February City Council Recap
The budget has not passed yet. I made a motion to approve it, and did not get a second. The budget is balanced, no jobs to be gone, but no one would vote for it.

Why? Because, the all the other Alderpeople want to go back to the dark ages. What do I mean. As part of the budget, we give money to the Berwyn Regional Housing Center.

Why is that good? Because, the Center teaches Landlords to be good, and teaches renters to be good. Win-win. Since Berwyn is at least 40% rental, we want good tenants.

The Housing Center, to dispel all the rumors out there, has nothing, I repeat, Nothing Whatsoever To Do With Section 8 Housing. NOTHING! As a matter of fact, the section 8 vouchers are controlled by Cook County and has remained at or near 108 for the last three years.

So, rather than get at the root of the problem, the others want to get rid of the Housing Center, which has been around for 1.5 years and starting to get its legs, to hire two police officers. Would you rather go to the root of the problem, or the problem? I say the root. If we get better tenants, we will need less officers. Not more.

Which, if you are still with me, the other progressive item that the Council passed, but now wants to get rid of, is the Multi Unit Crime Free Housing Ordinance. This is designed to again, educate landlords and get rid of bad tenants. Yet, the council has refused to let a person be hired to enforce the ordinance.

Rant done-for now. And, you wonder why I am stepping down after one term?(Rhetorical)

Besides the tree removals and sewer rants by a certain Alderperson, not much to report on.

Everyone seems to be gearing up for the April election.

Berwyn did receive a first place award for the entire State of Illinois for our National Night Out. 21st in the Country. Thank you Jean Marie Hajer and everyone else.

Bottom line, in the April election which is basically four weeks away: if you want to move forward, vote IVB. I could say disparaging things about the opposition, but at this point, will remain positive.

I only have four more weeks to even be remotely political, so if you want off my blog list, please contact me. And, by the way, the new 3rd Ward Aldperson will get my blog contacts and she will keep you posted as I have always done. I know I will lose friends these remaining two months of my term, but such is life.

My blog will be shifting toward the arts and getting the arts visible in Berwyn.

Which, by the way, please fill out the survey: www.artspaceberwyn.org It should not take long.
- posted by Mark @ 4:28 PM