By: Diane Benjamin
See this story from yesterday: https://blnnews.com/2018/01/16/these-are-republicans/
The McLean County Board has an unwritten policy. All work is done in committee and the Board members rubber stamp whatever comes out of committee. I was told issues will not be re-heard before the entire Board, that’s why they have committees. (My beef was with Zoning over wind turbines)
Yesterday the Board violated that policy. The entire Board is now be free to re-litigate every issue that comes before them. The Land Use Committee heard testimony and completed their investigation of the Solid Waste Plan. We expected the Democrats to revert back to the original plan with mandates, but 5 Republicans fell for the scheme: Josh Barnett, Susan Shaffer, Catherine Metsker, William Caisley, and David Seltzer.
Below is the future of McLean County because of these 5 Republicans who no longer have a right to run as Republicans. I have excerpts from “plans” for two other Illinois cities. Fining companies for non-compliance was always the goal. People will be next. Bloomington and Normal could have passed a recycling ordinance at anytime without what McLean County passed yesterday. Now it will be easier! They can say they are forced to comply with the County plan. The Land Use Committee knew what other cities were doing, that’s why Ryan Scritchlow added his amendment.
This is why people are leaving Illinois. We are following the same destructive path as California. The Board knows their actions yesterday will increase the cost of housing. See the except below from an editorial in the Los Angeles Times (hardly a conservative paper!) – Why is liberal California the poverty capital of America? http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-jackson-california-poverty-20180114-story.html
“Counties and local governments have imposed restrictive land-use regulations that drove up the price of land and dwellings,” explains analyst Wendell Cox. “Middle-income households have been forced to accept lower standards of living while the less fortunate have been driven into poverty by the high cost of housing.” The California Environmental Quality Act, passed in 1971, is one example; it can add $1 million to the cost of completing a housing development, says Todd Williams, an Oakland attorney who chairs the Wendel Rosen Black & Dean land-use group. CEQA costs have been known to shut down entire homebuilding projects. CEQA reform would help increase housing supply, but there’s no real movement to change the law.
Yes, the ordinances will come with fines for noncompliance:
1)
Lake County Il. http://www.swalco.org/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/64
PDF page 14:
2)
8. Violations of this Article will result in penalties in the amount of $500 for the first offense, $1,000 for the second offense, and $2,500 for the third and subsequent offenses.
I hope the 5 are thrilled with their new fame!
I hope the 5 never get elected to a public body again!
Most of them need to be in a nursing home.
According to the Pantagraph, Mr. Parker, a friend of Renner and current Democratic candidate for the Board, was present with a group holding signs with emotional pleas to “save the grandchildren.” This “plan” will be referenced by the Council(s) repeatedly just like the Comprehensive Plan is now.
He also spoke during public comment. He is a far left progressive who claims the County is changing – of course to think that government is the answer to all problems.
He’s buddies with Pinky.