Seeking more transparency

Dear Rep. Bill Foster,

Since I have had no reply from you regarding my June 24 letter I am again requesting that your address the following issues through this letter to the editor.

After notifying your office, your Web site has not made the following correction. You have eliminated or failed to record that Kane County's Community Development Block Grant has received more than $338,000 in funds.

You have not addressed how weatherization, rehab and energy efficiency projects will be monitored and how and where information will be provided on these projects in Aurora, Elgin and Kane County.

I see no place where taxpayers can determine how many jobs are being created with this funding: who the organizations receiving the funding are; who is responsible for monitoring these programs; and confirmation on how the public can be assured that there is no fraud involved. I've been told that addresses cannot be given on HUD funds used because of privacy issues.

You serve on both the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and the House Financial Services Committee, which is responsible for watching the $31 billion of HUD funding for affordable housing and community development purposes. You have also dedicated $2,469,000 to Kane County for the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Program. For the sake of transparency, I believe it is time these questions are addressed.

D.L. Bakk

Wasco