When Politicians go bad... (6/25/08)
Spoiling 'The Rod' won't spare Illinois
Sarah Zeeck
Issue date: 7/2/08 Section: Opinion
Dear Governor Blagojevich,
Lately, it has come to the attention of Illinois residents statewide that you may be doing a, shall we say, less than satisfactory job in your position. Understandably, the task of governing an entire state is indeed a daunting and difficult one, especially considering the massive expanse of space Illinois covers. Governors from Rhode Island and New Jersey certainly know nothing of the woes you are made to endure.
Nonetheless, upon accepting the job, we the citizens expected your honesty, your integrity and your support. Given that politicians often have an ulterior motive or hidden agenda, it should not have surprised us when you decided against residency in the governor's mansion we furnished to you with our own tax dollars. Reports that more than $5,000 each day is spent for your commute have raised our concerns and our eyebrows as taxpayers.
We realize the homesickness one feels when separated from home, but that is part of growing up. People go to college and enlist in the armed forces every day, thus forcing them from their comfort zones, but state tax dollars do not financially compensate a private jet to ease their woes.
Broken down, this commute is costing us roughly $5,000 per day, $25,000 per work week, $100,000 per month and $1.3 million per year. This amount of money is unfathomable.
Beyond your own agenda, it also concerns us that you found it necessary to prevent Illinois Department of Transportation workers from removing animal carcasses from roadways unless they are too large or pose a threat to traffic. What, Rod, is deemed as "large vermin"? What deserves to be pulled from roadways and what is "safe" to be left? Moreover, allowing animals to decay on the roads is only leads to more carcasses littering the roadways. Vultures dining on the delectable dead bodies might be killed while eating, creating a pile up of dead animals. Oh, what a beautiful image out-of-staters must have of Illinois and their trails of death.
Lately, it has come to the attention of Illinois residents statewide that you may be doing a, shall we say, less than satisfactory job in your position. Understandably, the task of governing an entire state is indeed a daunting and difficult one, especially considering the massive expanse of space Illinois covers. Governors from Rhode Island and New Jersey certainly know nothing of the woes you are made to endure.
Nonetheless, upon accepting the job, we the citizens expected your honesty, your integrity and your support. Given that politicians often have an ulterior motive or hidden agenda, it should not have surprised us when you decided against residency in the governor's mansion we furnished to you with our own tax dollars. Reports that more than $5,000 each day is spent for your commute have raised our concerns and our eyebrows as taxpayers.
We realize the homesickness one feels when separated from home, but that is part of growing up. People go to college and enlist in the armed forces every day, thus forcing them from their comfort zones, but state tax dollars do not financially compensate a private jet to ease their woes.
Broken down, this commute is costing us roughly $5,000 per day, $25,000 per work week, $100,000 per month and $1.3 million per year. This amount of money is unfathomable.
Beyond your own agenda, it also concerns us that you found it necessary to prevent Illinois Department of Transportation workers from removing animal carcasses from roadways unless they are too large or pose a threat to traffic. What, Rod, is deemed as "large vermin"? What deserves to be pulled from roadways and what is "safe" to be left? Moreover, allowing animals to decay on the roads is only leads to more carcasses littering the roadways. Vultures dining on the delectable dead bodies might be killed while eating, creating a pile up of dead animals. Oh, what a beautiful image out-of-staters must have of Illinois and their trails of death.
Be the first to comment on this story