Everybody takes a turn in the barrel, and this time it was Watchdog’s turn. After writing 318 postings basically unscathed, posting #319 brought a cacophony of comments and emails questioning my mental state of mind.
To think that of all the topics and city officials covered over a five year period, it was a posting on endorsing Steve Chirico for mayor of Naperville that flooded my inbox.
The endorsement was posted shortly before midnight on Saturday. By Sunday morning through Monday, comments and emails were rolling in. For a moment I thought, maybe I was delusional when I wrote it, so I went back to read it. Afterwards I realized that I missed a couple of additional positive comments about Chirico including he is the only mayoral candidate with city council experience who has never lost a mayoral election.
Watchdog readers are a rather intelligent and interesting group of people, and I have to give them credit for some of the more creative comments and emails I received including the following:
“Your second coming of Jesus, endorsement of this spend and tax establishment guy is a disgrace.” (Buck Naper)
“At first I thought, ahh, April Fool’s Day” (Not an April Fool)
“I am surprised by your ‘gushing’ endorsement.” (Naper since 87)
“Are you sure that was coffee you were drinking” (Carl S.)
“Have you lost your senses?” (David T.)
” What were you thinking?” (Marilynne F.)
“Amazing. It’s about time you had something nice to say about a city official. I just didn’t think it would flow so freely about one person. I didn’t think you had it in you.” (Fred H.)
“You must be related to Chirico. Check with Ancestry.com” (Phil R)
“I’m seriously shocked that you’re endorsing Steve Chirico, and with such GLOWING words! I’m stunned that you would go so far overboard in your endorsement. Your post comes off as a paid endorsement.” (Jeff)
“so called ‘Watchdog’ endorses him? Jeff got it right. How much is he paying you there ‘Watchdog”? (Joe Naper)
“What were you smoking before you wrote your post?” (Mary J.)
“You must be nuts. You’ve totally lost it.” (Rodney F.)
“I finally figured it out. Watchdog is really Steve Chirico, and the whole purpose of the blog was to get himself (Chirico) elected. Clever.” (Mercedes M.)
I have always admired the ability of those who can say so much in so few words, so here is my personal favorite:
“Naperville Watchdog turned Lap Dog!” (Brenda)
Well, no doubt the posting stirred a lot of emotion. No matter who Watchdog endorsed, chances are emails and comments would have been abundant.
It could be worse…it could be happening to me
It’s Good To Be King…At Least For A While.
-Tom Petty
Chirico voted in lockstep with Council members on spending schemes and projects. In December, the Council voted for a 3.3% property tax hike.
Chicago Tribune Dec. 2014: “Councilman Steve Chirico said he thought the levy was way too low given the budget gap. ‘It’s no different than a household budget, he said. You get rid of savings and you run up your credit card debt, this kind of like what we’re looking at right now. I think we better find some revenues to get this thing back into a …secure situation.”
Here’s a clue: Rational households don’t get rid of the savings and then run up the credit cards. Nor do they accept grants and funding from relatives (Illinois) who are not paying their bills and are nearly bankrupt.
Chirico, the more government confiscates in taxes the less people have to spend in local business.
Chirico and credit cards –
• This situation is more akin to someone STEALING your credit cards, running up the bill, and now you’re left to pay for it.
• The current city council decided to spend money we did not have, while continuing to run at a deficit, against the wishes of the people who are now left paying for it.
• Not one current council member will get a vote from me on April 7th.
• I would rather see an all new council who doesn’t have a clue to what they are doing, than even one of these spend and tax “experienced” incumbents proclaiming they are working on my behalf.
Watchdog, your infatuation with Chirico’s high school 1970’s wrestling record is amusing. How about reporting what college degree Mr. Chirico actually earned. Was it in accounting, business or economics?
Don’t hold your breath for that one…
News Update: American Kennel Club investigates pedigree claims as “Watch Dog”
Watch Dog- Protects and reports to citizens ensuring term-limited, representative local government based on ethics, transparency and accountability whereby elected officials respect their constituency and act on behalf of the citizens they represent.
Lap Dog-Wolf in Watch Dog clothing. Promotes well connected crony capitalists, deficit spending, higher taxes and incompetence whereby officials act on their donors, friends and their own behalf.
Your Chirico endorsement was nauseating. I have watched Chirico in city council meetings for years and the one thing I will never forget is how disrespectful he was/is to the people he represents.
WatchDog, your first impression of Chirico was the right one. It appears you’ve been bamboozled.