Author: jan shaw

Your Property taxes are about to go up, unless the community speaks-up

Did you vote for this? Are you even aware of it? It was barely covered in the news.

If you want to help STOP this new tax, come to Milton Township’s Special Township Board Meeting

  • Tuesday, June 15th, 2021
  • 6:15 P.M.
  • Board Room, Milton Township Hall
  • 1492 N. Main Street, Wheaton, Illinois 60187

A NEW TAX was on the Milton Township April 6 Ballot:

“Shall Milton Township establish and maintain community mental health facilities and services including services for the person with a developmental disability or substance disorder and levy, therefore, an annual tax of not to exceed .15%?”

A flyer that was distributed prior to the election gave the following reasons to vote “NO”:

Continue reading “Your Property taxes are about to go up, unless the community speaks-up” →

D 200 PR is worth what?

Looking at the CUSD 200 personnel report in the packet for the May 12, 2021 Board meeting, we discovered that the PR-lady, Ms. Erica Loiacono was up for a new title accompanied by an 11% pay increase.  This did pass with NO discussion.

Remembering that this was not the first time she received a large pay increase, I found this post dupagewatchdog.org/2018/06/15/cusd-200-public-relations-cost-admin-taises/ from June 2018.

It included this list of her Salary history:

It also mentioned that her job did not even exist until 2010.  By 2018 it was already a Department.  Now, the department has taken on more responsibilities. If you go to

cusd200.org/  Click on Departments -> Communications/Community

You will see that it lists Ms Loiacono & an assistant and a list of initiatives the department handles. Prior to her hiring in 2010, the Superintendent and his secretary mailed a newsletter to all residents once or twice per year. The rest of the initiatives are new since then.

Now she issues a weekly email news letter, posts on social media, writes articles for a News site, organizes Celebrations (not on her page – but, we have posted about it in the past), organizes the “D200 Mobile Food Pantry” events, and organizes the  Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC). Much of this has nothing to do with educating students. It all has to do with Public Relations and controlling the narrative.

The CAC is and has always been subject to “Open Meeting act.” As such they must post their meeting notices/agendas for the public (I found the date & time on a calendar).  The district was caught in May 2019 of violating the Open Meetings Act (OMA) because the CAC was an invitation only meeting.  They even discussed the violation on video at a board meeting.  Unfortunately the powers-that-be, who are charged with enforcing the law, let them off with a warning. 

At this point, it is what it is.  Just be aware of how much money is being spent to spin the News rather than educate the children.

The Census & Congressional seats

Every ten years the USA conducts a full census in accordance with the US Constitution. One was just done for 2020 and they are late releasing the results.  Yesterday, they released the changes to how many Congressional seats each state will have.  In Illinois, our legislature has until June 30,2021 (2+ months) to redraw the maps for the federal congressional districts as well as the Illinois state House and Senate districts. Pettitions for the 2022 elections will need to be completed this fall. It feels like the last election just ended and the next is about to begin.

States losing 1 Congressional seat each (5 blue states, 2 red states)

Continue reading “The Census & Congressional seats” →

Milton Township Referendum: Just Vote NO!

REFERENDUM Question: 

Shall Milton Township establish and maintain community mental health facilities and services including services for the person with a developmental disability or substance disorder and levy therefore an annual tax of not to exceed .15%?

While we do not deny that Mental Health is a real issue, we Simply don’t think that throwing more money at it, without a plan, is a solution.

Why VOTE NO?

  1. The current Milton Township tax rate is .0408, this new tax can be as high as .15. That is over 3.5 times the current township rate for a new tax! Our property tax bills are already too high.
  2. Mental health services are the responsibility of the State and County, not the Township.
  3. Taxpayers built a state-of-the-art mental health facility just five years ago in the heart of Milton Township at the County complex. NAMI DuPage does a great job helping people with mental health issues. This is unneeded at the Township level.
  4. Over 70% on Milton residents have PRIVATE insurance to access mental health services and other residents already have access to services through the county and state programs.
  5. This referendum is only for mental health. Not for any other services for addiction or the developmentally disabled. Do not be misled by the wording of the referendum.
  6. This new board and referendum to fund it have never been discussed and approved at a Milton Township board meeting.
  7. This referendum was an initiative of a small group who collected petition signatures.  We did not know about the petition until it was too late to challenge the signatures. A quick look and we found that many were obviously outside the township or illegible. Milton residents should have been informed and given time to participate prior to it appearing on the ballot.
  8. If this passes, it will establish a new Mental Health “slush-fund” to be spent (given as Grants) by a yet-to-be-appointed, 7-person, unelected board.  That is too much power, in too few hands, especially given the fact that we haven’t seen a plan.
  9. And the referendum supporters are not being truthful about how much it will cost taxpayers. A flyer that I was given claims it “would cost only $6 per month on a hone valued at $300,000.” The referendum authorizes more than double that amount.

The Law:

The Illinois State Law governing the creation, discontinuation, taxation, and referendums for 708 Mental Health Boards is:  https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=1499&ChapterID=34

West Chicago – Recommendations

A friend who lives in West Chicago did her research – contacted several candidates and heard back from a few. She also searched the internet and checked with a friend who pay attention to politics and tends to agree with her on the issues. Her results:

West Chicago Park District – 4 year term, write-in “Courtney L. Voelz” Be sure to spell it exactly as it shows on the listing including the middle initial. Close is not good enough for election counting. There is a second write-in option – DO  not vote for her.

West Chicago Public Library – Diane Kelsey and Frank Fokta

District 33 – elementary school

  • Chad McLean

Community High School District 94

  • Gary Saake
  • Katherine Doremus
  • Dean Klapatch
  • Rich Nagel

College of DuPage (COD):

  • Heidi Holan
  • Anrew Manno
  • Deborah Sajdak

D211 School Board

For Palatine/Schaumburg Township High School District 211 our friends who live in the district recommend three independent candidates who currently have students in the district: Hinkle, Steel, Vollkommer. #momsfor211.  Unlike some of their competition, they are not funded by the Teachers’ union. They understand what’s at stake with regard to indoctrination vs. education, the trans agenda, and our property taxes. Our students deserve school board members who will take the job seriously and not simply rubber stamp what the administration presents.

Lisle Township Recommendations

These are the candidates across Lisle Township that we believe are most likely to pursue practical policies that meet resident needs while recognizing economic realities.

 This post contains a printable pdf covering:

  • Lisle Township
  • College of DuPage District # 502
  • Naperville City Council, Park District, School District 203
  • Village of Lisle & Lisle Park District
  • Village of Woodridge
  • Village of Downers Grove
lisle-township-recomendatioonsDownload

Hinsdale – Recommendations from a Friend

Hinsdale High School District 86: Justin Baron        Board Member

Justin is the only person running who has laid out specific plans on how to bring curriculum and resource balance to Hinsdale High School District 86.  The remaining District 86 candidates offer nothing but the continued downward spiral of indoctrination and disrespect to the institutions that make our nation great.

For efficient well run efficient township government I am endorsing the following candidates.

Continue reading “Hinsdale – Recommendations from a Friend” →