Saturday Soapbox

Doing it right matters:

For the fourth year in a row, the village of Huntley won a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Government Finance Officers Association. The award, given to only 2 percent of municipalities nationwide, means it gets a better credit rating, can borrow more readily and gets a better interest rate when it does. Maybe we could send Huntley financial overseers to Springfield, where leaders have buried the state in debt and can't even put together a budget.

'Hey, I'm walkin' here!'

So shouted Ratso Rizzo, in "Midnight Cowboy" to a cabby who nearly bowled him over. This street hazard isn't exclusive to New York City. Extensive experience and numerous close calls lead us to conclude that suburban motorists fall into either of two categories: One, those who know pedestrians have the right of way and respectfully extend that courtesy. Two, those who make it their mission to gun through intersections and apparently view any pedestrian trauma as mere collateral damage.

Never-ending goals:

You've got to give Elgin credit for persistence. Among its top 10 goals for the near future are a number of issues perpetually on the agenda. Continued efforts to return single-family homes to that status from apartments. Continued entryway improvements. Buying up problem properties. Residents unhappy with basic city services, however, are probably more interested in the inclusion of four new public works employees on that list, although they'd probably also like to hear "better service" promises from municipal leaders along with those extra bodies.

Seeing green?

When governments start expressing zeal for seizing private property in the name of the bureaucratic bottom line, it should make people uneasy. But there's little doubt the latest municipality revenue-generating trend is seizing cars of those driving without licenses or insurance or while under the influence, and charging fees to return them. That means Carpentersville Trustee Judy Sigwalt's zeal for such a cash cow may be more open than most, but the idea isn't unique. The problem is real enough. In just six months this year, Carpentersville issued 983 citations for driving without a license and 974 for driving without insurance.

Going, going gone:

There's nothing quite like the Internet for spreading the word, it seems, even about stray animals. Since Kane County's new animal shelter started listing pictures and descriptions of some of its feline and canine denizens on petfinder.com a month ago, adoptions have increased dramatically. The response has "almost wiped us out in dogs," said facility director Pat Sikorski. About 2,000 hits per week seek information about animals at the Geneva facility. If you're seeking a furry companion, simply type "Geneva, IL" into the location box on the left rail of the Web site's main page.

More ship jumping?

Fifty-five percent of residents in Campton Hills created the municipality at the polls in April with their "yes" votes on the question of incorporation. Ever since, it seems, "no" voters have been asking to be removed from that new community, citing fears of higher taxes and little discernible benefit from incorporation. Hidden Oaks subdivision on the eastern edge of the new village joined residents of Prairie Lakes, and Burr Hill Club and Wide View subdivisions who had earlier asked a judge to let them jump ship. If the judge says "yes" to all the disconnection requests, the new village would be 250 acres and several hundred people smaller.