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posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 4:04 am
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Big divisional series for ChiSox.
Tigers not good. Tony needs to get his team ready for a sweep and close the gap with KCR
Comment by 10th Ward Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 6:41 am
The Obama library is one step closer to opening now that SCOTUS denied cert to the Protect our Parks lawsuit. The organization continues to sue, but it doesn’t speak for the probable majority of Woodlawn residents and others who support the presidential center opening up in Jackson Park.
Comment by Grandson of Man Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 7:34 am
Something is eating my tulips. I suspect rabbits. I’m tempted to go to Petco and buy rabbit food but I don’t want wild animals dependent on me for food. I also don’t want to deal with dead rabbits on the lawn so poison isn’t an option. Any suggestions?
Comment by Cheryl44 Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:01 am
It seems as if Mary Miller’s seat will be the one targeted in the remap. The challenge is that it is one of the reddest portions of Illinois. Those votes don’t go away. Rather, they will dramatically strengthen whichever district they get drawn into (Bost, Davis, etc.).
Comment by Downstate Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:17 am
Nope.
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:20 am
We’ll miss you Andrew. Go hawks|
Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:26 am
Why do I never hear about consolidation of county health departments from those in a rush to get rid of townships.
What is it about townships specifically that so desperately needs to be eliminated.
Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:32 am
Just saw a tweet from a WY campaign person named Bouchard that Gary Rabine was at Mar a Lago the past weekend. Assuming raising money with The Presidenrt’s help?
Comment by Abe2022 Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:38 am
Got 9 deer in the back property with 3 babies. The local herd grows.
Comment by zatoichi Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:41 am
===What is it about townships specifically that so desperately needs to be eliminated.===
That’s a really good question. My guess is the perceived overlap of purpose between townships and counties. County health departments, mosquito abatement districts, park districts, etc. overlap other government entities, but not those that seem to be tasked with similar purposes. But would love to hear some discussion.
Comment by Leslie K Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:46 am
How many people will the old woman at Walgreens cash register help today? And the Senate has locked every door in the place. Nice look.
Comment by Observations Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:48 am
So who is going to get drawn out of the lost congressional seat in Illinois? LaHood? Rudney Davis?
Comment by Jun Schwuppu Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:53 am
=== So who is going to get drawn out of the lost congressional seat in Illinois? LaHood? Rudney Davis?===
The freshman… who’s been in Congress about 11 minutes… and couldn’t help but praise the leader of National Socialists, Mary Miller.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:55 am
My guess is that the biggest reasons for unjustified police killings is poor training, and the inadequacy of psychological analysis of police recruits. Can anyone name the last 10 people who were killed (without justification )by police who happened to be white? If Democrats want to be considered the party of science and facts, they should not allow the systematic racism charge left unchecked.
Comment by Tucson Jack (from Chicago) Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:58 am
=== Gary Rabine was at Mar a Lago the past weekend. Assuming raising money with The Presidenrt’s help?===
In Illinois? Trump helping?
Pritzker couldn’t get that lucky.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 8:59 am
Hmmm, this could be a place for one-minute speeches like the U.S House of Reps. Speak on anything we’d want Illinois-centric of course.
Comment by Levois J Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:00 am
===The freshman… who’s been in Congress about 11 minutes===
I don’t think you’re wrong in this assessment, but I will say that with the current make up of the GOP primary electorate that Mary Miller might be more successful in a primary than common convention might suggest.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:00 am
In response to Levois J, I rise to speak on a topic of great importance to my fellows, that of desiring an appearance of one Oscar Miller henceforth before this chamber, to be most welcomed by the members of this august body….
In other news, Illinois’ population loss proven with the loss of a Congressional seat pending. Wondering how the State legislative map is going to change as well.
Comment by thisjustinagain Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:08 am
== What is it about townships specifically that so desperately needs to be eliminated. ==
Because fundamentally, there is very little (if anything) that townships do that a county can’t do. Why pay someone 80K a year to supervise the maintenance of 100 road miles?
The question with an entity of government should be ‘why have it’ vs ‘why not have it’.
Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:13 am
One could argue that it’s in the Dem’s best interests to do what they can to keep Mary Miller around. But in the end, they’re simply gonna chop five downstate districts into four. I’m not sure they’re gonna pay a lot of attention to where the GOP incumbents live unless they try to squeeze a Dem district in somewhere, which will be tough.
Comment by Tammy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:16 am
I’ve got something to say, Hey, Hey we’re the Monkees.
Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:20 am
The talk of moving to the Bridge phase. Ummmmm. Duh! State Fair must go on this year! While the state was blasting stay home, stuff is closed, they were also promoting the 2021 Fair for the last 5-6-7 months. Personally, I don’t care. Just pointing out a talking out of both sides of your mouth kinda thing.
Comment by Corndogs Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:25 am
==What is it about townships specifically that so desperately needs to be eliminated.==
With respect to the townships, in my area at least the village is the source of news, information, events such as conservation, shredding, food pantry donations etc. I truly do not know why our township office and officers need to exist or what they do to make my life better for the tax dollars they absorb. I know they will try to arrange transportation for seniors and I think they maintain an old little used cemetery and act as a liaison to the county on some issues like assessments. Perhaps my experience with township services is atypical?
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:27 am
== The question with an entity of government should be ‘why have it’ vs ‘why not have it’. ==
Arcane State rules on bonding / financing projects.
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:30 am
Cheryl44,
If you and your tulips are having a bunny problem I suggest you scatter mothballs around the area. The strong smell disincentvizes the rabbits without hurting them.
Comment by Responsa Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:32 am
Glad the weather is improving. Getting outside will help a lot of people suffering from cabin fever and equivalent. It will also permit a return to outside dining, which will be a boost to the hospitality industry.
On the other hand, my Cubbies aren’t doing well, so it will probably be another season of my not watching MLB unless I catch them when my wife is watching the Red Sox. She’s an Illinois native, but spent too many years in Boston …
Comment by RNUG Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:34 am
=Perhaps my experience with township services is atypical?=
Not really my township pretty much does the same thing. They do however provide some road services. I believe the most important function that resides within the township is the assessors office.
Comment by Pundent Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:36 am
*townships*
In a county like sangamon, eliminating townships would easily quadruple the miles of road that would have to maintained by the county. Someone has to do that work, and a county employee is almost certainly more expensive than a township employee.
Comment by NuthinBurger Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:39 am
===the current make up of the GOP primary electorate that Mary Miller might be more successful in a primary than common convention might suggest.===
Also possible and possibly true.
You make her choose; Bost or Davis. You keep LaHood out of reach, too far of a travel, given her husband is also locked into a district too (that’s the twist in all this, can both find themselves in that congressional district that works politically for both?)
Bost and Davis have base operations or at the least base areas of strong support for *them*
Miller having to choose is the best case, drawing her out was exactly why the field she beat was so weak; low member, low seniority, first to face elimination.
Miller could win. Could beat either one. Davis ceding by running statewide would be… “disappointing”?…
Mary Miller in any state’s delegation and a sitting member of congress, no matter how sad or twistedly sick one would want that for… politics… then what’s the point to be angry or upset about the January 6th insurrection if you’re politics needs Mary Miller to be seated to “win” at… politics?
Why reward Miller for her… beliefs?
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:39 am
Cheryl44: Get some strong scented bar soap, shave it like bacon strips and lay around the your tulips. Rabbits and other small animals won’t like the smell or taste if they eat something and it won’t hurt them if they do. This works, we have large beds of tulips and we use this method.
Comment by Give Me A Break Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:46 am
=If you and your tulips are having a bunny problem I suggest you scatter mothballs around the area. The strong smell disincentvizes the rabbits without hurting them.=
Mothballs are toxic to all animals and they’re meant to repel insects, especially moths and butterflies. That’s not a good thing for flowers.
Comment by MSIX Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:54 am
Marigolds flowers or bone meal will keep critters from eating tulips.
Sprinkle bone meal on ground around plant you want to keep safe or plant marigold flowers around them.
Comment by Keep plants safe Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:56 am
===and a county employee is almost certainly more expensive than a township employee. ===
If this is is true and if Sangamon County is a competitive market place then the outcome isn’t great, but maybe there’s a reason why our entire country has terrible infrastructure.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 9:58 am
@Cheryl
You can find some coyote urine at most hardware stores. That’s worked for me in the past.
Comment by ChrisB Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:03 am
== In a county like sangamon, eliminating townships would easily quadruple the miles of road that would have to maintained by the county. Someone has to do that work, and a county employee is almost certainly more expensive than a township employee. ==
So, did some very quick research.
Lanesville township has 208 people and 84 housing units according to Wikipedia.
Yes, they may pay people less to fix those roads, however, they likely don’t have a lot of resources to pay for that road work.
Same is likely true in Illiopolis Township with 1,344 people and 555 hosing units.
Even in larger townships (like Aurora Township) with 146,149 people and 49,127 housing units there are roads that the township has that need to be rebuilt that the township can not afford to rebuild.
Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:03 am
Cheryl, pepper-based spray for plants, worked for us.
Comment by walker Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:11 am
I think the non-partisan Capital Township used to be all R. However a few years ago Lakeisha Purchase was elected.
And yes as usual RNug is correct on bonding issues being related to why Illinois has so many political districts. I recall something about Bonds issued not exceeding 1% of the value of land in the taxing district or something along those lines.
Comment by Al Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:25 am
It’s been my understanding that township roads have been getting fewer resources sent their way to fix roads over the years. State resources haven’t been keeping up.
If you eliminate all overhead and direct it to a county road crew will that help? No idea - but road commissioner’s usually have a nice 50/50 spit of people who think they do a good job of fixing roads and those that think they can’t grade or patch a road to save their life.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:37 am
Just made the last trip that I hope to make to Fla through Georgia. I 75 from before Atlanta to Fla is extremely dangerous. I thought I had accidentally entered a nascar race.
Many cars were running literally 100 mph
Comment by Rabble Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:47 am
While you guys are giving gardening tips, any suggestions for how to get rid of voles?
Comment by hisgirlfriday Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 10:47 am
==What is it about townships specifically that so desperately needs to be eliminated.==
I am one who wants to eliminate township government. Most of Illinois is rural, and in these townships the major function is road maintenance. A standard township is 36 sections (section=square mile.) Some townships are half that. Township income is largely from property tax. Tax revenue from farmland isn’t much, and some townships don’t have residential areas for additional tax.
To maintain roads a basic set of equipment is needed–a maintainer and dump truck, which may be outfitted with a snow plow. A backhoe is often needed, but can be rented. Some jobs require other machine rental and hiring a temp employee. Most of the time the equipment is just sitting there, not being used. Imagine a fleet of occasionally-used equipment sitting around the county. Imagine how difficult it is for a township with only 18 sections to replace a broken-down truck.
If counties took over all roads there would need to be more full time employees hired. But, they would be working full time, one key to better roads. Fewer pieces of equipment would be needed, and there would be more efficient use of equipment. And, frankly, going to an all county road system would spread the wealth. The ‘poor’ townships without a huge tax base might finally get better roads.
Finally, although it’s not guaranteed, county management by a qualified engineer should lead to better work and construction. There are some good township road commissioners out here, but there a lot who aren’t.
Townships have other problems, but I thought I’d share one aspect.
Comment by Don't Bloc Me In Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:00 am
I’m gonna need to get some more popcorn for when the Miller-Bost-Davis primary starts heating up.
Comment by Joe Bidenopolous Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 11:51 am
Saw Sen. Hastings announced his first committeemen endorsement. Other than Yarborough for Dowell, it looks like he is the only other person to publicly show any committeemen support for the SOS race so far. Anyone seen or heard about any others?
Comment by Curious Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 12:03 pm
I recently started picking up food from restaurants after about a year of eating every meal at home. Know what? It wasn’t nearly as good as I remembered. I guess I didn’t miss much.
Comment by Simple Simon Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 1:14 pm
@cheryl44, the key is something strong smelling. I know Irish spring soap spread in shavings is what my dad used and it worked well but that was easy as he used that soap. If you are a spicy food eater, things like red chili flakes spread around works well too.
Lastly, hardware stores have liquid fence rabbit spray, but I always prefer the old tricks.
Comment by Lurker Tuesday, Apr 27, 21 @ 2:40 pm
Regarding townships:
I grew up on a farm, in a small county. If townships were eliminated, there is a very high likelihood that my home township and the township north of us would have gotten very little from county government; we were the “west side” of the county, and the folks in the center and east side of the county didn’t consider us to be part of the county. (That probably stemmed from the fact that the two western townships had lots of families who were Catholic and of German origin. The central and east side had lots and lots of Scotch-Irish Protestants.)
So, I absolutely oppose eliminating rural townships.
I think the situation of many folks in Illinois is that they live in a co-terminous township (where the borders of the township match the borders of a city.
Example: Champaign, and the City of Champaign Township), or their township is largely suburban, like Leyden Township.
Co-terminous townships are ridiculous and should be dissolved. Preferably about a decade ago.
For those who start howling about the relief funds administered by townships, I say, “Universal Basic Income.”
Comment by Lynn S. Wednesday, Apr 28, 21 @ 1:22 am