to get the gritty details you may not have heard about.
I'm attending the Historic West Side Neighborhood Association meeting, Sept 28th, at Douglas Avenue United Methodist Church, 6:00 pm.
I'm scheduled to speak, along with other candidates, at the Vinegar Hill Neighborhood Association Monday, October 9, 7pm at the Laurel United Methodist Church.
If you attend either of those meetings, I'll see you there!
The most entertaining part about reading the State Journal-Register online might be the comment board. A Thursday article about one of the several Wal-Mart Supercenters proposed for Springfield spurred a lively debate. I contributed the following comment that I decided is worth repeating on my blog:
If Walmart follows the same pattern as in other cities, it will close down the Parkway Pointe Walmart once the new one is open, causing the property values of everything in that complex to plummet. Arkansas is littered with empty Walmart stores that closed when the new super center was built. Every town in Arkansas has an old Walmart building that is now a flea market, cheap used furniture store, or sits empty. Is that what Springfield wants for Parkway Pointe? Another empty retail building like the one on MacArthur, that used to house Venture and K Mart? Corporate executives in Arkansas don't care what happens to our neighborhoods, but we should.I lived in Arkansas for a short time and I came away with a strong impression of how destructive Wal-Mart's development policies can be to the attractiveness and growth patterns of small towns and large cities. I think people should keep in mind that if Wal-Mart has determined Springfield is suitable for more Wal-Mart stores, then Springfield must also be a suitable market for other retail stores that can be a positive part of the community, rather than acting as a parasite.
There were a few items of interest at the County Board meeting last night, besides a contentious zoning dispute.
A resolution passed to renew a lease agreement with Watts Copy Systems. I decided to check the Illinois Board of Elections website and discovered that Watts Copy and its owners have given tens of thousands of dollars in political contributions and in-kind donations over the past several years, mostly to Republicans. That includes $650.00 to the Sangamon County Board Republican Election Committee and thousands to the Sangamon County Republican Party.
You will also find that the local company Levi, Ray and Shoup gave thousands of dollars to the same two organizations before receiving the contract to provide software for the new voting machines. I guess that's just business as usual in county government.
In another part of the meeting, some board members apparently decided it was a good time to hold a campaign rally for Raymond Poe. Several board members, including my opponent, spoke out against a resolution proposed by Sam Cahnman by accusing him of grandstanding and wasting time. Ironically, the debate would have been over in one or two minutes if those board members had not taken up so much time grandstanding. There was a personal comment or two made that I won't repeat here.
I can be as partisan as anyone during election season, but that should be left at the door when its time to conduct government business. There's no reason for local government to be so partisan and personal. I think a few county board members should read the section in Robert's Rules of Order about decorum in public meetings and restrict campaigning to their own time.
A bright spot of the meeting was the report on a survey and a series of public meetings held regarding the health department. It looks like the health department staff did a good job seeking opinions from the public and trying to create a dialogue about where new facilities should be located.
Unfortunately, the County Board itself did not continue that positive approach once the report reached them. It would have been nice if the public in attendance were given copies of the report. It would have been even better if it were posted on the county website. I don't suspect there is anything sinister about the lackluster effort to inform and involve the public on the County Board's part. I think it's a force of habit and it says something about a persons' basic attitude about how government should relate to the citizens who rightfully control it.
After this meeting, I am more convinced than ever that important fundamental changes must be made to the way Sangamon County government operates.
I'm proud to have received a letter of endorsement from AFSCME. My Dad was an AFSCME member for many years before he retired from the state. As a former union organizer, I think it's important that elected officials represent all working people, rather than the special interests that typically dominate politics.
I would like to say that it's season when the weather goes haywire in central Illinois but we've had more than our share of crazy weather all year long. I was knocking on doors to introduce myself to more voters this afternoon when it was beautiful and sunny outside. When I got about five blocks away from my car it suddenly started to downpour. Before I got drenched, I had a few good conversations with people in the neighborhood about coordination between city and county governments, and developing inside Springfield, as opposed to exclusively expanding on the edge of town into rural areas.
I'll be back knocking on doors again tomorrow. If you live in the district I'm sure you'll see me in your neighborhood soon!