Arrest might have been predicted

It's a very sad day for Elgin and its taxpayers when a major drug ring is busted involving a city employee at a city funded facility by the FBI.

While serving on the city council from 1995-1999, I voted against hiring Joel Perez, a self-admitted "ex-gang member" and the funding of God's Gym with hundreds of thousands of city dollars.

There were many reasons for my "no" vote -- many police calls at this facility, including a shooting inside the building by a masked gunman firing several shots which thankfully struck nobody, bad bookkeeping and possible missing monies.

During my personal investigations, police officers informed me that gang activities were taking place there.

I, along with then-Mayor Kevin Kelly, voted against the plan. Every year, we re-voted on Perez's city employment contract and funding and I voted "no."

Never during this period were any solid statistics presented to us as to how effective the gang intervention program actually was.

After leaving office in 1999, the city gave Perez a promotion and salary increase, and hired his partner, Angel Vega, as a full-time employee with generous pay and medical benefits.

I wonder now what pension benefits will continue to be paid by the taxpayers.

Since 2000, not one member of the city council, staff or police department spoke up about the many problems at the facility until now.

Mayor Ed Schock and Councilmen John Walters and Bob Gilliam have voted for funding God's Gym, a total lack of leadership and oversight that has cost the Elgin taxpaying citizens millions of dollars over all these years.

After reading the stories about Vega's arrest, I feel vindicated for opposing the program.

But I also feel sad that Elgin government didn't do its job of protecting our tax dollars and trust. How shameful is that?

Terry L. Gavin

Elgin