Comments of Mayor Rod Craig, on the State Budget

Comments of Mayor Rod Craig, on the State Budget to Representatives Fred Crespo and Paul Froehlich on March 17, 2008.

Greetings from the people of Hanover Park.

I’m pleased to come before you this evening to share our concerns and some good news.

Given the $750 Million dollar State deficit, I find it difficult to make demands upon our legislators. However, I am confident that a capital bill will be forthcoming as we have many needs in Hanover Park as well as across the state.

As the Deputy Director on the DuPage Mayor and Managers Transportation Policy Committee, I’m pleased to see good work going into the Cook-DuPage Corridor to bring transportation to people who must travel North and South from the Schaumburg area into the Naperville area. The Blue Line extension of the CTA is a beginning that will have a profound effect on the area. Soon, we must also include the Western boundaries that boarder the Barrington Road and County Farm Road arterial. Many blue-collar families live along this corridor and they too have a need for public transportation.

On the issue of state mandates, I must recommend that a balance of the impacts on the residents is being weighed along with the needs of the interest groups. The pension debate is one example that is of great concern. This is especially given that we rely upon quality investments, and, currently, we face a weak market that can cripple our long-term ability to pay. We are concerned, but we still have to value the work of our police and firefighters provide for the residents everyday. They earn their pensions, and they are truly professionals in Hanover Park.

I would like to point out that the state isn’t alone with unfunded mandates. The environmental analyses on our wastewater from the EPA are killing us as the targets keep moving. We are looking to spend $400,000 to reduce the amount of dissolved oxygen in our wastewater. Over the years, we’ve managed to meet all requirements put forth by the EPA. Now, on top of these mandates, water costs are being impacted by increases from the City of Chicago, so we just had to raise the cost to the residents over 10%. The combination of these issues present significant challenges to our future abilities to manage a balanced budget.

Besides these issues, we are still looking to complete the bike path and begin to design a much needed Police Station, as I have mentioned in my recent letter of request.

In conclusion, I must share with you the exciting Green news of the Wind Turbine Generator initiative in Hanover Park. Since November 2006, the Keeneyville School District 20 has been working with the Village of Hanover Park and its local energy provider, ComEd, to reduce its cost of energy as well as find an alternate renewable source of energy to meet its operational needs for the next thirty years.

We believe schools need to be pro-active and plan as best it can for economic downturns as well as prepare for the increased costs in the operation of its facilities.

We appreciate all the legislation that the General Assembly has approved which allows all school districts in Illinois to own and operate a wind turbine farm and participate in revised net metering with our electrical provider. The reality of this legislation is that very few schools north of I-80 can implement a wind turbine on its own property due to the local ordinances. Passing a variance in our ordinances has proven to be a major challenge for our municipality.

To further complicate the matter, electrical providers are being asked to work with school districts in the implementation of the new net metering laws. As you can imagine, favorable responses are not forthcoming. It has been refreshing that our local Legislators have been supportive of these changes in the net metering objectives.

My goal is to have each School District that touches Hanover Park participate in a prototype program to share the energy a wind turbine can provide.

Thank you very much for your time,

Rod Craig