We welcome letters. Please embrace your full identify, deal with and phone quantity. We edit all letters. Ship them to [email protected].
—
SAVE TAXPAYERS MONEY
It appears unusual that Josh Langfelder – each in the course of the race and after the ultimate outcomes had been introduced – by no means talked about that he would even analysis the consolidation of the recorder’s workplace with the county clerk, not to mention conform to remove that place to avoid wasting the taxpayers 1000’s of {dollars}. Might it’s that he’s making an attempt to empty taxpayers’ cash for his private advantages?
Frank Vala
By way of illinoistimes.com
—
QUESTION REAL MOTIVES
Thanks for the article “Frank Vala helped fund recorder’s race (Nov. 21). The problem offered within the article is like an onion with many layers. There are various layers to Frank Vala’s involvement in authorities contracts and election contributions that run deep. For instance, Sangamon County Clerk Don Grey, who oversees all space elections, has by no means had an opponent. But, in keeping with IllinoisSunshine.org, Mr. Vala and his related Timber Ridge Properties LLC have given Grey greater than $40,000 in contributions plus a $50,000 mortgage. Fascinating, however we’ll should peel again that layer at one other time.
The onion layer I am excited by entails Vala and Frank Lesko; they declare they wish to “save taxpayer cash” by eliminating unneeded authorities. In keeping with the Illinois Coverage Institute, NPR and the Chicago Civic Federation, Illinois ranks “first in variety of native taxing our bodies” amongst all of the states (roughly 9,000), leading to Illinois having one of many highest property tax charges within the nation. Among the best methods to offer fast property tax reduction is by eliminating taxing our bodies. The voters of Sangamon County and the town of Springfield perceive this and voted twice to remove duplicative township governments throughout the metropolis’s company limits.
In November 2018, 74% of township voters supported dissolving Capital Township. In April 2023, almost 70% of Springfield voters supported a referendum that might dissolve all townships situated throughout the metropolis of Springfield’s company boundaries. This could imply that in case your property resides throughout the metropolis of Springfield company limits, you’ll now not pay a township tax. Regardless of the voters’ overwhelming help, present elected officers have finished nothing to dissolve township authorities inside Springfield.
Since each Vala and Lesko are all in for saving taxpayers cash, let’s have a look at if they may personally help dissolving township authorities throughout the metropolis of Springfield. In the event that they publicly help the trouble to dissolve the townships throughout the metropolis, we’ll know they’re real of their want to avoid wasting taxpayer cash. If they don’t, we’ll know that they’re being disingenuous and simply use political ploys at election time to additional their self-interest. Maintain engaged for updates.
Jim Langfelder
Springfield
—
WHAT’S THE BEEF?
Frank Vala continues to be chair of the Springfield Airport Authority. Why does he nonetheless have a beef with the Langfelders?
Cathy Howell Woodcox
By way of Facebook.com/illinoistimes
—
FOLLOW THE MONEY
The IT article failed to say there are two Republican night committees. The committee talked about as having paid for the slander advert, the Sangamon County Night Republican Committee, hasn’t obtained any donations since 2022 and has $950 of reported earnings. The opposite committee – the one more likely to have paid for the advert however by no means disclosed as such – was the Illinois Night Republican Committee. By following the A-1 experiences of that committee, it is easy to see why those that had been truly behind the funding of the advert would wish to maintain that data at nighttime and never disclose it, as required.
These funding sources had been Frank Vala ($13,700), Sangamon County Treasurer Joe Aiello ($5,000), The Republication Basis, which obtained a $10,000 contribution from Misty Buscher’s marketing campaign account, and The Republican Central Committee, which obtained its $5,000 from Vala.
Your article failed to say who funded the advert, as a result of it couldn’t probably have been paid for by the Sangamon County Night Republicans, as falsely disclosed on the advert. These arguing this does not matter are arguing that the few marketing campaign finance guidelines and rules we’ve got in place on this state merely don’t matter. Given this election was determined by 31 votes, the marketing campaign financing situation deserves to be mentioned, particularly from these masquerading as “public servants” but intentionally deceptive the general public with adverts that don’t correctly disclose the funding supply, as required by Illinois’ marketing campaign disclosure act.
Justin Langfelder
By way of Facebook.com/illinoistimes
—
WASTE OF MONEY
Think about losing tens, if not a whole bunch of 1000’s of {dollars} since you’re disgruntled somebody needed to exchange you on a foolish board. How pathetic.
John Smith
By way of illinoistimes.com