Again, tollway keeps Rt. 53 off agenda

Today, in a shameful move, hearkening back to the days of "good 'ol boys" government conducted in backrooms and defiant of the spirit of the Illinois Open Meetings Act, the Lake County Board made its second presentation to the Illinois Tollway in favor of the 53 extension, tax-raising, toll-raising, tax-capturing boondoggle without listing it on the public agenda.

Despite the fact that we politely reminded the Tollway Authority that it is unacceptable for them to have a presentation from another governmental body proposing the advancement of a $2.6 billion project that is highly controversial without proper notice on the published agenda, it happened again today.

We are not going to allow this highly controversial project to happen in a pseudo backroom deal without a proper public process, transparency and public notification.

Why do they feel the need to hide the presentations in favor of the project from the taxpayers? Please tell Aaron Lawlor, Lake County Board Chairman and Chairman Robert Shillerstrom of the Illinois Tollway Authority that it is not acceptable for a legislative body to make a presentation to the Tollway Authority without full and transparent disclosure to the public via the public agenda.

Since we are the ones who would be footing the bill for this outrageously expensive project, it's only fair we are notified and given the full notice entitled to us via the Open Meetings Act. This is shady government dealings at best and unworthy of the Tollway Authority or our county government.

Barbara Klipp

Grayslake