Soapbox: Get dates straight
Where was Naperville Park District Board President Kristen Jungles when the board was supposed to be meeting Wednesday? At a Naperville Unit District 203 superintendent advisory committee meeting. Jungles said she told the park board she would not be able to attend that Wednesday park board meeting, even before it was finalized, because she committed to being at the District 203 session. Park district commissioners Marie Todd, Mary Wright and Charlie Brown also missed the park board meeting. They said no one checked with them to see if they could attend. But that park board meeting was a special one that should have had all board members in attendance instead of just the three who did show up. These park district commissioners need to get their schedules straight.
In the driver's seat
By a hair, the General Assembly approved Gov. Rod Blagojevich's plan to give seniors free rides on public transit. That vote also provided a bailout for the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace from a sales tax increase. It was a tough vote for suburban lawmakers, knowing public transit was in need of funding but having to accept the last-minute free-ride proposal presented by the governor as a condition of his accepting any tax increase in support of mass transit. Only a few DuPage lawmakers took the plunge and backed public transit -- state Sens. John Millner, Dan Cronin and Kirk Dillard, all Republicans. That took guts and an ability to truly see the big picture.
Museum deserves a new owner:
The DuPage County Historical Museum could get a new lease on life. The Wheaton Park District is interested in buying, leasing or sharing in the cost of running the cash strapped museum. If there's a downside to that happening, we can't see it. Even before the county's budget deficit left the museum with zero funding, there was years of speculation about the museum shutting down. It might not be the same museum if the Wheaton Park District steps in, but at least it would remain a museum.
Entertaining prospect
Just guessing, but we'd imagine the results of a consultant's survey of residents, employees, students, civic and business leaders regarding a new superintendent might be pretty entertaining, and likely to make the ears of Elgin School District U-46's school board burn a little. Between the overly generous contract it gave former Superintendent Connie Neale, her abrupt departure and lingering animosity over her redistricting plan, it's more than likely the consultants got an earful. Their survey report to the board on Feb. 19 is open to the public.
Goodbye to one tax, hello to another
Interesting to see government publicly and strongly opposing a tax increase. Such is the case in DuPage County, where DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom and DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett are urging voters to cast no votes on Tuesday on a referendum calling for an increase in the county sales tax. Of course, they wouldn't be doing this if the county wasn't set to get a tax increase from another source. As part of that state transit deal, a quarter percentage point has been added to the five collar counties' existing sales tax, including DuPage. Revenue from the state-approved sales tax hike is needed to bolster public safety budgets in DuPage County. But voting no on the county sales tax - which is certainly the right choice given the need for it has been nullified by state action -- won't make wallets any lighter.