Bad time to ask for $21 million
The Lisle Park District wants your vote Nov. 4 for a new building costing over $21 million. They want to do away with the Meadows Center, claiming it would cost $10 million for renovation.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to tell you which is cheaper. They claim it's only $10 per household per month for 10 years. This $10 per month can buy a needed prescription for a senior citizen. (Maybe the people who want this new building will give $10 to a neighbor senior citizen each month for 10 years for this prescription.) The housing market has been suffering and foreclosures are up. High school juniors and seniors are foregoing college plans because there is no money for tuition. People have lost their jobs and homes because gas prices were high and they couldn't afford to drive to work and could no longer pay their mortgages, but also because many layoffs are going on around the country. Ford Motor Company in Torrence will be laying off over 500 by Christmas, over 2,000 in Wisconsin. IDOT may not be able to salt as many streets this winter - salt has gone up in price. ComEd and gas companies have increased their prices.
What cost $600 to heat your home may now cost close to $1,000. The world economy is suffering and credit is frozen. And, no matter who becomes president, taxes will go up. They want seniors to believe a new building will have better facilities; they also want seniors to believe some programs will be cut without it.
Hey, people from outside of Lisle come to our programs - why can't we go to theirs? The facilities at the Meadows Center are just fine, thank you. How can they, in all good conscience, ask the voters for over $21 million?
Virginia Sanford
Lisle