Comments on: Pay Higher Taxes…Or Face the Gangs! http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs Shining light on Illinois government Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:50:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: riccardo http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-65 riccardo Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:15:26 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-65 LOL, please feel free to presents the facts at the next board meeting on december 8th i will be there and presenting the facts but isn't it strange that last year ridgewood was pointing to the fact that we ranked 25th out of 27 cook county schools in spending per pupil last year to support their claim that they needed more money, now that we rank 16th, last year's argument is out the window and ridgewood must come up with something else, am looking forward to what ridgewood comes up with next on december 8th LOL, please feel free to presents the facts at the next board meeting on december 8th
i will be there and presenting the facts
but isn’t it strange that last year ridgewood was pointing to the fact that we ranked 25th out of 27 cook county schools in spending per pupil last year to support their claim that they needed more money, now that we rank 16th, last year’s argument is out the window and ridgewood must come up with something else, am looking forward to what ridgewood comes up with next on december 8th

]]> By: petedell http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-64 petedell Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:20:47 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-64 O.K. let's look at some of those schools for example evergreen park, same size school, community make up simular, Their tax rate is 3.54 per hundred dollars of eav.for a total revenue of 15,633. Same school size same community with a big mall. The percent RHS spends on Education is 80%. That is 10% higher then state average. By the way all those schools you mentioned were rated equal or less than RHS based on act and psae scores. Now I know you are going to come back to class warfare but HOW many of you Rick, Betsy, Carolyn would buy a home to raise your family in any of those areas, be truthful how many of you would plunk down 3 or 4 hundred grand to live Cicero. No offense to the hard working people in those areas but when you compare crime and curb appeal of a home which one of those areas really would you move to maybe Orland park, possibly oak lawn. So why then do we want to be or have the same level of educational funding as those schools. Numbers can be viewed and presented in many ways to be pro or con no rocket sceince but the fact remaines that to offer kids a comprehensive high school experience with qualified teachers, coaches, advisors, administrators we have to be willing to pay for it. And like I said previousy its not like everybody is going to get a huge pay raise its about finacial stability and the oppurtunity to offer programs and educational oppurtunities otherwise not atainable by current funding standards. Out of those schools mentioned RHS has almost the lowest EAV per 100 and also only 6.5 % of revenue comes from anything other than local sources. Compared to a state average of 37%. See I too can come up with numbers to support the referendum. O.K. let’s look at some of those schools for example evergreen park, same size school, community make up simular, Their tax rate is 3.54 per hundred dollars of eav.for a total revenue of 15,633. Same school size same community with a big mall. The percent RHS spends on Education is 80%. That is 10% higher then state average. By the way all those schools you mentioned were rated equal or less than RHS based on act and psae scores. Now I know you are going to come back to class warfare but HOW many of you Rick, Betsy, Carolyn would buy a home to raise your family in any of those areas, be truthful how many of you would plunk down 3 or 4 hundred grand to live Cicero. No offense to the hard working people in those areas but when you compare crime and curb appeal of a home which one of those areas really would you move to maybe Orland park, possibly oak lawn. So why then do we want to be or have the same level of educational funding as those schools. Numbers can be viewed and presented in many ways to be pro or con no rocket sceince but the fact remaines that to offer kids a comprehensive high school experience with qualified teachers, coaches, advisors, administrators we have to be willing to pay for it. And like I said previousy its not like everybody is going to get a huge pay raise its about finacial stability and the oppurtunity to offer programs and educational oppurtunities otherwise not atainable by current funding standards. Out of those schools mentioned RHS has almost the lowest EAV per 100 and also only 6.5 % of revenue comes from anything other than local sources. Compared to a state average of 37%. See I too can come up with numbers to support the referendum.

]]> By: riccardo http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-63 riccardo Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:09:29 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-63 yes, i do prefer to present it my way, factually correct, with sources noted, look at the 2008 report cards and you will see that this list is correct and that ridgewood ransk 16th in spending per pupil District 219 Skokie $18,568 District 225 Glenview $17,998 District 202 Evanston $17,908 District 200 Oak Park $17,876 District 203 Northfield $17,541 District 209 Maywood $17,434 District 227 Olympia Fields $15,234 District 212 Franklin Park $15,088 District 214 Arlington Hts $15,044 District 207 Park Ridge $14,939 District 210 Lemont $14,447 District 208 Riverside $14,358 District 204 LaGrange $14,246 District 211 Palatine $13,701 District 233 Flossmoor $13,517 District 234 Ridgewood $13,417 District 206 Chicago Hts $13,230 District 217 Summit $12,777 District 218 Oak Lawn $12,569 District 205 South Holland $12,364 District 228 Midlothian $12,241 District 231 Evergreen Park $12,030 District 230 Orland Park $11,660 District 215 Calumet City $11,290 District 220 Burbank $11,049 District 229 Oak Lawn $10,833 District 201 Cicero $10,720 yes, i do prefer to present it my way, factually correct, with sources noted, look at the 2008 report cards and you will see that this list is correct and that ridgewood ransk 16th in spending per pupil
District 219 Skokie $18,568
District 225 Glenview $17,998
District 202 Evanston $17,908
District 200 Oak Park $17,876
District 203 Northfield $17,541
District 209 Maywood $17,434
District 227 Olympia Fields $15,234
District 212 Franklin Park $15,088
District 214 Arlington Hts $15,044
District 207 Park Ridge $14,939
District 210 Lemont $14,447
District 208 Riverside $14,358
District 204 LaGrange $14,246
District 211 Palatine $13,701
District 233 Flossmoor $13,517
District 234 Ridgewood $13,417
District 206 Chicago Hts $13,230
District 217 Summit $12,777
District 218 Oak Lawn $12,569
District 205 South Holland $12,364
District 228 Midlothian $12,241
District 231 Evergreen Park $12,030
District 230 Orland Park $11,660
District 215 Calumet City $11,290
District 220 Burbank $11,049
District 229 Oak Lawn $10,833
District 201 Cicero $10,720

]]> By: petedell http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-62 petedell Tue, 18 Nov 2008 23:02:48 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-62 Mr. Mora I actually think you have good intentions but you are presenting things in only one way, yours. 1, ridgewood compared to suburban cook county schools in almost last in overall funding, teachers make on average at RHS less that a plumber or electrician, and in the lower third of cook county. We have 3 full time administrators the same as union ridge and giles/leigh. Compare those salaries to niles, leyden, and maine schools and you will see the vast difference, but that does not matter this is not about what the current teachers make it about offering more that just the minimum requirements to our kids. You total the salaries up and group in extracirricular activities that teachers do for example a teacher makes 50,000 to teach then they coach a couple of sports 3 or 4 grand extra they do and activity and lets say they get their masters. You add the 50 +4 +4 +3 + 2 for the masters and you say that teachers makes 63,000. but what you are not saying is that the teacher spends time away from his/her family coaching, running a club and by the way going to school to get better educated at night in order to be up to date on teaching our kids. You talk about capital improvements building on tell that the kids that currently run up and down a hallway and stairs, and basketball players who have to practice until; 10 on school nights, how about the life saftey work to protect our kids saftey or removing asbestos or reinforcing steel beams or getting rid on 30 year old carpet in the hall for better indoor air quality or actually saving money on newer greener cooling system instead of the old cluncking window units in the window since we start school in mid august. why should we wait our kids deserve what kids in the suburbs have been getting for years. You talk about scare tactics and fear no one threatened you least of all TOM STICHA who is about 5'4 145 pounds you are literally twice his size no offense. The concerned homeowners were pointing out the fact that schools are the number one reason families look to move and a major factor on where they spend their money and where they buy.. If you had kids and looking to move wouldn't you buy a house in a community that had schools that offered a comprehensive school experience of course you would. Your friends Tony and Eva were the ones spreading scary information about 1200 ,1500 hundred dollar increases and putting stuff in mailboxes unstamped, the Concerned homeowners stamped everything and have the receipts to prove it. As did you. This is about selfish people like you who do not have kids in the system and don't want to pay for someone elses kid to have better then they had it, which I can understand but that is the way Illinios funds its schools that's why the property value arguement. The board members get paid NOTHING they do it for the community and all you can do is bash them, we elected them. We had plenty of open forums the first 2 trys at the referendum we presented all sorts on info. We as a community have failed our kids by locking them in the bubble we pamper them through grade schools where everymakes the honor roll and 99% or the kids meet the standards for a state the has the 49th easiest state elementary school test. What a joke! It can't be that we are one of the only areas in the state without a JR. High that would cost money we may have to have a bus pick kids up on one side of town and bring them to the other, we can't do them we have never bused kids around norridge and harwood heights, why start now. And of course its all RHS fault it cant be that are kids are not prepared for High school where they are judged on national test the ACT yet our kids score average for the state but we are happy being average the minimum is fine no need to excel in anything. We got the mall thats all we need. You want to blame Schau/ past boards thats fine but lets not stop this and future boards and Dr. Lupo from taking the next step. Mr. Mora I actually think you have good intentions but you are presenting things in only one way, yours. 1, ridgewood compared to suburban cook county schools in almost last in overall funding, teachers make on average at RHS less that a plumber or electrician, and in the lower third of cook county. We have 3 full time administrators the same as union ridge and giles/leigh. Compare those salaries to niles, leyden, and maine schools and you will see the vast difference, but that does not matter this is not about what the current teachers make it about offering more that just the minimum requirements to our kids. You total the salaries up and group in extracirricular activities that teachers do for example a teacher makes 50,000 to teach then they coach a couple of sports 3 or 4 grand extra they do and activity and lets say they get their masters. You add the 50 +4 +4 +3 + 2 for the masters and you say that teachers makes 63,000. but what you are not saying is that the teacher spends time away from his/her family coaching, running a club and by the way going to school to get better educated at night in order to be up to date on teaching our kids.
You talk about capital improvements building on tell that the kids that currently run up and down a hallway and stairs, and basketball players who have to practice until; 10 on school nights, how about the life saftey work to protect our kids saftey or removing asbestos or reinforcing steel beams or getting rid on 30 year old carpet in the hall for better indoor air quality or actually saving money on newer greener cooling system instead of the old cluncking window units in the window since we start school in mid august. why should we wait our kids deserve what kids in the suburbs have been getting for years. You talk about scare tactics and fear no one threatened you least of all TOM STICHA who is about 5’4 145 pounds you are literally twice his size no offense. The concerned homeowners were pointing out the fact that schools are the number one reason families look to move and a major factor on where they spend their money and where they buy.. If you had kids and looking to move wouldn’t you buy a house in a community that had schools that offered a comprehensive school experience of course you would. Your friends Tony and Eva were the ones spreading scary information about 1200 ,1500 hundred dollar increases and putting stuff in mailboxes unstamped, the Concerned homeowners stamped everything and have the receipts to prove it. As did you. This is about selfish people like you who do not have kids in the system and don’t want to pay for someone elses kid to have better then they had it, which I can understand but that is the way Illinios funds its schools that’s why the property value arguement. The board members get paid NOTHING they do it for the community and all you can do is bash them, we elected them. We had plenty of open forums the first 2 trys at the referendum we presented all sorts on info. We as a community have failed our kids by locking them in the bubble we pamper them through grade schools where everymakes the honor roll and 99% or the kids meet the standards for a state the has the 49th easiest state elementary school test. What a joke! It can’t be that we are one of the only areas in the state without a JR. High that would cost money we may have to have a bus pick kids up on one side of town and bring them to the other, we can’t do them we have never bused kids around norridge and harwood heights, why start now. And of course its all RHS fault it cant be that are kids are not prepared for High school where they are judged on national test the ACT yet our kids score average for the state but we are happy being average the minimum is fine no need to excel in anything. We got the mall thats all we need. You want to blame Schau/ past boards thats fine but lets not stop this and future boards and Dr. Lupo from taking the next step.

]]> By: riccardo http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-61 riccardo Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:26:49 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-61 Submitted to the Board tonight for the record are pages 6 and 10 from a document titled, Frequently Asked Questions about District 234’s Proposal Bond Fund and Limiting Rate Referenda, dated 8-28-06. Page 6 Question: How will the money be generated to build, equip, and to staff the new facilities? Answer: Building, equipping, and staffing the new facilities will require the passage of two, companion ballot questions. Page 10 Question: What if the referenda do not pass? Answer: If the referenda were to fail, the facility plan would not be implemented. Page 10 Question: What if only one of the two propositions passes? Answer: “The plan will not be implemented unless both questions pass” About 10 weeks later on 11-02-06 only five days before the election, Lupo is quoted in the newspaper saying, “Voters must approve both referendums for the renovation and expansion plans to be put into action” Nine days after the election on 11-16-06 and the defeat of the referenda question to increase the tax rate, Lupo is quoted as saying, “But voters had to approve both referendum for the district’s renovation and expansion plans to go forward.” The community took you at your word, but you went ahead with renovation and expansion plans anyway. A few months ago here, I repeated a request made by another member of the community. “Bring concrete issues to the community”. While I presented facts to the community, the radical group calling themselves “concerned community homeowners” presents the community with a barrage of literature in their mailboxes, sometimes delivered by the USPS and other times just stuffed into mailboxes without stamps. That literature is attached for the record and your failure to condemn this fear mongering and class warfare that it represents, is your endorsement of said literature. My motivation has nothing to do with what may or may not have happened over 40 years ago. I have always been proud to say I attended Ridgewood and moved my family here in 1991 sending my daughter to Leigh and Ridgewood. Residing here for about 25 years now, proud to call Norridge my home, shame on those who question my motivation and choose to do a “joe the plumber” on me. Beginning on that day in early 2007 when I first received a green flyer, along with reading what was being said in our local newspaper and what Bob Lupo wrote in his blog, motivated me to investigate and gather information. This year on February 5th in front of Leigh School, being called a liar by poll workers in front of voters on their way to vote was motivating. Voters who witnessed the screaming and name calling probably knew the names of those shouting at me, what impressions were left in their minds? One in particular was an unknown woman to me at the time, she called me a liar and threatened to call someone to take care of me. I watched her make a phone call and someone arrived shortly thereafter to harass me. I learned her identity at the April 2008 board meeting, the first board meeting I had ever attended, while sitting here I recognized her as Maria Smith. Her actions that day are unbecoming a school board member. Thanks to the threat by Tom Sticha that a complaint has been filed with the State Board of Elections against me, I am motivated to continue investigating, gathering information and sharing that information with the community. Thanks to the actions of Pat Rossi, Tom Sticha, JoJo Hadjuk, Larry Rogawski, Rocco Secco, Rosemary Wegner, Emily Macrito, Sarina Ruffolo and other unknown persons, there are now plenty of other motivated residents of our community ready to fight any tax increase that is presented. A family pulled up to me at Leigh school and asked if it was my name on the “Vote No” literature, when I replied yes, they thanked me for bringing the facts out in the open. The driver said, “they sure hate you” and I just shrugged. Concerned about my safety, he warned me about a man at the library who was exhibiting hatred toward me and asked me to be careful. The man he described was Tom Sticha. Days prior to the election while pulled over chatting with an opponent of this tax increase, Brian Costello pulled in front of my van and got out, while another car pulled up along side. It was then that a woman in her 70’s seeing what looked like might be trouble came out of her house in my defense and warned them not to start any fights with me because she would call the police. Days before the election, a friend of mine sent me an e-mail expressing concern over my safety, he suggested that I not go south of Montrose on foot. Months before the election JoJo Hadjuk informed me that I was now the most hated person in Norridge. Don’t worry about the gangs coming to our communities, they are already here and call themselves, “concerned community homeowners”. Why the hatred? I understand disagreeing, I understand people not liking me, but hatred? Perfect strangers so concerned about my safety, they come to me and warn me about Tom Sticha. I do not come here to hear myself speak, I come here to offer suggestions in support of Ridgewood. I could be one of those that merely sit at home and complain about how things are but I have chosen to take a very public stance in an effort to be part of the solution to the problems that Ridgewood faces. This is my home, this is my High School. To put an end the divisiveness in our community and restore creditability to the board of education here, I offer the following suggestions. 1. Take this tax increase off the table at least until the November 2, 2010 election. Make a public statement in the newspaper and post it at our web site. 2. Immediately stop spending any more of that $40 million bond not already spent and pledge not to spend anymore of it. 3. Encourage people to get more involved by inviting everyone to run for the school board. Have a 3 minute workshop at the next board meeting on how to become a board member. Inform the newspaper and post it at our website. 4. Place all seven seats up for election in April, Romito and Massaro should resign effective the April election and not run for any vacant positions. We must restore credibility to the community by cutting the ties to the past that limits the forward progress of Ridgewood. 5. With over 20 years here at Ridgewood, including his high school years our current Superintendent has lost his credibility. He has had plenty of time to make this school better, we are not getting what we deserve and must begin the search for a new leader. Our Superintendent was also part of the Schau era, we must cut all the ties to that fiasco, if we are ever to move forward and make Ridgewood a better school. 6. Let’s have more transparency here by posting salaries of all employees and the check registry. Post all public notices at our web site, rather than only hidden in the back of the newspaper. 7. A prior suggestion was to create a open forum or blog at our site where people could post messages, make suggestions, ask questions and receive answers. 8. We must take the politics out of the school board, we need independent thinkers, we do not need people here because of who they know. I ask everyone considering running for the school board to run as an independent. Quit being politicians and be our neighbors. Submitted to the Board tonight for the record are pages 6 and 10 from a document titled, Frequently Asked Questions about District 234’s Proposal Bond Fund and Limiting Rate Referenda, dated 8-28-06.
Page 6 Question: How will the money be generated to build, equip, and to staff the new facilities?
Answer: Building, equipping, and staffing the new facilities will require the passage of two, companion ballot questions.
Page 10 Question: What if the referenda do not pass?
Answer: If the referenda were to fail, the facility plan would not be implemented.
Page 10 Question: What if only one of the two propositions passes?
Answer: “The plan will not be implemented unless both questions pass”
About 10 weeks later on 11-02-06 only five days before the election, Lupo is quoted in the newspaper saying, “Voters must approve both referendums for the renovation and expansion plans to be put into action” Nine days after the election on 11-16-06 and the defeat of the referenda question to increase the tax rate, Lupo is quoted as saying, “But voters had to approve both referendum for the district’s renovation and expansion plans to go forward.”
The community took you at your word, but you went ahead with renovation and expansion plans anyway.
A few months ago here, I repeated a request made by another member of the community. “Bring concrete issues to the community”. While I presented facts to the community, the radical group calling themselves “concerned community homeowners” presents the community with a barrage of literature in their mailboxes, sometimes delivered by the USPS and other times just stuffed into mailboxes without stamps. That literature is attached for the record and your failure to condemn this fear mongering and class warfare that it represents, is your endorsement of said literature.
My motivation has nothing to do with what may or may not have happened over 40 years ago. I have always been proud to say I attended Ridgewood and moved my family here in 1991 sending my daughter to Leigh and Ridgewood. Residing here for about 25 years now, proud to call Norridge my home, shame on those who question my motivation and choose to do a “joe the plumber” on me.
Beginning on that day in early 2007 when I first received a green flyer, along with reading what was being said in our local newspaper and what Bob Lupo wrote in his blog, motivated me to investigate and gather information.
This year on February 5th in front of Leigh School, being called a liar by poll workers in front of voters on their way to vote was motivating. Voters who witnessed the screaming and name calling probably knew the names of those shouting at me, what impressions were left in their minds?
One in particular was an unknown woman to me at the time, she called me a liar and threatened to call someone to take care of me. I watched her make a phone call and someone arrived shortly thereafter to harass me. I learned her identity at the April 2008 board meeting, the first board meeting I had ever attended, while sitting here I recognized her as Maria Smith. Her actions that day are unbecoming a school board member.
Thanks to the threat by Tom Sticha that a complaint has been filed with the State Board of Elections against me, I am motivated to continue investigating, gathering information and sharing that information with the community. Thanks to the actions of Pat Rossi, Tom Sticha, JoJo Hadjuk, Larry Rogawski, Rocco Secco, Rosemary Wegner, Emily Macrito, Sarina Ruffolo and other unknown persons, there are now plenty of other motivated residents of our community ready to fight any tax increase that is presented.
A family pulled up to me at Leigh school and asked if it was my name on the “Vote No” literature, when I replied yes, they thanked me for bringing the facts out in the open. The driver said, “they sure hate you” and I just shrugged. Concerned about my safety, he warned me about a man at the library who was exhibiting hatred toward me and asked me to be careful. The man he described was Tom Sticha.
Days prior to the election while pulled over chatting with an opponent of this tax increase, Brian Costello pulled in front of my van and got out, while another car pulled up along side. It was then that a woman in her 70’s seeing what looked like might be trouble came out of her house in my defense and warned them not to start any fights with me because she would call the police.
Days before the election, a friend of mine sent me an e-mail expressing concern over my safety, he suggested that I not go south of Montrose on foot.
Months before the election JoJo Hadjuk informed me that I was now the most hated person in Norridge.
Don’t worry about the gangs coming to our communities, they are already here and call themselves, “concerned community homeowners”.
Why the hatred? I understand disagreeing, I understand people not liking me, but hatred? Perfect strangers so concerned about my safety, they come to me and warn me about Tom Sticha.
I do not come here to hear myself speak, I come here to offer suggestions in support of Ridgewood. I could be one of those that merely sit at home and complain about how things are but I have chosen to take a very public stance in an effort to be part of the solution to the problems that Ridgewood faces.
This is my home, this is my High School.
To put an end the divisiveness in our community and restore creditability to the board of education here, I offer the following suggestions.
1. Take this tax increase off the table at least until the November 2, 2010 election. Make a public statement in the newspaper and post it at our web site.
2. Immediately stop spending any more of that $40 million bond not already spent and pledge not to spend anymore of it.
3. Encourage people to get more involved by inviting everyone to run for the school board. Have a 3 minute workshop at the next board meeting on how to become a board member. Inform the newspaper and post it at our website.
4. Place all seven seats up for election in April, Romito and Massaro should resign effective the April election and not run for any vacant positions. We must restore credibility to the community by cutting the ties to the past that limits the forward progress of Ridgewood.
5. With over 20 years here at Ridgewood, including his high school years our current Superintendent has lost his credibility. He has had plenty of time to make this school better, we are not getting what we deserve and must begin the search for a new leader. Our Superintendent was also part of the Schau era, we must cut all the ties to that fiasco, if we are ever to move forward and make Ridgewood a better school.
6. Let’s have more transparency here by posting salaries of all employees and the check registry. Post all public notices at our web site, rather than only hidden in the back of the newspaper.
7. A prior suggestion was to create a open forum or blog at our site where people could post messages, make suggestions, ask questions and receive answers.
8. We must take the politics out of the school board, we need independent thinkers, we do not need people here because of who they know. I ask everyone considering running for the school board to run as an independent.
Quit being politicians and be our neighbors.

]]> By: riccardo http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-60 riccardo Mon, 10 Nov 2008 21:49:58 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-60 the residents were not scared into voting for this tax increase and have sent a clear and resounding message, 56.11% opposed and only 43.89% in favor to ridgewood and the board of education, "live within your means" everyone should now know that Ridgewood DOES get a tax increase every year as a cost of living tax increase per the tax cap laws, in 2006-2007 they received $1,224,720.00 increase and in 2007-2008 ridgewood received a $1,563,136.00 increase which now represents a 26.43% increase in just two years, you didn't hear this from them, you only heard the fear mongering, when facts don't support an issue, try and scare them and when fear is not working, do a "joe the plumber" on the messengers the residents were not scared into voting for this tax increase and have sent a clear and resounding message, 56.11% opposed and only 43.89% in favor to ridgewood and the board of education, “live within your means” everyone should now know that Ridgewood DOES get a tax increase every year as a cost of living tax increase per the tax cap laws, in 2006-2007 they received $1,224,720.00 increase and in 2007-2008 ridgewood received a $1,563,136.00 increase which now represents a 26.43% increase in just two years, you didn’t hear this from them, you only heard the fear mongering, when facts don’t support an issue, try and scare them and when fear is not working, do a “joe the plumber” on the messengers

]]> By: betsy http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-58 betsy Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:32:00 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-58 Thanks Betsy, I to think that information was not presented the right way and that everyone has a right to know where the money will go, Just because I knew where it was going or someone else might have know where its going, doesnt mean everyone knows where it was going. I truley hope in Spring, if it were to be back on the ballot, that everyone would be willing to talk to eachother and work together to see whats best. I want there to be no hard feelings because this is our community and we are all doing the best we can. take care Thanks Betsy,

I to think that information was not presented the right way and that everyone has a right to know where the money will go, Just because I knew where it was going or someone else might have know where its going, doesnt mean everyone knows where it was going. I truley hope in Spring, if it were to be back on the ballot, that everyone would be willing to talk to eachother and work together to see whats best. I want there to be no hard feelings because this is our community and we are all doing the best we can.

take care

]]> By: riccardo http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-57 riccardo Wed, 05 Nov 2008 22:21:57 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-57 with over a 60% voter turnout, the voters have clearly said no to this referendum for the 4th time in less than 2 years and hopefully everyone will respect the democratic process and abide by the will of the people, to put this back on the ballot would be a slap in the face to the community who voted no, i presented facts, cited the sources and the voters voted, enough is enough, i offer the following sources to anyone interested http://iirc.niu.edu/ http://www.isbe.state.il.us/ http://labs.suntimes.com/reportcards/ http://www.championnews.net/salaries.php http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ/state/#IL i realize that supporters of this tax increase will be afraid to gather information from these sources because the truth is always hard to digest we are all neighbors and we should all be respectful of each other with over a 60% voter turnout, the voters have clearly said no to this referendum for the 4th time in less than 2 years and hopefully everyone will respect the democratic process and abide by the will of the people, to put this back on the ballot would be a slap in the face to the community who voted no, i presented facts, cited the sources and the voters voted, enough is enough, i offer the following sources to anyone interested http://iirc.niu.edu/
http://www.isbe.state.il.us/
http://labs.suntimes.com/reportcards/
http://www.championnews.net/salaries.php
http://www.utexas.edu/world/univ/state/#IL
i realize that supporters of this tax increase will be afraid to gather information from these sources because the truth is always hard to digest
we are all neighbors and we should all be respectful of each other

]]> By: carolyn http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-56 carolyn Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:58:48 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-56 Thank you so much Betsy, I appreciate your invitation. My husband and I actually volunteered for years for Ridgewood, I involve myself in RHS Foundation activities, my business is a regular donor to the Toys for Tots, Shop with a Cop, the annual church and park festivals; I was even a team mom one year for an NYA baseball team - again...without a child in any of the schools, not by choice but because we have no children. So yes, i would say I'm an involved Norridge citizen. I do understand your position, I truly do. I just think that for the Spring ballot, RHS may want to be more forthcoming with what the money will actually be spent on. Last night, I had a long conversation with somebody from the supporters group whom I respect and think very highly of. He explained what the monies were intended for and it made sense. Unfortunately, it was too late. All we had to go by for information were the documented sources from Ricardo, rumor, blank stares from others that we asked and ridiculous flyers. Good luck to you as well and I look forward to the Spring. Thank you so much Betsy, I appreciate your invitation.

My husband and I actually volunteered for years for Ridgewood, I involve myself in RHS Foundation activities, my business is a regular donor to the Toys for Tots, Shop with a Cop, the annual church and park festivals; I was even a team mom one year for an NYA baseball team – again…without a child in any of the schools, not by choice but because we have no children. So yes, i would say I’m an involved Norridge citizen.

I do understand your position, I truly do. I just think that for the Spring ballot, RHS may want to be more forthcoming with what the money will actually be spent on. Last night, I had a long conversation with somebody from the supporters group whom I respect and think very highly of. He explained what the monies were intended for and it made sense. Unfortunately, it was too late. All we had to go by for information were the documented sources from Ricardo, rumor, blank stares from others that we asked and ridiculous flyers.

Good luck to you as well and I look forward to the Spring.

]]> By: Tammy http://www.openillinois.org/needs-accountability/pay-higher-taxesor-face-the-gangs/comment-page-1/#comment-55 Tammy Wed, 05 Nov 2008 20:12:03 +0000 http://www.openillinois.org/?p=402#comment-55 Carolyn, your husband is very brave, the porch light was broke, it was dark outside and yet he still went up on a ladder to clean the eggs. Those meanies came back and hit him again, it's a good thing he didn't fall. Carolyn, your husband is very brave, the porch light was broke, it was dark outside and yet he still went up on a ladder to clean the eggs. Those meanies came back and hit him again, it’s a good thing he didn’t fall.

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