LaSalle Insider

Sunday is Father’s Day and every year at this time numbers come out telling us what it costs to raise a child in today’s world.  The latest number I have seen  was $300,000 from birth to age 18.  I have two daughters over 18 so conservatively I would say my wife and I have spent at least a half a million dollars over those growing years.  We have friends that opted out of  the kid thing and decided to stay childless during their marriages.  Some have two homes now and new cars along with great stories about vacations to exotic places I will never see….I will admit at times I am jealous……but….

If I had to do it all over I would still pick the child option.  Yes there are times that you wanted to ring their necks (figure of speech, don’t take it literally DCFS) but the overall experience  has been positive.  From the diapers to the late night/early morning arrivals back home from parties,the experience has taught me so much more than I ever imagined.  I have gained patience I thought I never had and learned to listen to more than the words being spoken.  I’ve come to understand that when  a child says “I hate you!” or ” I wish I was never born!” what they are really saying is “I’m scared and I just need you to make me feel safe!”

Raising children has never been an easy process and it takes more than just potty training and teaching them how to walk to say you have accomplished your goal.  But whatever effort you put into it your return is so much greater!  I’ve learned as much from them as they have from me.

When I see them now not only do I see the beautiful women they have become I also see what they were at the different stages of their lives.  I see the first steps they took, the school uniforms they wore in grade school, the basketball uniforms, and the cheer leading outfits as well.  Its been a great trip which feels today like it took so little time!

So yes, it is an expensive undertaking to raise children but its also an investment that continues to return dividends continually.

To my fellow Fathers out there, enjoy your day on Sunday and enjoy your kids everyday……..

“We’re going to partner with anyone who embraces change and wants to improve things”   Don Aleksy 6-9-2011

The above quote is from our Director of Economic Development during last night’s coming out party at Lincoln Junior High.  Sounds dynamic but what does it mean?  So far we dumped IVAC at a cost of $13,000 a year and hired Don at a cost of over $65,000 a year.  We are awaiting an intern at a cost of $25,000 to start sometime in July for eleven months.  We also contracted with a grant writing organization and the cost so far for the public MAPPING project was another $5,000 to Western Illinois University.  The total for economic development so far is over $100,000 this year.  What do we have to show for it?    Yet Don wants to continue to partner with anyone who embraces change…..how much more will that cost??

I appreciate the Public’s input into their city’s future and welcome their enthusiasm but shouldn’t the City leaders have a plan for the future? Mayor Grove was quoted as saying he wants to prepare the City for future growth while keeping a friendly small town atmosphere or something to that effect.

In reality his first two years in office have given us the revival of LaSalle fest and a couple of parades which were dropped by the previous Mayor mainly due to lack of interest on the Public’s part.  The waste treatment plant was a project from the previous administration.

I’m struggling to find the leadership here, aren’t you?  If the Mayor wants growth and development  as does Mr Aleksy why don’t they work with the developers already here.  Both Don and the Mayor were noticeably absent from the wake and funeral of  the recently departed Ron Senica.  The Senica family has probably been the biggest developers in  LaSalle for the last ten years.  No moment of silence at the Council meeting following Ron’s death in honor of his memory.  No public comment from the Mayor on what Ron’s development of his area of LaSalle has meant to the overall betterment of our City…..Shameful!

I see Don wants to go after and demolish buildings which are old and have become eyesores.  This becomes a very expensive task.  We have been down this road before while I was on the Council.  The better move is to work with the owners and try to help with renovation costs as opposed to buying and paying for the total costs of demolition at taxpayer’s expense.  Had we stayed with IVAC and not hired Don we would have been able  to complete the demolition of the old Matthiesen school building   with the savings by now.

Leadership……

Senator Rezin made an appearance at  Lincoln Junior High  as well and was impressed with LaSalle’s goal of going after hi tech companies.  She said the City needs to go after them, not wait for them to come here.  She said identify them and she would help get them here. Sounds like a great stump speech but really Senator…..Illinois…..business friendly?  You and your fellow State leaders have created the worst atmosphere for businesses in the country!  If you really want to help LaSalle start making noise in the State Capital and get started on reducing taxes and roadblocks so businesses will come back to Illinois.

Leadership….

I hope that some of the lofty goals set by the various committees do reach fruition but history tells me otherwise.  It takes more than an” out of town”economic director and a Mayor  with inspirational signs to make real changes in a city’s direction…..it takes leadership!

So our State officials have studied the debt crisis in Illinois and have decided the answer is more State gambling revenues.  Really…..that’s the answer?

We already have State run river boats which were supposed to take care of many of the financial ills we  had at that time.  We started the Illinois lottery which was supposed to cure our education funding problems. So if we just get four land based casinos and expand video poker to the airports and the bars in Illinois we are home free right…….?  What’s wrong with this picture?  Whats the common link in all of these revenue enhancing scenerios?  None have included SPENDING CUTS!!!

This State has always found new ways to spend any new revenue source because it serves the politicians well.  Legislators with money to spend are always more welcomed to return to office.

We are not solving any of our problems, we are creating new ones….

If Quinn the Eskimo signs this bill it will only be a matter of time till we need to expand a social program to deal with the influx of addicted gamblers who spend all their income on bad bets.

When the State is the House, its betting on the taxpayer to lose… and that’s exactly what happens!

Does anyone think this is good leadership?

How about this idea…..let’s cut spending and renegotiate public pensions.  Lets change benefits for State elected officials that when you retire or get voted out your benefits end.  No more life long health insurance for free.  No more life long pension for you and your survivors.  We have turned temporary elected positions into life long gigs with better benefits than the private sector offers and we , the taxpayer, are paying for it.  It needs to end and end soon or else this State will.  The intent of public office is to have many people serve for a term or two and then go back to their full time jobs.

Representative Mautino….you have been feeding off the public trough long enough.Ditto for Mike Madigan and the majority of those now in office. Let’s enact term limits on all elected positions and do it ASAP.

I guarantee you that no one who voted for the current bill on gambling really believes it will solve the State’s financial crisis.  They will tell you it’s a start….and it’s easier to give something to the taxpayer (new Casinos) then take something away.

Now under full disclosure I have nothing against gambling. I enjoy casinos and football pools, etc. but I am smart enough to know that this bill doesn’t  do anything to solve  our current financial crisis.  And Rahm, its not going to solve the City Of Chicago’s deep debt hole either!  How long before the first corruption story breaks about the Chicago- run casino after it opens?   Any bets?

Every time spending cuts come up we are told that education will suffer or old people will die or road and bridges will crumble…….bull****!

Let’s make the cuts and see what happens?  After all its the only thing these politicians haven’t tried.  If grandma drops dead or little billy can’t add two and two after a year with cuts…will put spending back where it was!

Who’s with me?  Now there’s a bet I think we the taxpayers will win!