Posted by markthoman on June 28, 2008
In parts 1 and 2 you should have gotten a crystal clear understanding that safety and red light cameras, RLC, are not connected. Communities are removing them as others are putting them in. The ones that are pulling them out are doing so because the facts and evidence don’t support the claim that RLC make people safer.
Posted in ethics, red light cameras, traffic | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on June 9, 2008
“You, Meat, are a small minded, vanilla village idiot.”, says IReadItInDG vol 8, featuring puppet-on-puppet insults, and puppet-on-daughter-of-puppet bashing. And I’m not quite right about some things. I am thinking they picked on the wrong puppet taking shots at Meat and his daughter…
Posted in ethics, free speech, gossip, humor, self-righteousness | 4 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on May 22, 2008
May 17, 2008 VOLUME 6I READ IT SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO!!!We all live in a busy world surrounded by the written word. The Times, Newsweek, The Journal, The Tribune, Grover News, Streetwise and the rest. Throw on top of the garbage heap the national, statewide and local blogs…we can’t read it all!I’ve decided to take one off the list for you. Now you can read the best of the best of the Downers Grove Blogs without having to wade through them post by post.
Hey what about me? You forgot me! There’s so much here to disagree with, and I hardly get any comments.
Posted in blogging, elections, ethics, free speech, gossip, humor | 8 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on April 21, 2008
This is our governor, Gov. Blago. A lot of people do not like Gov. Blago. He is trying to pass a $25 billion Illinois Works capital bill. He doesn’t quite know how to pay for it, but he would like to sell 80% of our lottery to get part of it.
Our DG officials have worked hard to get $8.5 million for the Belmont Underpass slotted into this bill. Right now, the Belmont Underpass will not happen if Illinois Works does not happen.
Posted in elected officials, ethics, government, infrastructure | 3 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on April 15, 2008
“The purpose of the board is to set and monitor the school district budget, review and amend district policies and hire the district superintendent.”
Elaine Johnson has also weighed in over at DGreport with her in-depth analysis of the whole thing.
Tonight the SB58 meeting was packed. I got there late and watched from the hallway, and caught bits and pieces. These folks need to speak up. Didn’t they learn good diction in school?
Posted in elected officials, ethics, government, school board | 7 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on April 11, 2008
Sideline comments here and posts some pretty funny pictures at DGreport, and emailed me this idea for branding Ogden Avenue with banners:
UPDATE: Two more branding signs for Downers included after the break!
Posted in blogging, branding, development, ethics, snark | 2 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on April 3, 2008
Rupert Borgsmiller called and emailed me yesterday with some sense of urgency that I call him back, giving me his direct line phone number.
I know, I know: who the heck is Rupert Borgsmiller? Mr. Borgsmiller is one of the most important state officials you don’t know: he is the Director of the Campaign Disclosure Division of the Illinois Board of Elections, the state watchdog of campaign finance transparency.
So I called him…
Posted in campaign contributions, elected officials, ethics | 2 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 29, 2008
The Illinois Board of Election has redesigned their website to enhance the user experience and make it easier than ever to access information.
In the process, you now getting incorrect information sometimes.
Reduced transparency of campaign information? What is going on here?
Posted in campaign contributions, elected officials, ethics | 2 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on March 29, 2008
Malfeasance: Misconduct or wrongdoing, especially by a public official.
The County Board met Wednesday in a special session to divy up the goodies provided by Gov. Blago’s sales tax kick to the groin of Illinois retail commerce. That swift kick that punishes us all for an incompetently run RTA supposedly adds millions for transportation purposes. Since King Bob was right by Blago’s side whispering in his ear for the now famous “and public safety” clause, DuPage County will not be spending any of that newly minted money on transportation projects.
Where will King Bob and his yes men legions will spend $20 million this year, and $40 million starting next year?
Posted in budget, county, elected officials, ethics, government, infrastructure | No Comments »
Posted by markthoman on February 10, 2008
Everyone has read or been involved in lack of government transparency at some time in their life. Why didn’t someone tell me? When were they going to tell us? What reasoning went into this? Why? WHY?
In 2007, I was point in a skirmish with our local government over a lack of transparency, of deliberate opaqueness. This was the C&D issue; you would have to be deaf dumb and blind not to know about it. I gave up on the demand for transparency when the outcome was favorable. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in blogging, censorship, ethics, free speech, government | 4 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on February 5, 2008
I read EJ’s comment made to her by an unidentified elected official that DGreport, her blogbaby, spread mistruths. One of my friends who frequents DGreport took me to task along a similar line. Anonymous posters can say any lie they want and not be held accountable. He was curious: why I would bother naming myself on DGreport when so many others do not? Read the rest of this entry »
Posted in blogs, ethics, free speech, government | 11 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on January 21, 2008
A lot of people thought 4929 Forest unapproved building alterations were no big deal; not worth pursuing. No health hazard or safety issues were involved, and had builder Michael Prince come before village council (as he had twice already) asking permission in advance of changes (as required), they would have been granted.
Commissioner Waldack had reservations and made a motion that the walls be changed back to the original brick masonry. It died quietly for lack of a second, with no discussion about issuing 4929 Forest an occupancy permit with the condition Mike Prince not start another building until he finished changing back to the approved and spec’d masonry walls on this building.
Posted in development, downtown, ethics, government, housing, infrastructure | 2 Comments »
Posted by markthoman on October 3, 2007
The actual ethics part of the proposed ethics ordinance is a solid interpretation of ethics language supported by the Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois Municipal League. There does not appear to be any trap doors or hidden problems here, albeit it is still missing the Ethics Committee or Commission.
We still need an Ethics Commission.
Posted in ethics | No Comments »
