Politics & Government

Letters to the Editor: 'Time for a Change on the Park Board'

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Wass, Barocio, White will bring ethics back to Park Board

I have personally known Len Wass for enough time to know that he is ethical, reliable, and experienced in business.  He also cares about and takes personal interest in his community.  

It's time to have a new Oswegoland Park District Board.  The current Board is not qualified to provide leadership during these tough economic times and has clearly squandered the money we have all paid into it. 

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Barocio and Wass, in their ads and website, 4opdchange.com have shown how terrible a fiscal shape the Park District is in.  The PD had to take $1.5 million out of its $3.5 million reserve fund to make the 2011 budget balance.  They don't know how to cut costs, but had instead increased spending.  

In an area where we already enjoy numerous parks, recreation areas, private parks, and farmland; the park district decided to spend our money on the demolition of 3 homes to make way for yet another park.  In a time in which so many in our community need these tax dollars to pay their own mortgages, the current Board have burned our money on bull-dozing homes. 

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Let us not forget that the current Board has increased out 2011 tax levy by 7.8 percen for their tax, borrow, and spend habit.

On April 5, I ask every voter to make their vote count and vote for Salvador Barocio, Leonard Wass, and Roy White.  These candidates will bring ethics back to our Park District!

Michael Wirtz, Montgomery

Len Wass cares deeply about the environment

Who is Len Wass? I met Len almost 10 years ago through our shared interest in books, mainly stories about true life adventures in Africa. Len went on to make several safaris to Zambia.

While there he would meet a missionary that he has helped support and enrolled his friends to help support. Len cares. Len also cares passionately about our environment. Len is a conservationist. He is not a radical environmentalist.

Len believes in open spaces and recreation. He is an avid sportsman and outdoors person. Len knows how to plan a budget and stick to it, as he is now a retired nuclear plant management consultant and a retired United States Navy Submarine Captain. Len is competent, tells the truth, and has fair judgement.

So, if you plan to vote for Oswego Park District Board, then please vote for Len. 

Greg Malnick, Oswego

Fiscal Responsibility Summit aptly named

The Fiscal Responsibility Summit hosted (recently) by Mr. Leonard Wass and Mr. Salvador Barocio was an excellent event. Unlike other Forums, the voters were able to express their views and questions directly to candidates, and interact with them.  There was plenty of time for candidates to speak, and for voters to express their views and ask tough questions. 

The information exchanged was helpful in discussing key issues, and the candidates, and voters, views and positions on them.  Candidates for the School Board, Village Trustee, and Park District Board were present and the two hours went by very quickly.

Mr. Wass presented himself, Sal Barocio, and Roy White as the Park District Board candidates.  He and Mr. Barocio also delivered a slide presentation highlighting the reckless spending of the Park District in these lean economic times.  

The Village Trustees also did an excellent job.  Terry Michels and Tony Giles nailed it by explaining how taxpayers are adversely affected by a TIF, which taxpayers assume the developers risk and are often left holding the bag. 

School Board candidates Paul Lark, Brent Lightfoot, and Bill Walsh were equally impressive.  All three oppose a third high school, as did every voter in the room by a show of hands.

The name of Fiscal Responsibility Summit is right on target. 

Frank Gervais, Oswego

Time for a new new Park Board

One recent letter claimed that the Oswego Park District has lowered property taxes.  The facts show otherwise.

The Park District voted a 7.8 percent increase in 2011 property taxes, while unemployment remains high, foreclosures are skyrocketing, and seniors on fixed income can't pay their tax bills.   

The Park District did lower its tax rate for a few years, but it only brought it down to neighboring park district levels.  I looked at four park districts in the area, and the Oswego Park District had a slightly higher tax rate than the average of these four.  So, if someone applauds the Park District for low taxes, they have not done their homework.

As importantly, the Oswego Park District charges the highest fees per resident of local park districts.  Salvador Barocio and Leonard Wass point this out in their website,www.4OPDChange.com.  OPD fees per resident are over twice the average of St. Charles, Batavia, and Fox Valley Park Districts.

The Oswego Park District not only taxes us into the ground, they charge fees that many parents of young children and seniors just cannot afford to pay.  We residents and taxpayers are not being served by the Park District Board, we are being gouged.

The Oswego Park District needs a new Board to serve citizens in a responsible manner.  There are three challengers I am going to vote for on April 5. They are Salvador Barocio, Leonard Wass, and Roy White.

Jeff Maly, Montgomery 


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