In a recent report in the Journal & Topics, we read the ballyhooing of this year's 5.5 miles of street resurfacing.
The Public Works committee, chaired by Ald. DreadBach (3rd ward), awarded the contract of $1,108,052.16 to J.A. Johnson Paving of Arlington Heights.
The PRU Crew decided to take a look at the resurfacing programs from the recent past, and we found...
2004/2005 - 5.3 Miles of Streets Resurfaced
2005/2006 - 8.3 Miles of Streets Resurfaced
2006/2007 - 9.3 Miles of Streets Resurfaced
2007/2008 - 7.3 Miles of Streets Resurfaced
2008/2009 - 5.5 Miles of Streets Resurfaced
Funny, but we don't remember paying less in property taxes.
We aren't unaware of the increases in costs. But we are aware that in order for our town's infrastructure needs to be maintained, we can't allow cut-backs on the very basics; such as street resurfacing.
Then again, we are also aware of the Frimark administration's preference for paving the way for deals for Friends of Frimark, rather than boring old street paving.
Finally, in today's Herald-Advocate citizens are invited to comment on the proposed City budget of $52.8 million. We don't know about everybody else, but we see an immediate $60,000.00 that should be cut right off the top; $50,000.00 for the Library "space needs study" and $10,000.00 for that goofy "Vision 2025" long-term city plan.
April 17, 2008
Shrinkage!
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20 comments:
I had no idea our city budget had gotten over $50mill. What the heck are they doing with all our money?
It is time to stop giving our hard earned dollars to consultants for traffic studies, space studies, etc... Isn't Robert Ryan's firm the choice for the traffic studies? And just how many has he managed for them to handle this year?
Now.....your on the right track!
Follow the money..........
Its sad that we have a special
give - it - away program here but that is whats going on at 505.
See you at the next election!
check Howie's pockets for the missing money
I must say that I haven't noticed the extent of how and where cutbacks are being made, but I have noticed some diminishment of services. I was very displeased with the care and conditions of the roadways this winter.
I believe our government should get back to basics and see to the foundations of our community before trying to ice a half baked cake.
I must ask this...in reference to the condition of Cumberland. I know it's a State Road, blah, blah, blah.
There was an article in the Herald-Advocate today about extending Cumberland under the RR tracks at Busse. WHY WHY WHY?
Are we in desperate need of noisy, polluting truck traffic? Cumberland goes through several school districts. Are we seriously thinking about having MORE trucks go past where our children cross the street?
There is no need for Park Ridge to have a "Truck Route." I believe that is what Harlem Avenue and River Road are for.
Again, Howie...WHAT ARE YOU THINKING???!!!!!
What's Howard thinking?
Howard wants to put his name on the bridge, that's why.
A lasting legacy in concrete, paved by way of lies and deceit.
Reminds me of the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska that was finally killed by Congress (or at least I think it was)
There probably are not any easy answers to the budget problems. All I know is I am sick to death of more and more taxes and less and less services.
At 505 they don't really have a grip
on the reality of what is going on out here in the jungle.
I feel violated each time our taxes go up and up and up.............
Not even in communist countries do they raise your taxes - at this pace.
We really need to see Howie and his blow hards down the road this coming election.
Then we hear that Rosemary Mulligan was granted $20,000.00 twenty thousand dollars to be able to hear the music play in the park in front of Gotham city hall.
Where is batman when we need him...
to help fight this corruption!!
Forget batman. This is a job for the Green Hornet!
We're all at fault for the waste that goes on...when we don't beef like hell at our mayor and our aldermen every time they throw away $20K here and $50K there for worthless studies, handouts to local groups who don't know how - or want to make the effort - to earn their own funding, etc. To paraphrase the late Sen. Everett Dirksen: Twenty grand here and fifty grand there, and pretty soon you're talking about real money.
Time to step up and make your complaints known to the spendthrifts who hang out at 505.
Anybody notice how chewed up the parking lot along the tracks on Summit is? That hasn't been paved in about a decade, and its become a tank trap. Same with a lot of our streets. Are we getting ripped off by the contractors we hire?
It might be the responsabilty for Metra.
then again they could allow the city to do it themselves.
I should of added in my 1st post it's probably been much laonger than a decade.
I noticed in the early 90's the parking all along summit was bad.
The old train station used to have a large picture of new commuter parking though it was dated 1967.
I bet the asphalt was original.
Well are streets are fine, i dont know if anyone is aware of the incident that happen last week on wen the 16th. Johnson's paver machine was ripping out the old asphalt, while the street caved in and the machine fell through. So the City is probably looking for a nice bill coming from johnson's paving company, for damage done to the machine. GO PARK RIDGE!!!!
Heres another little fact to the Resident in Park Ridge. Just a couple weeks ago, the city was doing a private job of taring out a drive way at the park ridge point condos, right off of northwest hwy. That is all private there but Frimarks pal is part of the association at the park ridge point, that Public works was out there taring out the old asphalt and hauling it away. Your tax dollars are being spent on private jobs that dont have anything to do with the city. I hope the Residents stand up on this one.
To the 1st anonymous:
What do you mean the streets are fine?
Have you driven up streets like Cumberland?
rumor has it that cumberland and busse are going to be paved this year by the state.
To mike about my comment that the streets are fine.... Its called Sarcasm!!!!
Sorry.
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