This is a no brainer to bring Metra to Oswego.

until Kendall voter aprove a metra rta tax increase it is a pipe dream and in this economy it will be hard to ask voter to pay more for the few that will use the train

Just my opinion - "If you build it, they will come." When is there ever "enough" money? How many people would be childless if they waited to have "enough" money? When they were building the 355 Extension, people said it would never be used - it was busy from the moment it was opened. It takes approx. 20 minutes or longer to get to current train transportation in another town or to get to 88. What if Aurora, Wheaton, Glen Ellyn, Downers Grove, in the old days (seriously, you think they had more money then?), said nah, we can't afford a train around here, where would they be now? Also, it would conserve energy.

Here's how I answered question 10 on the survey:

Save your money and forget expanding to Oswego!

Less than 15 Oswego residents now use our Park-N-Ride bus to get into the Aurora Metra Station.

I WILL VOTE NO ON ANY SUCH REFERENDUM to HAVE THE RTA IN KENDALL COUNTY AND RAISE OUR SALES TAXES BY 1% OR ANYTHING.

George Jones

"LeClercq said the Park-N-Ride in Oswego has benefited COUNTLESS Oswego residents ..."

That's mot true and he knows it.

I challenge the Oswego Patch and Natalie Stevens for not bring credible journalists and instead almost being a PR Gang of Hacks for Brian LeClercq in his attempts to deceive us and get support for a 1% Sales Tax increase to join the RTA so we can have an Oswego Metra stop and station.

Has the Oswego Patch fact checked "COUNTLESS"? No, they haven't. I demand they do the job of a credible journalist and print a retraction and stop publishing PR Hack pieces.

The facts are that less than 15 Oswego Residents presently use the Park-N-Ride and that costs taxpayers over $100,000 yearly. 15 residents out of over 30,000 residents is about 0.05% of our community and that is far from being COUNTLESS.

A Cost / Benefit analysis will show a ton more COSTS and negligible benefits for a tiny tiny minority.

KEEP THIS CRAP OUT OF OUR TOWN AND COUNTY.

I DO NOT WANT CITY KIDS/PEOPLE GETTING A CHEAP RIDE OUT HERE. THE TRAIN WORKS BOTH WAYS PEOPLE. TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT AURORA.

Hey Logansdad ... I wish you all the best in your waste of words to promote Metra in Oswego.

Unlike you who are a totally biased Metra rider, I have reevaluated and looked at all the angles in a Cost / Benefit way. The main conclusion is that there are more COSTS than benefits and you, like now, have the alternative of driving a car 15 min. to the Aurora Metra station on your long trip into Chicago.

That's a "reasonable" alternative ... but you appear to like "COSTLY ALTERNATIVES" and make taxpayers think they have to appease weasels such as you.

Well I have written plenty about this Outta Touch Village President and also Village have been playing losing hands, In fact when B LeClercq started working at Allied Bank I withdrew all of my accounts.
But in saying that I hope we do get the train station because this Park n Ride is a joke and the REMAINING businesses on Orchard need it for survival,
Hopefully Mid-term this Board and VP will be cleaned out of office for their continued stupid moves. Oswego can do much better that these Small town hacks....

I think readers here can clearly see that people like Logansdad and Brian LeClercq are almost one in the same and have this main similarity:

DECEPTION and BIASED thinking when trying to make a point that is not in the mainstream interest of Oswego taxpayers.

Logansdad is deceptived and can't even use a real name here because he doesn't want people to know he's such a liteweighted person who uses obscure and biased arguments. We are talking about the costs and benefits of Passenger Rail service for Oswego ... and this liteweight wants to equate that with shopping in Oswego. Sorry dude, your arguments and mind are lame.

Brian LeClercq wants to deceive us by using the word COUNTLESS and cannot support his BASELESS claims that there is vast support and need for an Oswego Metra Station. Shame on Natalie Stevens for not fact checking her stories.

Logansdad, you must have come from a broke and broken home. Have you or your parents ever went through bankruptcy? You think governments like families can just spend ... spend ... and not pay their bills. You would fit right in living in Greece. I am a logic minded moderate and vote both Democratic and Republican .... unlike you who are a little man with a little bankrupt mind who is a Spendacratic. Again, we were talking about Commuter Passenger Rail services and you can't even stay on topic and want to speak about Political Parties. I think you have proven my point that Oswego Patch readers should ignore your lame words.

Logansdad, you can't even get your facts straight.

You said: " ... keep Oswego a small country town - as it was 30 years ago."

I am not of that mind set at all and not a "Close The Gates" type of person. We all know Kendall County had was the fastest percentage growing county in the USA from the 2000 Census to the 2010 Census and that Oswego is the larget municipality here.

Oswego grew very well WITHOUT COSTLY Commuter Passenger Rail Service and will continue to grow when the economy picks up again. The transportation patterns in Oswego and Kendall County are more car centric than train centric and you know it. Not everybody like you trains into Chicago out of Aurora or drives into Chicago out of Oswego.

So Mr. Spendacratic, again your arguments are lame in your little bankrupt mind. Just like now with your WANTING an expensive Train now, you must have driven your parents wacko WANTING and WANTING more and more toys because you thought it fun to see them SPEND SPEND.

To Natalie Stevens and Oswego Patch Editors:

It appears due to my insistence you corrected the story and said: "Editor's Note: Special thanks to the Village of Oswego for the information."

Well that's a start and in the future I hope you can be upfront with readers and label things accordingly and not take journalistic shortcuts and pitch us PR Hack pieces from Brian and the Village of Oswego and try to spin them as News.

** News is News. It's not some rewrite of a PR Piece.
** Editorial Comment is Editorial Comment by a publication.
** Reader Opinion is Reader Opinion. Readers can read these opinions and make up their own minds.

What I hate to see is the Oswego Patch slanting things in favorite of Brian and the Village of Oswego administration.

Eventually, it's going to be up to Kendall County voters in a a straight up or down referendum if they want to vote to join the RTA and possibly get a Metra Train stop in Oswego and consequently raise all our sales taxes by 1% to fund that costly folly.

Right now, Village of Oswego taxpayers are funding each Oswego Park-N-Ride bus rider to the tune of about $7500 per year. It will be even a larger amount to fund Metra here ... the best thing is to drive into Aurora in about 15 min. and take the Metra there.

George: "The transportation patterns in Oswego and Kendall County are more car centric than train centric and you know it."

George, there is no option other than driving in Oswego and Kendall county, so once again you fail with your comparison because you can't compare something to an alternative that doesm't even exist.

George: "Oswego grew very well WITHOUT COSTLY Commuter Passenger Rail Service and will continue to grow when the economy picks up again."

Yes Oswego grew without train service, but if you think Oswego grew without adding significant expenses you are fooling yourself. How much did property taxes increase during Oswego's growth. The sales tax increased to support construction of road projects in Oswego and Kendall county.

You act like a 1% increase will cause you financial harship. $1.00 increase on a $100.00 purchase. This fee would be paid by anyone who shops in Kendall County. Before you told me to drive 15 minutes to Aurora to catch the train. Well, how about you drive 15 minutes further west so you don't have to pay the additional 1% sales tax. How do you like that George? I doubt you'd be willing to drive 15 minutes west for shopping to pay less in taxes.

So now public transportation is a TOY. That is what you are saying George. No wonder why you hate it so much. Public transit is not some limo service. In fact I took public transporation during high school and college, saving myself and my parents money.

I like the idea of a train station. However, it was promised years ago, that's why developers built the various strip malls near the proposed location. It's too bad that many have gone out of business due to a lack of customers. Also businesses along Orchard road a re failing at an alarming rate IE, Nick and Vitos, the new barber shop, Kids Cuts, BP Amoco... And now the "Newest" Economic Director has left after a short stay. Why is there such a high turnover rate among Oswego officials?
And will Oswego residents need to have their cars tested for emissions because we would be part of the RTA?

I just want straight forward plans and answers.

I would like to know what the status is for the Mill Street Station low income apartment project, that would be directly across the street from the proposed METRA station. That apartment project could be a detrimet to the sucess of a train station and that land is already improved and is to valuable to be low income apartments.

"And will Oswego residents need to have their cars tested for emissions because we would be part of the RTA?"

Vehicle emisison testing is state requirement is has nothing to do with the RTA.
http://www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim/owners.html

the station's purported completion was one of the reasons we bought in Oswego. I think it will help Oswego Grow. with the rising cost of fuel, it becomes increasingly likely that Oswego will lose residents over time if something (like this station) isn't done to promote using public transit to get into Chicago. Dovetail it with the lower income housing project that is earmarked for across Orchard Road and there is real forward-thinking progress.

Logansdad says: "What's your excuse for posting all day George. How do you know I dont have the day off or am posting from a smartphone."

Either way from a company computer or a personal laptop or personal smartphone ... you are not being a productive employee and you should be reported and booted out of your job in Chicago and then you can find a job in Oswego maybe at the Chic Fillo joint. That should end your whining and carping about a costly Oswego Metra choo choo you seem to be so enthralled with in a toothfairy like fantsy.

George you still havent explained why you have been posting all day. Is that because you dont work?
Still waiting for proof of your so called cost/benefit study.
Still waiting for an answer to whether or not you would drive 15 minutes to avoid paying the additional one percent sales tax?

Logansdad ... this was about the Pros and Cons & Costs and Benefits of joining the RTA and having a Oswego Metra station.

YOU want to turn it into a persoanlized mudslinging contest because you cannot make any sound arguments other than your childlike whining about how good a choo choo is for all of us.

So, we are still waiting for you to man up and:
1. Provide us your real name like a man would
2. Tell us where your work in Chicago
3. Explain any arrests or charges you possibly could have had in the last 3 years.

We are still waiting ... who is Logan?

Oh George you havent provided any facts to back up your stance. All you have done is rant about how many people use the bus service and the one percent sales tax incresase. You are the one who claimed they have done studies but have yet to provide proof. You have been asked questions but have failed to give any answers but expect others to provide you with the answers you seek. Sorry Georgie it doesnt work that way.

logansdad -- are you nolansdad too ?

Wow, Jen, you are one ignorant person!

I hope the train station DOES come here. Or I predict lower home values -- regardless of the housing project that so many people oppose. There has to be a means to get in to Chicago other than by private car -- and the park and ride is not adequate for the long term.

Logansdad .... Again Game On Dude.

I proposed meeting at the Tap House in Oswego

You said: "Here is an idea, lets meet in downtown Aurora. I'd like to see how you'd get there."

I don't see why you can't do it in Oswego. Are you afraid of some people here?

But I will be gracious and meet you in Aurora.

Just publicly post here the name of the Aurora Bar, the date, and the time you want to meet to discuss the Pros and Cons of Metra in Oswego.

BTW, I don't want to walk in that bar blind.

At least give me your real name now and your height to look for in the bar.

I certainly don't want to refer to you as Logansdad when in the bar. If you don't provide me your real name, I'll just call you Choo Choo.

"I proposed meeting at the Tap House in Oswego"

More lies George. It wasn't you who proposed that. It was Oswego Mom. Someone else who refuses to give her real name, but yet it is me who you keep insisting provides their real name. How do we even know you are really George Jones?

"I don't see why you can't do it in Oswego. Are you afraid of some people here? "

Why can't you just discuss it in this forum. What are you afraid if? Based on what you have posted here, you don't want to discuss it. Instead you rather hide behind your made up study based on the bus route. You failed to answer any of my questions. You have no real data to support any of your claims. Somehow you believe you have more answers than Metra - the ones who are actually paying consultants.

You only want my name so you can try to dig up dirt on me. If you want I can give you a name, but you will not even know if it is real.

If you really want to discuss the pros and cons, then start here if you think you are man enough to do so. I doubt that you are. I doubt you can start to refute any of the claims I made here today.

Unlike you George, who is a biased teabagger that just doesn't like to hear tax increase. You keep claiming these cost/benefit analysis you have done, but can't even list what the costs. These studies you claim to have done are all in your head.
You want others to drive 15 minutes out of their way for things, but you can't even answer a simple question - would you be willing to drive 15 minutes to pay less in taxes since you obviously don't support public transportation nor are you willing to pay the potential sales tax increase.

Public transportation has the abiility to bring jobs and more people to this area. Did you factor that into your cost/benefit analysis? Probably not since you are anti-growth and particular about the kind of people you want to move to this area.

A comment has been removed from this thread because it violates our ToS.
Let's keep the conversation clean and on track, everyone. Thanks!

Yes the Bromance has gone quite away off topic and taken a life of it's own......

with all due respect George your arguments sound like this to me: The world is not flat. Therefore it's square. And, for the record, it was I that suggested you two go hash it out over a beer. Please don't take credit where it's not due.

Back to having a train that services Oswego. Yes. It would get SIGNIFICANT use. Far more than the lame bus does now. And had it been a referendum on the ballot, I would have voted YES -- but, alas, it was not.

George since your conclusions are based on how many people currently use the park n ride bus what would your conclusions be if the bus service never existed.

Also since you are so concerned about saving the taxpayers money, have you turned your cost/benefit report over to Metra. I am sure they would be very interested in your results. We all know you spent a lot of money preparing that report it would be wasteful for Metra to spend more money on consultants when they can just use the report you put together.

Lastly, how does one go about getting a copy of that report. Do I need to file a FIOA request with you to obtain a copy or will be posting it here on the Patch?