Naperville is going to be busy dealing with some big issues, some controversial, and some not so, but nearly all will end with a heaping dose of criticism from taxpayers towards city council members. If Tuesday night’s city council meeting is any indication of how united or respectful council members will be to each other dealing with these issues, then city officials may want to add a sergeant-of-arms to the festivities. This weekend’s posting will look at exactly what got a couple council members bent out of shape. Who would have guessed that it would have involved the 5th Avenue Development Project.
A couple of other ongoing issues haven’t erupted into verbal kerfuffles yet, but they may when all is said and done. Same questions but different structures; do we ‘save’ old Nichols Library, or let it go, and do we save Moser Tower which houses Naperville’s Carillon, or turn it into a steel and concrete pinata.
Each structure has groups of folks looking at the feasibility and cost of preserving the building and tower; ideas and dollar amount estimates are beginning to roll in. That information is wonderful, but what’s missing is how is this going to be funded?
It’s no different than a family wanting to build an addition on their house, take a fantastic vacation, and replacing the old car with a new one, as their kids are heading to college with tuition due. It’s nice to want things, it’s even nicer if there is a plan to achieve how it’s going to happen.
What’s that noise that I hear? Could it be a kerfuffle in council chambers? “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me”, so just call me names. Council members need to get ready for a heap of criticism from the fine folks of Naperville.
Having a council who is fiscally responsible to their constituents versus special interests is always the best course of action. Anybody or group of politicians can spend like drunken sailors kicking the can down the road to the next generation of people and politicians.
It takes politicians of character, integrity, honesty and intelligence to just say no to hair brained ideas, wasteful projects and programs and special interests.
Tax payers are at a braking point thus the move outs of business and people to lands East, West and South. It’s time to stop this insanity, consolidate, eliminate redundancy and cutout the fat. There is no money left to waste so for once recognize this fact and act accordingly.