An Amazing Book

I am so happy to be writing this. Our little village has just ended our Sesquicentennial year on a very high note. We had a committee that created many items for our birthday. The last project was a book about Shannon’s history as well as present day information.

The book is a beautiful hardcover edition with many pictures and stories. There is a wealth of information. There has been such a positive response it is almost overwhelming. Six hundred books were printed and we have just a few boxes left.

I want to thank the committee and Kathy Pasch for all their work and persistence. Persistence was needed because many of us had to be prodded to write an article or gather the pictures that were used. Kathy Pasch has helped several communities create their books and she does a wonderful job.

The group of women worked for one and a half years to bring this amazing book to fruition. Well done, Kathy, Carolyn Deininger, Cecelia Stevens, Harriet Byers, Amanda Klinefelter, Arlene Koeller and Jane Schoeny.

Shannon now has a fantastic record for future generations.

Sincerely,
Bonnie Foust
Shannon Village President.

(If anyone would like to purchase a book they are $35 and availabe at the Blarney Stone in Shannon)

The Beginning of Change

You cannot put a bandage on a major cancer and expect the patient to survive. Uncle Sam has a cancer, and he will not survive much longer if the elected politicians continue to use taxpayer dollars to buy votes and campaign contributions from government unions.

Why should Police, Firemen, and Teachers get higher pay, benefits, and pensions than the private sector that pay their way? We have good people in most of these positions. I am just saying they should make the same as the people in private business that do comparable work. A few facts from NTUI (National Taxpayer United of Illinois). Top one hundred IL. Teachers and Administrators Pensions range from $402,000 to $186,000. There are 4,352 IL. government pensions over $100,000. 98% of the Stephenson county school employees make more than the average worker. The top 100 State Police salary’s range from $189,000 to $130,800.

The IL. deficit for 2011 is projected at 14 to 15 billion dollars, and the debt at $160 billion with the unfunded liabilities. $80 billion pension debt, but $130 billion of the $160 billion debt is pension related. That is $25,000 per IL. household!

The pension proposal to fix this mess does nothing for the existing debt and it will still grow but not as fast as it has in the past. 68.2% of the Freeport property tax goes towards pensions. Firemen 30.8% and Policemen 29.8% with 7.6% going to all the others. (Dec. 5 Jr. Standard/Mayor Gaulrapp)

Nationwide since 2008, 8 million private sector jobs were lost (those jobs that pay all the taxes). While local, state, and federal jobs (that take all the taxes) grew by 590,000! Federal employees average $123,000 in pay and benefits, twice that of the private sector, with job security second to none. Government unions gave politicians $91 million in the midterm elections alone! (Dec. 13th. Tim Pawlenty opinion / Wall Street Jr.)

Bottom line- Simple math will tell you we cannot keep this up. Illinois recently won the distinct honor of leading the nation as the worst state financially. Yes, we have now passed California.

The private sector works on the law of supply and demand. Government unions do not. We always hear the cry, “ We will now have to cut off service” since you greedy taxpayers will not allow another tax increase.

Don’t lay off employees or cut services. Cut pay and pensions on the upper end. Don’t pay teachers to take early retirement. Don’t make the taxpayers pay them to get another degree the last few years so they get a larger retirement. Continue to pay them a good wage, but make them take care of their own healthcare and 401Ks. There will still be plenty of well-qualified applicants applying for these jobs. I believe if 10% of the government union jobs are not looking for work in the private sector then we are paying them too much.

Nothing is certain in this world but one thing, and that is if we continue down this road we will see government unions rioting in the street like in Greece.

Bill Dietz
Stephenson County Tea Party

Lena IL.

“In the beginning of change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated, and scorned. When his cause succeeds however, the timid join him. For then it costs nothing to be a patriot.” - Mark Twain

America’s Fruitcake Budget

In the coming year, we’re likely to hear a lot about the federal budget and spending cuts. We’ll hear a lot about waste, as well as some myths about where our money actually goes. I’d suggest we figure out exactly where we are. If you have a fruitcake handy, slice it into 34 slices, with each slice representing $100 billion;

8 slices represent Medicare

7, Social Security

7, Defense

5, Welfare

2, Interest on debt

2, Federal pensions

3, all other spending

To balance the federal budget, we’re only allowed to eat 21 slices, so we have to throw out 13 slices.

Some folks will blame the deficit on defense spending, so, for the sake of argument, throw out those 7 slices. 7 down, 6 to go . . . Others will blame earmarks, but they’re actually a small portion of a single slice, although they are symptomatic of a different problem. Many will suggest raising taxes, ignoring the history of increased government revenue following tax cuts.

I think it’s pretty clear we’ll need to have a serious discussion in the coming weeks, a discussion in which class warfare and inflamed rhetoric will be counter-productive. No one wants to throw out 13 slices of fruitcake, but it’s long past time we quit re-gifting them to our children.

Terry Smith
Lanark

What Did Cows Win?

Tony Carton didn’t say exactly what the cows won in his Dec. 29 report (Cows win, win, win) on the Appellate Court ruling in favor of Traditions Dairy. From my point of view, they lost, lost, lost.

They lost the ability to live 10 to 12 years, which, I’m told, is the average life expectancy for cows on a traditional dairy farm. Now they’ll be lucky to live five years in Mr. Bos’ cages.

They lost the freedom to graze comfortably on the hooves they were given for that express purpose and thus get the exercise most animals, including humans, require to maintain health. Now they’ll stand still for their entire lives on cement floors. Doesn’t sound healthy to me. Carnation claims they get their milk from contented cows. What kind of milk do frustrated cows make? Don’t answer that. I’ll buy something else.

They lost their prime spot on the Jo Daviess County web page. It used to feature a picture that captured perfectly the character of this beautiful area: dairy cows peacefully grazing in a lush field of grass. Now it’s more diversified, showing other attractions. Once Traditions is up and running, it should be added, too. An aerial view of those three ponds of manure should attract tourists like – pardon the expression – flies.

How these losses benefit “livestock” still escapes me.

Richard O’Connor
Pearl City, IL

Citizens Rights Upheld

The 2nd District Appellate Court in Elgin issued its ruling on 12/22/2010 regarding the Traditions Dairy project in Jo Daviess County, concurring with the previous Jo Daviess County Circuit Court ruling in favor of dairyman A.J. Bos. The judges did, however, uphold the right for citizens to protect themselves and their communities by putting to rest the empty threats of H.O.M.E.S. being sued for damages by Traditions Investments LLC.

H.O.M.E.S. (Helping Others Maintain Environmental Standards) is a 501 C-3 and will continue its public education, outreach and water quality test efforts; especially important in light of the purple discharge from Tradition’s Dairy, supposedly a zero discharge facility, last October. That was the 4th documented discharge due to silage leachate. As the IEPA, USEPA, and the Attorney General enforce their permitting process, Bos is finding it very difficult to ever operate his mega dairy in its present design and location.

A.J. Bos and his project proposal, illegally permitted by the IDOA, and trial have left bruises and scars on the communities in the area. Divisiveness caused by the IDOA, Big Ag, Farm Bureau and paid lobbyists, pitted citizens against each other. People will be defined forever by “who was for it” and “who was against it”.

There is a movement reaching across this country. Citizens want their rights back. H.O.M.E.S. has connected with people who have been in battles for 10-15 years. With these people we will fight to reclaim these rights and standings because without them we have no safety net. Without these groups, polluted air and water will be the only things our children and their children will ever know.

Susan Turner
Warren, IL

Capitol Report

By Jim Sacia, State Representative, 89th District

Thomson Prison: Where does it stand today? Too many rumors, not enough facts! Here is the latest and you can take it to the bank.

I, like you, have learned much on the run. To follow proper protocol for excess property, the prison required a for sale sign. It was posted in late November. When I heard about it I truly though it was a joke. I inquired and learned that not only was the posting of a for sale sign required, the property would be offered for sale at auction. The auction would be conducted at the State of Illinois Building in downtown Chicago on December 21, 2010 with the opening bid to be no less than the appraisal of $219 million. The sale was held and of course there were no bidders.

You may have heard that there was $95 million in the federal budget to buy the prison. Here is the problem. Number 1 that is not enough. Number 2, quoting from a letter Senator Dick Durbin, who has been a staunch advocate of bringing the process to a logical conclusion, wrote to Attorney General Eric Holder dated December 20, 2010, “Because Congress has not completed the fiscal year 2011 spending bills, the federal government is operating under a short term continuing resolution (CR) funding government operations until approximately March 4, 2011. I will attempt to include Thomson funding at the next appropriate opportunity.” Senator Durbin’s office assures me that means when the federal government passes this year’s budget.

Of course it raises the old question, why is the state selling it? Simply put, we can’t afford to open it.

Three years ago the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation requiring any surplus or excess property to sell for at least the appraised price. It was passed for all the right reasons. At the time there was a fear that then Governor Blagojevich would sell state property at a loss to generate working cash.

I am personally working with the Governor’s Office to create legislation to give Governor Quinn the ability to engage in constructive conversations with the federal government to arrive at a sensible fair price. Might it be less than $219 million? Perhaps! Might it be more? Absolutely! The bottom line is we must get it open. If it’s a federal prison or a state facility, it’s at least $80 million per year in direct economic impact to Carroll County and surrounding areas. The debate about should it be sold is behind us, let’s get it open.