Saturday Soapbox: Thanks for thinking of them
One of the lesser publicized aspects of John and Rita Canning's generous donation to Northwest Community Hospital is worth a closer look. Part of their $1 million contribution to help fund the expansion of the emergency room will train ER personnel to better recognize signs of domestic abuse. The hospital is partnering with Women In Need Growing Stronger, a terrific local organization dedicated to helping abused and homeless women and children recover and get back on their feet. To identify domestic abuse in the ER is the first step to ending it, so thank you, John and Rita Canning, and kudos to Northwest Community for recognizing it's a worthwhile thing to do.
Wrong mandate to pick on?
While we've often criticized the state's tendency to impose unfunded mandates on local units of government, District 214 Superintendent David Schuler may not have picked the best one to target at a board meeting last week. Speaking of the need to find $2.5 million in cuts in a $200 million-plus budget before parents angry that the Hersey High School orchestra might be hurt in the process, he cited "green cleaning supplies" as one of the problems. Complying with the new initiative will cost the district $140,000 next year, he estimated. That constitutes less than 1/10th of 1 percent of the budget -- and probably isn't that unpopular with district residents.
There's a message for you
As a common courtesy to all in this fast-paced, digitally technological age in which we live, please s-l-o-w d-o-w-n when leaving a message on a cell phone or an answering machine. We shouldn't have to replay a message three times just to get the correct number for a return call. We'll hang up now and listen for our response.
A bill too far
It's not too hard to see why Elgin School District U-46 taxpayers have already forked over nearly $4.6 million in legal fees in its defense against a discrimination lawsuit. The district's own lawyers submitted a $14,775 bill to the court for a nine-page document, three pages of which contain an actual legal argument, four pages of which were background and two pages of which were signatures. Yes, the bill was meant to go to the plaintiffs' lawyers, but the frustrated judge certainly shared the sentiments of district taxpayers when he called the bill "shockingly excessive." Pretty much like the whole case so far.
Indicted, but still paid
And speaking of Elgin taxpayers, they've also been paying the wages of police officer Chris Darr since New Year's Day even though he has been doing little on their behalf since he was taken off the street following accusations he'd beaten a brawl suspect while off duty. The investigation into a hotel brawl that injured Darr's father, a former Elgin deputy police chief, and prompted the complaint was turned over to a special prosecutor because of the close relationship between police and the Kane County state's attorney. Now Chris Darr has been indicted, but he's still being paid. Taxpayers must wonder how long that tab will be theirs.
Recall has its flaws
A proposal that would allow voters to turn elected officials out of office through a recall provision is making its way through the Illinois General Assembly. And we support giving voters recall power in a state that has seen its share of elected officials abusing the public trust once in office. But removing someone from office through recall, if approved, would still be a complicated process. Which should serve as a reminder of the importance of voters electing good, qualified candidates to public office in the first place.