Letter to the Editor

Letter: Rep. Conroy's Bill to Eliminate Forest District Commissioners' Salaries is Disingenuous

If she really wanted to make an impact, her bill would propose eliminating all politicians' salaries, including her own. HB2377 is based on false assumptions.

I couldn’t agree more with Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46, Elmhurst) when she says in her April 3 letter to the editor that elected officials have an obligation to lead by example and do their part to fix out-of-control, unnecessary government spending. But it’s disingenuous of Rep. Conroy to pretend that she’s fixing out-of-control, unnecessary government spending when her sole focus is the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, one of the most productive local taxing bodies in the state. The Forest Preserve District has a AAA bond rating, clean audits and a financial surplus that helps provide taxpayers with high-quality services that bring value to the entire DuPage community. With more than 25,000 acres of land in 60 forest preserves, 600 …

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George P

11:05 am on Saturday, April 13, 2013

You are naive to think the elections in DuPage are not "rigged" by the partisan DuPage Co. Election Commission! Don't you know this is why the DuPage computers went down on election night? They needed to manipulate the results before posting them. DuPage is not corruption-free. Not even close. I tire of the comparsion to Cook Co. How about comparing DuPage to Lake Co.? DuPage Forest Preserve is …   more ›

Letter to the Editor

Letter: Never Forget that DuPage County Officials Have Set Their Sights on Our Open Land

Forest District commissioners must fight to keep DuPage Forest District separate from the County Board or risk huge step backwards to 1988.

I am reading about this Deb Conroy (D-46th Elmhurst) legislation to eliminate the DuPage County Forest Preserve District commissioners' pay and the bill to move over their responsibilities to the DuPage County Board members. This does seem like a huge step backwards in time, to 23 years ago.   In 1988, the County Board commissioners and committees eagerly thought that an incinerator on Forest Preserve district property would solve their revenue problems. I became a Board Member of CHASE, the citizens group that fought this county plan, and then the "Landfill Beyond our Lifetime" plan. The idea 21 years ago then was to fully separate the County Board from the interests of the Forest Preserve District lands so that the county could not make …

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Robert Kolb

1:22 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013

Jim- I couldn't agree more! Term limitations, would largely eliminate complacency, the possibility of fraud, and backroom (good ole boy) dealings. I think adequate compensation should be paid for these positions, so that they are meaningful. Unopposed political races in our city are sad, and disease the good government process. Robert K Kolb, Candidate for 5 th Ward Alderman   more ›

Bill to Eliminate DuPage Forest District Commissioners' Salaries Passes House Committee

Salaries and benefits of up to $80,000 per commissioner may be nearing an end.

By Amanda Luevano, Downers Grove Patch Legislation sponsored by state Rep. Deb Conroy (D-46th, Elmhurst) to eliminate the salaries and benefits of DuPage Forest District commissioners and chairman won the approval of a key House committee last week.   The House Counties and Townships Committee approved House Bill 2377 with a 3-2 vote. The bill will head to the full House for consideration. Who are the DuPage County Forest District commissioners? The proposal eliminates the salaries and pension, dental and medical benefits given to the forest preserve’s chairman and six commissioners. In DuPage County, commissioners meet once a week and receive a base salary of $53,500. With benefits, each commissioner costs the taxpayers up to $80,709.50. …

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Legislators Turn Their Attention to DuPage Forest District; Seeks to Save Taxpayers Money

State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R-Elmhurst) wants to disband the Forest Commission, Conroy wants to get rid of commissioners' pay.

State Rep. Dennis Reboletti (R- Elmhurst, 45th) last week sponsored HB 2481, which would dissolve the DuPage County Forest Preserve District Board and transfer the responsibilities of the Forest District to the DuPage County Board in 2016. In response late Friday, the DuPage Legislative Committee scheduled a special meeting for Tuesday, Feb. 26, to discuss the bill. "Before legislation of this magnitude is voted on in Springfield, I think it is important that all sides of the issue are explored," said Legislative Committee Chairman JR McBride in a prepared statement. "While I am open to the idea of a study to analyze a possible merger, I do not believe this bill has any merit until due diligence has been given on the subject." Reboletti …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter: Conroy Encourages Kids to Doodle 4 Google

Letters to the editor may be submitted for consideration. Submit letters to Local Editor Mary Ann Lopez at maryl@patch.com.

Dear Editor, Stimulating a child’s creative thinking and tapping into a young person’s imagination are as vital to the lifelong learning process as math and reading. And now, Google is making it a little bit easier – and a whole lot more fun – for us parents to encourage our kids to tap in to their creativity and think outside of the box. Doodle 4 Google is a nationwide contest that will end with one lucky and talented winner having their “doodle” featured on the Google homepage and receiving a $30,000 college scholarship for themselves, plus a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. It sounds great, but what’s a doodle? It’s the fun, interactive, educational, and sometimes surprising versions of the Google logo that appear on the …

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Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor: Conroy Says Make Every Day a Day of Service

Glen Ellyn Patch welcomes letters to the editor. Letters may be submitted to Local Editor Mary Ann Lopez at maryl@patch.com.

Glen Ellyn Patch welcomes letters to the editor and letters to the community. Letters may be submitted for consideration to Local Editor Mary Ann Lopez at maryl@patch.com. Dear Editor:   This past weekend, volunteers across America participated in the National Day of Service and selflessly gave back to their communities. From volunteering at after-school programs to picking up litter in a state park to countless other worthwhile efforts, we would not be the nation we are without the kindness and generosity of the unsung heroes among us.  There was simply no better way to honor Dr. King’s legacy than by recognizing the National Day of Service on the weekend before Martin Luther King Day, for our commitment to bettering our communities is …

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