Johnson needs to put 'we' before 'I'

In a recent article in the Neighbor section, Mayor Johnson of Elk Grove promised to build a fountain for any business that brings as much revenue to the village as Alexian Brothers does.

He said, "If anyone invests $300 million in the community and employs thousands of people and has a half a million visitors, I will build a fountain for them."

I hope he truly means "I", because I presume he did not open his personal checkbook to pay for the current fountain. "We" paid for it, the people of Elk Grove Village.

I agree the hospital brings in a lot of revenue. But, when did "we" go to "I" around here? We have elected our mayor, and he represents us. He does not have the power to make "I" promises with our money. I hope the $250,000 from the residential enhancement fund that he chose to use for this fountain was a wise choice.

I hope the fountain lasts longer than the "enhanced" paver stone crosswalks we paid for a few years back that are breaking apart from traffic and weather, making it necessary to repair them with unsightly asphalt.

I hope I speak for many citizens of Elk Grove when I say to you, Mayor Johnson, please have a reality check. Many of us are unemployed, retired on fixed incomes, or perhaps like me, a teacher whose salary is now frozen for two years and, I find out, may not collect the pension I paid in for all these years when I am ready to retire.

Or maybe again, to quote my own circumstances, we have college-aged students living at home, who cannot find a summer job (the village or the hospital certainly were not hiring), and we are struggling to make ends meet and pay those tuition bills.

Please have some empathy when you continue to spend our money. Better yet - is there anyone out there with more empathy and not so much into themselves, but into the citizens and "we" that would want to run for mayor next time?

Please - give us some choice.

Sandra Jedrzejewski

Elk Grove Village