Letters policy
We welcome letters, but please include your full name, address and a daytime
telephone number. We edit all letters for libel, length and clarity.
Send letters to: Letters, Illinois Times. P.O. Box 5256. Springfield, Illinois
62705. Fax: (217) 753-3958. E-mail: editor@illinoistimes.com
FOR THE RECORD
I was pleased to read Carolyn Harmon’s commentary on the literacy project VIA/Literacy [“Will VIA/Literary celebrate 20 years?” Illinois Times, May 27]. My office has worked closely with this excellent literacy project since its inception. It is always gratifying to see literacy programs, which typically have a low profile, get the publicity they need and deserve. We hope that this publicity will lead to additional volunteer tutors and wider community support for VIA/Literacy.
However, I would like to set the record straight concerning the funding that VIA/Literacy has received from the Secretary of State/Illinois State Library in the past two years. In fiscal year 2003, the Lawrence Education Center, the operating agency for VIA/Literacy, received a total of $84,800 to implement the volunteer literacy program (Community Literacy: $70,000), the domestic-violence program (New Chapters: $10,000), and the summer family-literacy program (Penny Severns Summer Family Literacy: $4,800). In fiscal year 2004, the Lawrence Education Center received a total of $115,000 to implement the volunteer literacy program (Community Literacy: $70,000), the family-literacy program (Family Literacy: $35,000), and the domestic-violence program (New Chapters: $10,000). It is true that they did not receive FY2004 funding to operate the summer family-literacy program (Penny Severns Summer Family Literacy) because of the highly competitive nature of this grant.
I am pleased that we have been able to increase the total funding to the Lawrence Education Center from this office, despite the decreasing amount of state funds available for this type of service. I look forward to continuing our relationship with them to help improve the lives of more Springfield residents.
Jesse White
Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian
SAY NO TO SUPERSTORE
Springfield city leaders have a history of making decisions that ultimately cost the city taxpayers millions of dollars. I urge the City Council to avoid making another costly, shortsighted decision.
The site on Wabash Avenue is inherently unsuitable for a Wal-Mart Supercenter. The 32-acre site will have no direct access to Wabash (the state won’t allow it), and all traffic to and from this huge paved parking lot will be channeled onto streets that were intended for the lighter traffic of subdivisions and not the huge volume of traffic generated by a big-box retailer. Meadowbrook, Hedley, and Archer Elevator roads will become major thoroughfares for people accessing Wal-Mart; Iles Avenue and Koke Mill will also be affected by heavier traffic loads. I don’t have to be a traffic engineer to determine this; common sense tells me this. Who has to foot the bill to repair and improve these roads? We do — all of Springfield’s taxpayers.
If this site is suitable, why is it necessary for them to request subdivision and zoning variances?
Oh, I know that the developers, Wal-Mart, and the politicians will stress additional tax receipts and new jobs generated by this superstore. However, the dollars that will be spent at this store will be dollars currently being spent at businesses such as Shop ‘n Save, Cub Foods, Schnucks, Lowe’s, ShopKo, and the Wal-Mart in Parkway Pointe. Any tax receipts generated by this superstore will be offset by fewer tax receipts (and loss of jobs) from existing retail outlets. The net gain in tax revenues and jobs will be negligible. However, long-term, the expenditures eventually incurred by the Springfield taxpayers on infrastructure to combat the problems caused by locating a big-box retailer at this site will be substantial.
In addition to the traffic problems associated with this site, there are drainage issues. The site does not have room for Wal-Mart to build its own retention pond. Therefore all of the run-off from this 32-acre site will flow into the surrounding subdivisions and affect everyone downstream.
I urge the City Council to not repeat the mistakes of the past by supporting an action that will benefit a few at the expense of many. Although the homeowners in adjacent subdivisions will be the ones most immediately affected, all Springfield taxpayers will have to foot the bill.
Ethel T. Winders
Springfield
BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS
It’s important to remember that if members of the U.S. military hadn’t been caught with their pants down and abusing prisoners, they would still be doing it. In fact, they will continue to get away with as much abuse as possible, though more discreetly.
The barbarity of our soldiers is fueled not only by what they have witnessed — and suffered — in this “war” but also by what has been hammered into them by their commander in chief, who consistently frames the war as good against evil, as us against the “evildoers.” It is easier to brutalize and dehumanize “evil enemies.” The “bad apple” soldiers are not alone in guilt. The brutality ordered by President George W. Bush and his fellow warlords is savaging an entire nation and people.
This is not an honorable war. It is not a war at all but more of a massacre and a modern-day inquisition. If Bush had his way, minus the initial outcry, he’d still be referring to it as a crusade.
As for our own casualties — our troops who survive this disgraceful and dishonorable war — should rest assured that on their return to the United States they will not be the targets of scorn, contempt, or ridicule. Our soldiers have been duped and victimized by a handful of far-right, jingoistic ideologues who will have too much blood on their hands to ever wash away.
Robert Waldmire
Rochester
LIFE IN THE TRENCHES
I work in a large state office building in a support-services operation, going on 25 years. If I were to mention the name of the place or describe the building, most folks would already have an opinion of the joint — and I would be fired. You can call me Whiskers, because I’m one of the few old guard left after early retirements. Of five workers, I’m the only one who stayed. I don’t blame my old crew for leaving me. Most of them felt bad that I’m working alone. For two years, I’ve only had one other permanent employee assigned to assist, and she had her former job abolished in a consolidation. I thank my lucky stars, for she is first-rate.
For your information:
I’ve been forced to train my managers because my union says there is no other way. When I complained, my union and management wanted to reprimand me. I’ve trained six supervisors, against contract rules.
I’ve loaded, not counting forklift duties, more than 40 tons of copy paper in the last six months. I cannot count the number of temporary workers I’ve trained only to see them leave after a few months. This is hard, dirty work.
Almost every item that comes to the dock I’ve unloaded with marginal help. One “boss” told me to get on two forklifts at the same time. If I don’t unload it, no one has paper, pens, or toilet paper. The public cannot be served without this stuff.
One person cannot be present all the time. On the Friday before Memorial Day, I was all alone in the unit, and no deliveries were made to the offices. The trucks still came in, and I had to shutter the office to keep other employees from “sampling” the stores.
To cover the workload, our shredding unit is now shipping confidential material out because privatization is the norm. Temps even open the mail.
Privatization is what is wrong in the prisons of Iraq. There is no continuity if the employee knows there is no future for him or her. I still care about the public and my “customers,” as they serve the public. I still have a good salary, health care, and a retirement.
As I work, I bring income to the coffers. And I spend most of my money here in central Illinois.
Shopping runs this economy. Lay me off, and I quit spending.
Remember the story “The Emperor’s New Clothes”?
Name withheld by request
Springfield
This article appears in Jun 10-16, 2004.
