Forget “2030 Plan,” the only real county land use plan is the “Clout Plan.”

2 comments April 10th, 2009

In the wake of the Winnebago County Board’s 15-8 vote to approve the controversial Cannell subdivision in an environmentally sensitive area of northern Winnebago County, I have a suggestion:

You’ve been going through the motions of passing a “2030 Plan” for land use in the county. Just forget about it. Nobody will believe you’re serious, anyway.

The only land use plan that we’ve ever had in Winnebago County is the “Clout Plan,” because whenever a clout-heavy developer wants to do something, he seems to get his way.

Your 2030 plan is a sham.

We need to do a better job teaching youngsters about local government

11 comments April 8th, 2009

I co-hosted Doug McDuff’s WNTA-AM radio show Wednesday afternoon. Had some good conversations with Mayor Larry Morrissey, Aldermen Joe Sosnowski, Doug Mark, Jeff Holt, Carl Wasco, Harlem Township Supervisor Doug Aurand,all of whom called in to thank voters for re-electing them.

One thing we touched on was the fact taht turnout was so low — 25 percent in Rockford and lower in surrounding areas. I thought it odd indeed that people stream to the polls in large numbers to vote every four years for president, but practically ignore the more important local elections that have a more real impact on their daily lives.

I think this could be because children are not taught how government works at all levels. When I was in high school, we were required in government class to go to City Council meetings to learn how the city of Rockford government worked.

I have not seen a high school class at a City Council meeting for decades. Do students learn about all the local and regional governments that affect their lives? I doubt it, because young people know very little about who runs their lives. Worse, many don’t seem  to care.

I’d like to see a solid, local government curriculum in the high schools. We need one.

People to watch in the next four years:
Jeff Holt, who got elected Rockford township clerk, successfully parked himself in a visible position to allow him to run for a bigger office, perhaps as soon as next year. Holt, who is only 30, would be perfectly positioned to run for state representative, even state Senate. Or perhaps, who knows, Congress?

Another young leader to watch is Joe Sosnowski. Easily re-elected Tuesday to another four-year term, Sosnowski  is 32, and already has experience on two city councils, Rockford’s and Dekalb’s.

Some surprises, some predictable outcomes, from Tuesday’s election

2 comments April 7th, 2009

Larry Morrissey’s victory Tuesday was not a surprise, but the blowout margin of victory was.  I had always hoped that the silent majority of sensible Rockfordians would make themselves heard, and they did.

There were, however, some surprises. I did not expect Pete MacKay, the veteran Republican Rockford Township Highway commissioner, to lose his job in a squeaker to former alderman Dan Conness, the Democrat. I wish Conness well, and I thank Pete for his good stewardship of the highway department, where he is repsected and liked by the workers. Pete continues on as a member of the Winnebago County Board.

Republican Jerry Lemmons gave Democrat Doug Aurand a run for his money in the Harlem Township supervisor’s race. Lemmons, a Machesney Park board member, got 47 percent of the vote against the iconic Demorat. This shows that the township, once reliably Democratic, is importing independent-minded and Republican-leaning voters as it grows.

Congratulations to Chuck Brown on his election to the Rockford Board. Chuck is the PR guy at Rockford College, but I know him from his hard work on the Northwest Community Center board, on which I also serve. He’s one of the most community-minded people I know, so I have confidence that he’ll bring that attitude to the Park Board.

Another surprise was Lisa Jackson’s relatively easy win over Dyanna Chandler in the Rockford School Board race to succeed outgoing Mike Williams, the longest-serving board member. Jackson is the daughter of civil rights activist Flossie Hoard, a plaintiff in the People Who Care lawsuit in the 1990s. The suit ended in 2002.

The 14th ward aldermanic race spotlights the split in the Republican Party between the Chairwoman Jan Klaas faction and the Senator Dave Syverson faction. Winning candidate Bill Robertson, a Democrat running as an independent, won with 49 percent; Klaas Republican Ed Geeser and Syverson Republican Mark Bonne, running as an independent, split the 51 percent majority, allowing Robertson, the retired fire chief, to claim the victory. The ward can go either way, most recently it has been represented by Democrat Dan Conness, who will now become the Rockford Township highway commissioner.

Another victor I applaud is Kathy Kelley, re-elected to the Rock Valley College board. Kathy is married to Dave Kelley, a member of the Rockford School Board. There’s a lot of educational clout in that marriage!

Hear our podcast on election

Add comment April 6th, 2009

Wally Haas and I have made a podcast about Tuesday’s election. To hear it,

Here’s the link: http://tinyurl.com/c942ac

China trying to make money on electric car

2 comments April 2nd, 2009

Here’s a headline I liked from The Guardian Online:

China’s E6 electric car: ‘We’re not trying to save the world – we’re trying to make money’

Read the story HERE:

Manzullo pitches his $5,000 new car voucher directly to Obama in letter

11 comments April 2nd, 2009

Our congressman, Don Manzullo, R-Egan, has taken me up on a suggestion I made to Rich Carter, his press secretary. When President Obama said earlier this week that he was open to considering some congressional ideas to boost auto sales, such as a “trade in your clunker” for a new car, I suggested that Manzullo remind the president of his own plan to boost auto sales: a $5,000 voucher applied at the dealership to new car sales.

I’m not sure the president will buy it, and neither is Manzullo, but I think it’s a darned good idea, and at least he’s put it in front of teh president and his “Automotive Task Force.”

Manzullo’s plan  wouldn’t apply just to GM, Ford and Chrysler, because that would be a violation of World Trade Organization policies. However, as Manzullo points out, 80 percent of the cars sold in the U.S. are made here, by Americans. That includes popular Honda, Toyota, Nissan and Mercedes Benz models.

In fact, some “Japanese” cars have more American parts in them than Detroit models.

Manzullo’s letter to the presidetn says, in part,

“Until we restart auto manufacturing, we will have no recovery. One out of every 10 jobs is auto-related and cars account for 20 percent of all retail sales.

“I was encouraged by your recent comments on the need for consumer incentives to boost the auto industry…. On March. 20, 2009, I introduced The New Automobile Voucher Act of 2009 to provide temporary, electronic voucher for any new vehicle that costs less than $50,000.”