Letters to the editor 7/9/26

We welcome letters. Please include your full name, address and telephone number. We edit all letters. Send them to editor@illinoistimes.com.

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THANKS FOR PUBLICIZING 

Thank you to Dilpreet Raju for his recent cover story on data centers and for his other reporting on this issue (“Divided over data centers,” June 25).

I attended the April 7 Sangamon County Board meeting where the public comment period was limited to 60 minutes. I was one of the people who signed up but did not get called to speak. We were told 60 people had signed up to speak and that we would be called in order of sign up. Each time a speaker was finished, we first had to listen to admonishments from the leadership about not showing emotion. I personally thought the crowd was well-behaved.

It felt like the board leadership was intentionally limiting the number of public comments. At least one board member tried to get additional comment time but was voted down. I also want to thank Marc Ayers for the insightful questions he posed and IT for its coverage of the discussion at the meeting. 

 Many opposed to the data center are asking for time to properly study the impact on our county and to develop regulations. It seems reasonable – why the rush? It has been pointed out that the regulations in Sangamon County for building fences are more voluminous than those we currently have on data centers. Why not take the time to develop sound regulations and learn from other locales? 

Thank you, Illinois Times, for allowing this issue to continue to be discussed by the public. 

Deneen Omer
Springfield

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STOP IT 

I know we are all very excited to start drinking plastic in our water but is there anything the legislature or the governor or the county board can do to halt the data center in Sangamon County? I’m kind of selfish in that I don’t want to pay more for energy and I like my environment to be pollution-free. I know that’s a radical take but it is how I feel. Anyway, I’m hoping someone can do something to stop it. Consider this a desperate plea for that to happen.

Mike Gascoigne
Springfield

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COUNTY FAILED

I drove by Aurora’s CyrusOne data center last week and cannot fathom something six times that size coming to Sangamon County in the middle of our cornfields. Shame on every single board member who voted to allow this. 

I hope everyone reads this article and sees the truth for what it is: A hyperscale data center was in the works months before the zoning ordinance was passed unanimously in July 2025. Our county board has failed us.

Alexa Martinie Clay
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes

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REPRESENT THE PEOPLE

Legislators, county board members and city alderpeople are not elected to enact laws, establish rules or pass ordinances – those are functional tasks (“Future data center tax breaks on hold,” June 25). These public officials are elected to represent the people and safeguard their interests. They act on behalf, not in place of, the people. 

To lose sight of this means we no longer have a representative government; it becomes a voluntary surrender of the republican form of government guaranteed by the Constitution.

Kendra Barlow-Johnson
Via illinoistimes.com

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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Following the developments of where and if the Bears will get a new stadium has been an exercise in futility (“Cheering an empty stadium,” June 25). Firstly, if the Chicago Bears are not in Chicago, what will the new team name be? 

Secondly, people attend Bears games not because they are playing world-class football, but because they’re in Chicago, a world-class city. 

Finally, if the Bears end up in Hammond or Arlington Heights, who exactly is going to show up? The locals? Maybe. 

Whatever happens, the Bears’ owners should be aware that location is everything.

John Brodt
Springfield 

This article appears in July 9-15, 2026.