JOE WADE – MORTON GROVE’S TOP GUY

 

Assistant Village Manager Joe Wade will leave Glenview this month to become the Village Administrator in Morton Grove.  He’ll replace Ralph Czerwinski, who leaves the top job to become fire chief in Skokie.  Wade said he heard about the vacancy and applied. “I feel very comfortable with the people, the elected leadership and staff there,” he said. 

 

Wade acknowledged he’ll be facing significant budgetary challenges in Morton Grove, which is “not as wealthy a community as Glenview.”  He said economic development would remain a priority for the community still recovering from the loss of tax revenue from Abt Electronics. 

 

Wade was originally hired by Village Manager Paul McCarthy in 1983 to serve as an intern and was eventually promoted to the number two job at Village Hall.  He had applied for the top spot here after McCarthy announced plans to retire and was gracious when the post went to Todd Hileman.  The two had been acquainted since Hileman served as an intern in Niles.

 

There is no word yet on who the village manager will choose to replace Wade. 

 

RESIDENTS SHOCKED AS DEVELOPERS UNVEIL PLANS

 

After months of public meetings on how the community would like its downtown to evolve, Glenview residents were startled last week to find developers sitting at the table with downtown plan commission members.  The Regency Development Group of Des Plaines has quietly bought up property along Waukegan Road in the vicinity of Village Hall and had come to describe its plans for the area. The group’s architect, John Schiess, showed pictures of several condo and retail buildings he had designed for Oak Park and Chicago, then unveiled Regency’s vision for Waukegan Road. 

 

-- 1148-1160 Waukegan Road, on the west side, replacing an auto repair shop,  Prestige Auto and a house: Two four-story buildings with shops and parking on the ground floor and 24 two-bedroom luxury condos above – each about 1,450 square feet.  (If Regency can get the adjacent dry cleaner to sell, it would build one large building with 68 condos and 111 parking spaces.)  

 

-- 1155 Waukegan Road (on the east side replacing a State Farm Insurance office):  Another four-story, 24-unit building with parking in the back.   

 

Regency said it would like to proceed under Glenview’s rules for planned developments – making a zoning change unnecessary.  Commissioners expressed general approval for the plans, then returned to their own hypothetical discussions of what could be done downtown.

 

Consultants proposed replacing the 1800-block – home to the Cat’s Meow, Hauff Hobby and several other small shops – with a four or five-story building and said the village could spark that development by providing financial assistance to build a parking garage.  At four stories, they claimed Glenview would have to come up with more than $1 million  to make the project profitable for a developer, while a five-story structure would require a payment of $300,000-$400,000. Chairman Woodrow asked the consultant to suggest other ways to spark development without allowing such tall buildings or such big payments to investors.

 

On the south side of Glenview Road, the consultant said the village could give its fire station lot to a developer willing to build something no taller than four stories

 

Committee members voiced no objection to a five-story building on the Bess Hardware site, although Commissioner Brinckerhoff argued strongly for greater setbacks of all four and five-story buildings on Glenview Road to avoid a “canyon effect.”

 

Editor’s note:  Regency Realty said it had been talking with village staff for some time, suggesting that village staff may already have decided what is best for downtown.  Do officials feel the community needs tall buildings to have a vibrant central business district – or that the village needs revenue so badly that it must allow high-density development, regardless of what the public has said?

 

PANEL SAYS NO TO TALL PARKING GARAGE

 

Downtown consultant Steve Friedman also told the downtown plan commission that Glenview might consider building a three-story parking garage near the Metra station – an idea that sparked an emotional outburst from one member of the panel.  Former Trustee Mary Beth Denefe called that, “The worst idea I’ve ever heard.”  She suggested commuters would be unwilling to take the extra time needed to make their way through a garage.  “You’ve got a big burden to convince me.  I’ll tell you that right now,” she said. 

 

Commissioner Peter Brinckerhoff, who had originally called for more Metra parking, said he had not been thinking of a garage that would cost “millions of dollars,” and Development Director Mary Bak, who had wanted to consider the idea, conceded it was “not very feasible.”

 

The consultant said he was not wedded to the idea but added, “There’s now a two-year wait to get a parking pass for either train station. Both lots are full.” 

 

Chairman Kimball Woodrow also disliked the parking deck but conceded the village could not sell its lot north of The Noodle for development without creating more parking somewhere else. 

 

Some members of the committee thought a two-level garage might fly, but others noted village parking is available south of Glenview Road.  Commissioners asked the consultant to explore ways of making it easier for people parking south of Glenview Road and east of Lehigh/Harlem to conveniently cross the tracks and reach the station on foot.

 

The committee also discussed putting a restaurant along the river.  The suggestion came from Commissioner Ty Laurie, so the planners have dubbed the proposed eatery “Ty’s Kitchen.”

 

Finally, the consultant said it may be difficult to redevelop the Dominick’s site without significant financial support from the village – at least until the population of downtown takes a big jump up.  The village advisor thought it might be appropriate to use tax increment financing to attract a developer, but the committee rejected that idea – preferring to let the free market do what it will with the site for now.

 

MORE TO COME

 

Having reached a general consensus, the committee will now begin discussing when and how to proceed.  Its next meeting is set for Monday, October 24.  Meanwhile, the historic preservation commission is asking the downtown planning group to look over a 1998 study that suggested 13 buildings in the area might be worthy of landmark preservation status.  “Some of those properties would be demolished by the plans we see today,” said Chairman David Silver, adding that two have already been torn down.  He lauded Naperville and Elmhurst – two communities that have preserved older buildings alongside new developments to lend character and a sense of history to their downtowns. 

Chairman Woodrow said his committee would be in touch.

 

SPARKS FLY OVER ISMAILI HOUSE OF WORSHIP

 

The emotional debate continued last week over plans for construction of a Muslim house of worship near the corner of Shermer and Golf roads. Speaking for the local homeowners’ association, Tom Morrison offered a detailed analysis of traffic that would be generated in the morning and evening.  He predicted increased delays at Golf and Shermer, prompting more drivers to cut through on Colfax, Elm, Hickory, Lincoln, MacArthur, Parkview and Washington streets.

 

“This cut through traffic will jeopardize residents’ safety,” he warned, adding that additional traffic could increase response times for emergency vehicles. 

 

Morrison also mentioned that high school students routinely wait for buses during the morning hours when Ismaili services are held. “In the winter when there is snow on the ground, students stand in the street,” he said.

 

Area resident Elizabeth Valenziano told the commission, “There are several small children on our street who unwittingly dart between cars en route to school or to catch a school bus.”  She also worried about declining property values in the neighborhood. 

 

Others attacked the Ismailis for providing changing predictions of how many people would attend services and at what time.  Residents worried that the start time for morning worship (originally said to be 3:30 a.m. but later revised to around 6 a.m.) would mean slamming car doors and chirping electric locks while neighbors were trying to sleep.

 

George Karagiannis said he has heard the Muslim call to prayer at 3:30 a.m. while on business trips to Kuwait.  “They announce their prayers with an external speaker system, and even though the hotel is sound-proof, you can still hear it.”

 

Unfortunately, no one corrected the misimpression left by Karagiannis.  Unlike other Muslims, the Ismailis have no public call to prayer.

 

Editor’s note:  We have a big problem with children waiting for a school bus in the street – a big problem with the fact that their sidewalks are covered with snow each winter.  And we’re sympathetic to any residents who put up with cut through traffic, but these problems pre-date the Isamilis’ request to build.  We hope this project will push village leaders to make improvements that should have been made years ago.  Glenview must plow Park Manor sidewalks in winter and create cul de sacs or install speed bumps to prevent or discourage folks from cutting through neighborhoods at high speed.

 

CLERGY CLASH WITH NEIGHBORS

 

Fourteen clergymen from Glenview signed a letter urging the plan commission to allow construction of the Ismaili center.  The rector of Saint David’s, Graham Smith, told the panel that his church has 600 members and a pre-school near the corner of Shermer and Glenview roads. “We’re a very busy place, but we don’t get complaints from the neighbors,” he said.

 

Howard Roberts, the senior minister at Glenview Community Church, said he would welcome the Muslim sect. “Surely there’s a way that all of this can be worked out so that there is a house of worship for the Ismailis, and that the safety issues are addressed.” 

 

Roberts said the Ismailis were revising their plans to try and address the concerns of neighbors.  On principle, he added, “If Glenview Community Church is permitted to carry out its congregational functions within the zoning regulations of the village, then it seems only fair that other faith communities be permitted the same opportunity.”

 

And Greg Gross, the associate pastor at Glenview United Methodist Church, appeared to support “our Muslim brothers and sisters.”  He conceded traffic would increase if a house of worship were built but said the Ismailis would be arriving in the early morning and early evening when traffic is relatively light.  If the Ismailis did not build there, he added, the property would be developed in some way – perhaps as an office building that would cause even greater congestion during rush hours.

 

The views of the pastors outraged two members of the clergy who had not signed on.  Ann Rocha and her husband Manny preside over the Glenview Evangelical Free Church -- a congregation located next door to the proposed Ismaili site. Mrs. Rocha pointed out that Smith, Roberts, Gross and the others were not speaking for their congregations – only for themselves – and asked the commission to weigh their numbers against about 500 residents who had signed a petition opposing the house of worship. 

 

She charged that the other clergymen did not live in Park Manor.  “My husband and I have done that,” she said. “We are neighbors to our neighborhood.  There was a day,” she continued, her voice rising with emotion, “when the leader of a church, synagogue, house of worship cared about its neighbors, lived amongst its neighbors, walked the same sidewalks as their neighbors, worshipped with their neighbors, talked with and listened to their concerns and strove to work with them hand in hand.  Church leaders, can your neighbors feel safe that you will stand with them when they must fight for their children’s safety?  I doubt it.  Can they feel now that you will listen to their grievances, come to their meetings, understand their hearts and love their children?  I doubt it.”

 

Resident Bob Alvarado also chided the clergy. “Stick to God’s work and leave community planning to the professionals,” he said.

 

And Nathan Harpaz attacked the BJBE rabbi who had signed the letter and spoken in support of the Ismailis.  “As a Jew, I’m completely disgusted,” he said. 

 

OTHER POINTS OF VIEW

 

Abdul Halami, a Glenview resident and an Ismaili, said his children had graduated from Glenbrook South High School.  He and his wife are now retired, and he looked forward to spending more time at a house of worship in his own neighborhood, rather than commuting to Chicago or Northlake. 

 

A Chicago man who lives close to the Ismailis’ center on the city’s North Side said they were excellent neighbors and suggested Manor Park property values might actually rise because so many Ismailis would want to live close to their new house of worship. 

 

A leader of the Hangar One Foundation noted the Ismailis had been very supportive of that organization, contributing generously toward efforts to honor men and women trained at GNAS.  In the spirit of mutual aid, he said Hangar One would support building a house of worship here.

 

THE PROFESSOR SPEAKS

 

Bob Beyer, a Glenview resident who holds a doctorate in theology and is an Arabic scholar, said he could command big bucks as an expert witness but had decided to give the neighbors his advice free of charge.  First, he said, much of the speeding that goes on in the neighborhood could be traced to residents, police are rarely around to enforce traffic laws, and the roads are in rotten condition.  Second, he said, the house of worship would not have sufficient parking for special occasions. 

 

He urged opponents of the Ismaili project to abandon efforts to stop it and, instead, insist on several things:  additional parking, six-foot acoustical barriers around the property, a brick wall out front, improved roads in their neighborhood and more police on patrol.  “You’re all friends, and you can get these things settled as your price for accepting the project,” he told the Park Manor residents. 

 

He reminded the crowd that residents of Morton Grove had fought a long and costly battle against a proposed mosque in their neighborhood, only to lose.  In the process, the Muslim community took back many concessions they had originally agreed upon.  “You are up against a congregation that wants a place to worship.  You are up against the Federal Religious Land Use Act, the Institutional Persons Act of 2000, and the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act.  You’re going to ask every taxpayer in Glenview to spend money on something only the lawyers think has a chance of being successfully defended.”

 

VILLAGE PUTS PROPERTY ON THE MARKET

 

Ironically, Glenview is about to sell a parcel of almost identical size to the lot near Shermer and Golf in a far less congested location at The Glen. The 9.7-acre property sits behind Chestnut Square, adjacent to a golf course and could sprout up to 120 condos or town homes in one or more four-story buildings.  The site could be swapped for the Ismaili property, but village officials have indicated that won’t happen.

 

Editor’s note:  Glenview is engaged in a difficult balancing act at The Glen – trying to pay on-going expenses and build the tax base.  This piece of prime suburban real estate – with a view of the golf course rather than Golf Road -- will probably fetch far more than the Ismaili community paid for its land and draw many new taxpayers to the community.

 

SCOTT FORESMAN MAY DEVELOP VACANT LAND

 

The plan commission has approved subdivision of the 44-acre Scott Foresman site, but the company is silent about the future of the wooded land behind its Lake Avenue building. Village Manager Todd Hileman will meet with residents of the adjacent Tall Trees subdivision at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Park Center, but Development Director Mary Bak says he won't have any news for them, since Village Hall is not aware of any plans to develop the property.  Bak says Foresman was just purchased by a new publisher, and the subdivision may have been requested for tax purposes.  Still, neighbors are worried about the impact of possible development.  They fear additional traffic on Chestnut Street and the loss of more open space in Glenview.  One nature lover points out that there is very little wooded property left here, and the Foresman woodlands are home to great horned owls.  “They’re not endangered or threatened,” says neighbor Rob Blomquist, “but they’re uncommon in the suburbs, and they’re nice.”

 

GARBAGE GUY TRASHES GLENVIEW LAW

 

When Glenview resident Michael Zwick demanded the right to put his recycling bins anywhere on the public right of way – including a spot in front of his neighbor’s house – he was taking a big risk.  He got more than 200 tickets from police, and the village took him to court, attempting to collect.  A judge ordered Zwick to pay $9,000, and the village then tried to recover its legal fees under a local law allowing it to do so.  The judge balked, saying Zwick should not have to pay $36,000 to Jeffrey Randall’s firm.  In March, an appeals court agreed, saying such a law would discourage people from exercising their legal right to sue.  The village pressed on, asking the Illinois Supreme Court to hear the case, and Randall’s bill grew to $82,000.  But the Supreme Court has now said it will not consider the case, leaving Glenview taxpayers to pick up the tab.

 

Editor’s note:  And who do you suppose wrote the original ordinance – the one the courts now say is unconstitutional?  Village Attorney Jeff Randall, who gets paid either way.

 

NILES OKAYS OFF-TRACK BETTING

 

Area residents will be able to place their bets at Golf Mill now that the village of Niles has voted to permit an off-track betting facility in the former Circuit City building. Inter-Track Partners plans to call the place Bookie MaGees and says it will include a sports bar, dining room, walls of flat-screen TVs for viewing several sporting events and a “library” area with desks and televisions for those who wish to wager.  “We think this will be the premiere sports bar in the northern suburbs,” said Inter-Track’s president. 

 

The company, which operates 16 OTB parlors in Illinois, estimates Bookie MaGees will generate half a million dollars each year for Niles. About 40 area residents objected to the idea when it came before the local plan commission, and one demanded to know why the commission would approve off-track betting in Niles when Morton Grove had turned it down. “Because we’re smarter than Morton Grove,” said Commissioner Angelo Troiani.

 

SUBURBS CHANGE TO CHALLENGE GLEN TOWN CENTER

 

On weekends, The Glen Town Center is jammed with teens and adults in search of nightlife beyond the city, and that fact has caught the attention of leaders in two other suburbs.  In Highland Park, city officials have persuaded 15 businesses to stay open until 11:30 or 11:45 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights, and Wilmette may change its long-standing prohibition against bars. 

 

SECOND CITY TO PERFORM AT GLENVIEW BENEFIT

 

Performers from Chicago’s famed comedy improv center – Second City – will be in Glenview Saturday, October 8 at 8 p.m. to perform a benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  The minimum donation is $50 with proceeds going to the Red Cross.  For more information, call Debbie Botthof at 847-998-6441 or Kathy Plewa at 847-657-7621.  Refreshments will be served prior to the performance at Our Lady of Perpetual Help’s McDonnell Hall.

 

NEW STEAK HOUSE HOSTS YOUTH SERVICES FUNDRAISER

 

Rio De Churrascaria, the Brazilian steak house in the former McMahon’s site on Milwaukee Avenue, will hold its grand opening from 6:30 – 9 p.m. Thursday, October 6.  Guests are asked to donate $25 to attend -- the money going to Glenview-Northbrook Youth Services.  If you’d like to go, call 847-299-8321. 

 

NORTHFIELD DEMS SEEK VOLUNTEERS

 

The Democratic Party of Northfield Township is looking for volunteers to gather signatures on behalf of its candidates.  For more information, call 847.998.1002 or email  northfielddems@aol.com .

 

PARK CENTER TRAINER SUCCUMBS

 

Bob Goldstein never missed a day of work at Park Center.  Even as ALS began to take a toll on his muscular body, the 76-year-old trainer arrived with a cane, then a walker and  finally in a wheelchair.  Before he lost his voice to the disease, Goldstein would sometimes sing to his classes of senior citizens, and once – when a construction crew accidentally cut the cable leaving folks with nothing to watch  on the fitness center TVs – he performed for dozens of people on treadmills, stairmasters and stationary bikes.  Goldstein died September 27 of pneumonia.  He’s survived by a daughter, son, two grandchildren and his “special lady.”

 

THE GREEN SCENE

 

About 25 Glenview cub, boy and girl scouts and their parents spent Saturday morning clearing non-native trees and brush from the banks of the Chicago River near Willow Road.  They saw a great blue heron, snow white egrets, fresh water mussels, crayfish and a prairie vole, learned to recognize invasive plants like teasel and purple loosestrife and discovered that cat tails contain absorbent material which was used by native Americans in baby diapers.  The kids said they enjoyed the work and vowed to return for next spring’s river clean up.

 

Meanwhile, Eli Klein of Northbrook made headlines when he skipped the traditional bar mitzvah party, instead inviting friends to help clear brush and trees at the Somme Woods Prairie. 

 

READERS WRITE

 

Biff Thiele is unhappy with the direction of downtown planning: “Anyone happen to see the train go by? Because folks, we ARE being railroaded by the Downtown Planning Committee (DPC).  It’s now caving in to consultants who insist that their way is the only way. They paint an agenda of ‘economic feasibility,’ which is all about developer profits. Public hearings are meaningless. Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of watching people take the time to go to village meetings to speak, only to find their views are ignored.

 

“The public has said that they don't want anything over three stories along Glenview Road, but last week the DPC agreed to move forward with plans that focus on five-story buildings.

”Smiling and pretending to give a damn, Development Director Mary Bak's condescending attitude toward any and all members of the public is nothing new, and committee member John Lee made his lack of ethics apparent when -- after being named to the DPC -- he began passing out his realtor cards to downtown businesses. Chair Kim Woodrow allowed Lee to remain on the committee after that fact was brought to his attention.

 

“Mary Beth Denefe is also a disappointment. The former trustee appeared to actually respect taxpayer concerns until last week, when she flatly accepted that the 1800-block needs to go. No conflict there, except that her family has property nearby and can profit at the expense of the businesses she is now ignoring.

”Ty Laurie continues to speak to public concern, but actions speak louder than words.  A few years ago he patted concerned residents on the back when they offered constructive suggestions on the teardown issue, then voted against the concerns of those residents.  Some later reflected the back pats may have actually been an effort to locate a good place to stick the knife. Laurie talks the talk. But when it comes to walking the walk, all bets are off.

”It is clear that some committee members have an agenda of their own. It would be a shame to see politics become the driving force of this committee. But, the pattern is getting old and easy to recognize.”

 

Miss M takes Plan Commission Chairman Howard Silver to task for a remark he apparently made to a reporter with the Chicago Tribune: “I recall strong neighborhood opposition in 1999 to Belmont Village's plan for an assisted living facility on the site adjacent to the proposed Ismaili center.  Then as now, crowds of Glenview residents filled Village Hall to address the traffic issues, the height of the structure and storm water concerns.  Those same valid concerns are driving current opposition, so I was surprised to read Commissioner Silver's comments in Thursday’s paper: ‘There is an undertone of concern and fear of anything that resembles Muslim in this country at this time. I'm afraid that is entering into it.’

“Is he suggesting the neighbors are xenophobic? Mr. Silver, make an appointment with your otolaryngologist. You must be hard of hearing.  The residents are singing the right tune.  Shouldn't we all question why the village would encourage a development that would not produce any property tax revenue?   

 

“Mr. Silver should also check with his neurologist to assess the state of his memory. He must have forgotten his heated exchange with the consultants who prepared the economic impact statement submitted by Belmont Village not so long ago.  He wasn't very happy that certain tax provisions provided substantial credits and exemptions for senior group housing which would have reduced the amount of property tax the village would collect from that development.  So what has changed in the village's financial situation since 1999 for Mr. Silver to roll over and play dead about the village's property tax receipts?  Have we won the Powerball, or has Mr. Silver been seduced by the publicity he could garner from this controversy?”

Silver replies: "My interview with the Tribune reporter took place two months ago.  At that time, there was a definite undertone of anti-Muslim feeling.  That was why I raised the issue at the start of the August 23 meeting -- telling the audience it would not be considered in our review.  I have heard the residents loud and clear during the past two meetings.  I understand their very valid concerns, and I am listening very intensely.  Because this is an existing petition, I cannot comment further, but I suggest that Miss M stay tuned.  I think the October 25 meeting will begin to bring all of the issues to a head.

"With regard to the tax issue, we all recognize that the village, the library, the schools, the park district and many other taxing bodies will see no revenue from this facility.  However, we have been advised by the village attorney that it is in violation of the law to consider lost taxes with regard to making a decision about a religious institution, so the subject is off-limits. Think of the consequences if we did.  Since I have been on the Plan Commission, we have approved additions to OLPH, St. Catherine's, and St. David's, and we have approved new structures for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormon Temple) and the Canaan Presbyterian Church.  If towns considered the lost taxes, we would have no churches, synagogues, or mosques anywhere!

 

"Oh, and one other thing for Miss M:  I don't need to go to all of those specialists.  I take vitamins every day!"

 

Kevin Killion doubts District 225 is in real financial trouble: “The district honchos might claim financial times are tight, but the reality is quite different! That district has 131 teachers and staffers who make more than $100,000, many of whom work only nine months per year.  And that's as of 2004, the last year for which public information is available. (For all the details and full lists, see http://www.illinoisloop.org/salary.html  -- a website called The Champion.org. It’s a source that teachers throughout Illinois know about, and it's time that parents knew about it, too! Even as schools dumb-down math, literature, history and science, costs are spiraling higher. Nope, our schools do not have a funding crisis.  They have a spending crisis.”

 

MS read that Park Center is struggling to keep costs down and was not surprised: “If they ran this place like a business -- listening to their customers -- instead of  operating this like the commissioners' own personal facility, they would be in the black.  The hours are ridiculous.”

 

CMC raises the rallying cry of many Glenview residents – again: “How do we go about getting the Amtrak trains, especially the Super Liner, to stop at the newer Metra station near The Glen?  I realize there is a bit of red tape involved to institute this change due to prior agreements/arrangements, but it is such an obvious and practical solution to significantly help alleviate one of our many continuing traffic problems and aid our fire department.”

 

The Watch replies:  Proponents of this idea have been told that there are financial and practical barriers to a change.  First, it seems, the downtown station has special baggage handling facilities that Amtrak requires.  Second, Amtrak helped pay for that station and shares the cost of a ticket agent there.  There is still no one selling tickets at The Glen of North Glenview.

 

RN checked out Sweet Dreams, the new café on Waukegan Road just south of the historical society’s house: “We went there tonight and enjoyed the food. The place is beautiful.  We wish them good luck with the new restaurant.  Thank you for the recommendation.”

 

KE feels there’s too much traffic regulation around town: “The signs welcoming folks to Glenview should say, ‘Come, sit and wait with us.’ It seems that every time an intersection gets rebuilt, it is made to slow things down. We now have left turn arrows popping up all over the place. If you get to the turn lane just after it turns you sit and wait even if there is no on-coming traffic.  Dropping off your kid at Attea? We just sit and wait to turn right, and there is no traffic from any direction. Then there is Chestnut and Lehigh.  Boy what a mess that is! You get the best of both. You sit and wait for an arrow or sit and wait to turn right. Why? Because village planners apparently think we are too stupid to know that a train might come or that the gate might come down and hit our car. We are way too stupid to look in all directions for traffic before we make a right turn on red.  I am left to wonder why the traffic planers want to make it harder (and a lot more irritating) to get around Glenview. If you want more people to come to The Glen, make it easier to get there! Maybe we should follow the lessons taught by Ghandi and Dr. King and have peaceful disobedience. We should just all start blowing off the ‘no turn on red’ signs if there is no traffic and the same with those stupid arrows. OK, so that might cause a run on traffic tickets at the police station, but something has to be done!”

 

WM put tongue firmly in cheek and responded to a proposal for reform of Cook County’s budget-making process: “Commissioners Suffredin and Claypool have a lot of nerve suggesting that elementary business practices be followed by the elected officials of the Cook County Board.  All that is really needed is to raise taxes just a little more. Was it the Tribune that endorsed the current President at the last election?  Maybe that is why they devote so little editorial space to county government.”