Pay raise system deemed backward in Illinois
I am writing to express my continued frustration regarding the seriously flawed system in which legislators’ pay raises are granted. In recent days, several lawmakers have said they believe the process needs to change because legislators vote yes to reject their pay raises and vote no to approve pay increases. For the past two years, I have introduced legislation to change this process.

House Bill 5266 requires an affirmative vote from both the House and Senate for a pay raise. Unfortunately, it was never granted an opportunity for debate on the House floor.

Eight other states set legislative pay by positive action, which means salaries are changed only if legislators vote to change it. Michigan’s process was similar to Illinois until recently in 2001, when Michigan Constitutional Amendment took effect to require an affirmative vote for the salary increase.

Illinois continues to use this childish, backwards procedure allowing legislators to hide behind their votes because no means yes and yes means no. Regardless of whether pay raises are approved — I don’t believe they should be considering our current state of debt — it is clear that this “slight of hand” process needs to be eliminated from Illinois government. How can we ask the people of this state to make greater sacrifices when we cannot be honest with ourselves?

I plan to re-introduce this measure next year to encourage transparency for the public and I hope other legislators will join me in support to change.
Rep. Jim Durkin, R-82nd District

Congress Park train station needs change in Brookfield
As a Congress Park station Metra commuter, I wanted to let you know about some concerns I have about that area.

I have been using that stop for about five months, and have seen the vandalism get worse and worse. Vandals continually tear apart the railing on the foot bridge that goes to the tunnel under the track. The garbage can on the train platform has been ripped to shreds. The tunnel and stairs get tagged with gang-type graffiti and alcohol bottles litter the floor. The tunnel often smells of urine.  On a weekly basis, some pet owner lets their dog go to the bathroom in the tunnel and does not pick up after it. I have not stepped in it, but other commuters have not been so lucky.

About a month ago, vandals bent both of my rims on my bicycle that was parked at the bike rack.
Some sort of video surveillance system with warning signs may be beyond the financial resources of your department, but I have read that it works in Chicago. Maybe there is some system that could moved from location to location as vandalism peaks.

I used to catch the train at La Grange, but I like the walk through the residential area of Brookfield. There are many trees and beautiful bungalows. Although I would prefer to continue using the Congress Park stop, I may start going to the La Grange stop again. The current state of the Congress Park stop just bums me out.
Michael Lizak, La Grange Park

IDOT work on Ogden Avenue in need of makeover
If you live in the Lyons and Brookfield area, you will find a very disturbing sight.
While traveling on Ogden Avenue, most in particular between First Avenue and La Grange Road, you will see evidence that the Joker is indeed real, either that or an Illinois Department of Transportation worker has too much pain medication or some other self-prescribed treatment. The yellow lines throughout the stretch veer back and forth across the road. So much in fact that on occasion the eastbound side turns to three lanes and then it switches to the westbound side getting three lanes.

Thank heavens my family left town for the past holiday weekend and did not have to witness any accidents occurring as a result. I know police are usually out in force to capture the DUIs and those naughty people not wearing seat belts. But where were the police when the lines were being put down? Heck, where are they now? Is my family the only ones concerned with this huge safety risk?

When I noted recently on our way to the airport, and I assumed that this would be taken care by our return after the holiday. I even left a message for Lyons Township, with no results. The road actually still had yellow lines that at one point actually go in a circle in the middle of the road.

I shuddered even further as I saw the school buses driving down Ogden. I wonder how many accidents occurred this past weekend as a result? This is our Cook County tax dollars at work? Instead of worrying about Chicago getting the Olympics, can we just have safe roads first.
Frank Drabik, Lyons

Suburban Life article brings issues to the public
Thank you for your recent article “When grandparenting costs much more than a grand” (Suburban Life, Sept. 6).

As coordinator of grandparents raising grandchildren programs for AgeOptions, the Area Agency on Aging for suburban Cook County, I am thrilled the challenges facing relatives raising children are finally being brought to the fore. As Ms. Charniak mentioned at the end of the article, not all relatives raising children are aware of the services available to them. I work with 11 caregiver specialists located at agencies throughout suburban Cook County, each of whom can assist grandparents in applying for public benefits including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds and daycare assistance, enrolling children in school, accessing services for older adults and children and much more.

We also host support groups for relatives raising children throughout the area, and we provide limited financial assistance to help with rental bills, school uniforms and other necessities. Most pertinent to your article, however, may be our legal services for grandparents and other relatives raising children, for which we contract with Legal Assistance Foundation of Metropolitan Chicago.
Sarah Stein, countywide caregiver coordinator at AgeOptions

Brookfield officials should rethink paving project
The village of Brookfield has announced it will repave the commuter parking lot behind Brookfield Village Hall. This will come as a welcome improvement, but as usual falls short. The drainage of the parking lot will continue to sheet drain into Salt Creek. It is incredible that as the “Meet the Creek” annual creek cleaning approaches, that this archaic method will be allowed to continue. Certainly there is some new technology available to prevent the runoff from pollutants from hundreds of cars from furthering the demise of Brookfield’s Salt Creek.

Now is an opportune time, when the repaving is taking place, not later when we rue the errors of our ways and opine on what we could or should have done. This non-caring approach was exemplified when the Forest Avenue Condos were allowed to discharge the runoff from its parking lot into the creek. Grease, oil, salt, detergents, etc. A recent newspaper column discussed Salt Creek and its value as a natural resource and there was an article recently about how “green” activist and former Brookfield commission chair Jeff Swano has implemented pollution controls to protect our environment. Brookfield officials, please wake up.
Bill Russ, Brookfield

TIF funding is not the right way to help save theater
I see by the paper the La Grange Village Board is debating whether to approve tax increment financing funds for the La Grange Theater.

We were in business for more than 40 years in Hinsdale, and when we needed money for remodeling, expansion, etc., we went to the bank for a loan. One of the functions of a bank is making business loans, isn’t it?

Why should the taxpayers of La Grange subsidize the owners of the theater? A TIF freezes the assessed valuation of a property for up to 23 years, which affects all the tax districts — schools, parks, library, fire, township, etc. The theater owners, like millions of other small businesses do, should get a bank loan for their improvements and not expect La Grange taxpayers to provide the funding with a TIF.
Dolores Cizek, Countryside