LaSalle Insider

Why does everyone involved call it health care reform when we are really talking about health care INSURANCE reform?  We have the best HEALTH CARE in the world!!!!

I will support any health care insurance reform that every federal official must use as well as the average citizen……

Our appropriations shows that we are earmarking$195,000 in additional engineering costs for the new waste treatment facility being built over the next two years……so much for the supposed savings from getting rid of one of our in-house engineers……

Another item popping up in the current appropriations is a $7,000 amount for website management………..correct me if I am wrong but didn’t Pam Broviak also handle our website as well last year? Just asking……

I know we voted (or will vote) not to have the city pay for any convention costs but before you bash every elected  city official  ask your school board member if they don’t go to a similar convention at the tax payer’s expense!…..

How do you feel about the legalization of video poker?   Is legalizing marijuana next so we can tax it?  How about legalized prostitution? Maybe that’s the jobs that President Obama is talking about when he says he is saving or adding jobs to our economy….talk about a stimulus plan!!!!!

Does Al Gore have to give back his Nobel prize if its proven we are in a global cooling period?

And finally, don’t you became a Phillies fan everytime you know J.A. Happ is scheduled to pitch?

Just thinking out loud….

On Monday July20th, myself along with aldermen Lavieri, Demes, Green, and Ptak took a ride on the Volunteer.  This was set up as a joint voyage with the LBA and the city Officials.  The only aldermen not there were three of the newly appointed or elected officials.  They were Aldermen Bacidore, Herdon, and Salazar.  The Mayor did not join us but I am sure it was due to his work schedule.

He is normally off on Monday but Tuesday was a scheduled informal meeting which I am sure he switched days to attend.  Members of the LaSalle Business Association joined us bringing the total number of passengers up to about 15 to 20.  Our tour guide was informative but even she suggested we could talk amongst ourselves  if we were not interested in the bit of history she was narrating.  It was a hot evening and I was wondering what the midday passengers experienced in the way of heat at that time of day.  The trip lasts an hour, and for me that was long enough.  I have been to the towpath many times in my life and have seen the sights located there.   I understand the historical significance of the canal but I have to say the trip was rather boring and I would say that once ridden the odds of a return trip to the canal experience would be less than likely.  I know everyone means well but the trip needs a longer route and a bigger payoff. I don’t know if there are plans to greatly change things in the future and I would guess the CCA is limited by the DNR and what they will allow.   I wish them well and hope we never run out of first time riders……..

Although this isn’t political in nature or an announcement for any event I hope my readers can help me.  I have two items I need to sell because of space they are taking up.  I have enclosed their pictures below.  They are a nathan hale roll top desk and an antique round dining room table with four chairs.  I will entertain any offers.  You can call me at 815-224-0097 or email me at garry.schroeder@hotmail .com or contact via comments below

Although I have been critical from time to time with regards to our current mayor, I must applaud him on a few things which he has seen fit to support or change.  First I am glad that we are not appearing in ads everyday in our local paper.  Those ads showing the names of city officials were a waste of money and could be interpreted as a political ad for incumbents.  I applaud the fact that Jeff has slowed them considerably.  ALSO we as a council have decided not to fund the city officials costs of going to the annual municipal convention in September.  By all estimates it appears we will save about 20 thousand for other uses. Any official can still go but will be responsible for his or her own expenses. Jeff supported that as well.  And finally we are making some headway on some of the burnt out and eyesore buildings that have been a burden for years.  I appreciate Jeff taking the lead in getting some of those buildings under city control for scheduled demolition or cleanup.

This  Tuesday, July 21st, at 6:ooP.M. the LaSalle City Council will hold an informal meeting in the council chambers to discuss the appropriation ordinance for our fiscal year which began on May 1st, 2009.  At first blush it appears that we will be appropriating 3.2 million dollars more than expected revenue.  That is about the same as last year’s appropriated amount. On Tuesday we will get into the actual amounts for each department.  I would hope we have a budget planned as well.  As you may know just because something is appropriated for does not mean that it will be spent. However if you don’t appropriate for it you need to come back to the council for approval prior to authorizing the spending.  Plenty of seats will be available so come on down and join in the fun!

I have an issue that has bothered me ever since I was elected the first time in 1997.  Its the issue of whether municipalities should be donating tax dollars to charitable organizations.  Under full disclosure I must admit to voting for the spending of city funds for various organizations over the years.  In my gut I think its the wrong use of city funds.  Some may argue its not that much in terms of the budget ( in varies over the last two years between $6,000 to 7500.)

Those were direct donations however.  The city has spent more with the local paper in the form of ad support for various causes.  You have seen them, IVAR dog or cat sponsorship, high school football schedules, graduation pages, etc.  This also seems wrong.  I don’t think its constitutionally correct to give monies away to these causes.  I think the private sector should be the supporter of these types of operations.  How can we justify not having the funds for street repair or sidewalk replacement but at the same time give funds away?  If you add what is spent in promotional dollars with the Press the annual number has been as high as $30,000.00 in a year!

In today’s paper Peru just wrestled with giving money to the Peru Municipal Band.  The council was not unified in its support.

So I ask you, the taxpayer, citizen, constituent………what do you think?

I have changed the poll to reflect this question…please vote, or better yet vote and submit your thoughts…

Good Morning and Happy Fourth of July.  I had the opportunity to view the fireworks last night on Water Street and must say a fine job was done by all.

I ran into Mayor Harl and his wife and will admit one thing, Scott is definitely a “man of the people”.  He was greeting and shaking hands as if the election were tomorrow.  I applaud him and his energy and I think  he truly loves that part of the job.  He really appears to enjoy being around people!

I hope everybody takes some time today to recognize that we live in the greatest country in the world!

We have the best health care as evidenced by the fact that people worldwide come here for treatment.  We have the highest standard of living overall, we  enjoy  more freedoms than any other country, and people from all over the world in some cases, risk their lives,  to try and get here to give themselves and their families a chance at the American Dream!

I know we have our problems, and I know we always will be dealing with issues that need to be addressed to better our way of life, but I would not want to live any other place in the world.  It pains me to hear politicians complaining that we aren’t respected in the world community or we are imperialistic in our actions to bring liberty and freedom to oppressed people.

That’s not the America I see…I know that if we were not the last “Super Power” left standing and China or the USSR was this world would be a much darker place in which to live.

Thank you to all who have served and all who have died preserving our Nation and “God Bless America!”

Have a Great Holiday, in spite of the rain….

If you have been following the latest actions from our House of Representatives you are aware they narrowly past an energy bill by the slimmest of margins.  What’s  upsetting about this bill is that it was voted on by elected officials who for the most part never read the bill.  It wasn’t even available in the well of the house during the vote.  This bill is the worst thing ever concocted under the guise of helping America in an energy crisis.  It will only help to raise taxes and the cost of everything we buy.  I say this because everything  we buy (food, clothes,medicine, etc) needs energy to be delivered to us.  The cost of delivery will be raised because of higher costs of transportation in prices of fuel.  Adding to our misery is the fact that this federal government wants to dictate the kind of vehicle we drive, the type of energy we use (solar and  wind instead of fossil fuels)  because they know what’s best for us!  The reality is that wind and solar are much more expensive then using fossil fuels for energy.  The Feds continue to use the excuse of “global warming” as the reason we must change and change now.  The jury is out on whether we can change the average climate temperature or if it is truly up to mother nature’s control, but that doesn’t stop these “we know what’s best for you” intruders on our right to choose what we think is best for us.

Lets add in the fact that this bill as written will also dictate if you can sell your home or not.  In the bill it provides that a federal inspector will determine whether you home meets the energy efficiency level that the government will set.  If it does not you as the owner will have to replace or repair those things which are not up to their standards or you will not be allowed to sell your home.  The big problem is  those standards can change overnight without any notice!

It all adds up to more governmental intervention in our lives, increased costs to everything that we buy, and limiting our choices based on what the Feds determine to be acceptable.  AND OUR CONGRESSWOMAN VOTED FOR IT!

I thought after meeting Deb Halvorson and her husband, that these were two people that got it.  I thought they understood what the average person has to deal with on a daily basis when it comes to governmental intervention in our lives.  I really thought she would stand up for us.  I COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE WRONG!   At the end of the day she is just another party hack who votes for those things she is told to by the likes of Speaker Pelosi.

Please make sure you let our federal senators (Durbin, and Burris) know that the Senate must vote this piece of legislation down!  If not we are in for a much longer recovery and many more months, if not years, of misery before we can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel!