Don't let Berwyn turn into Oak Park

Thanks to our past City Council for giving the Berwyn Housing Center, a tenacle of the Oak Park organization, $225,000 for funding. During the year of 2008, they helped make 213 moves into our city.

During the year, our crime rate increased and additional police officers had to be hired at a cost of approximately $6 million each over their lifetime to pay for this increased crime. Berwyn taxpayers are paying part of this annually through their real estate taxes.

Is this Oak Park organization ruining our city, the "City of Homes" that we are known for? Do we want so much to be like Oak Park that we will sacrifice the safety of our community?

Of the 213 moves into our city, did any bring their criminal activity into our community? Were these individuals Section 8 recipients, whereby they pay 20 percent of their rent and we pay the remaining 80 percent? Is this another blow to the north side of Berwyn, with its abundance of apartment buildings that were previously occupied by law-abiding citizens? One only has to walk the streets of north Berwyn to view the number of Chicago vehicle decals.

I hope our current City Council thinks very hard and long before approving any more funds for the Berwyn Housing Center.

We are unique; let’s stay Berwyn and not let Oak Park turn us into their community.

Robert J. Russell, Berwyn