Since most people never saw it, the writer asked me to print it too.

LETTER: Chung, council ignore taxpayers

Normal made two recent requests seeking public input regarding art and the proposed Vernon Avenue improvements. However, Normal only accepts input when it supports the proposed project as presented to gain public support for the projects. Below are examples of Normal opposing differing input.

With respect to Trail East Development, Normal decided to destroy the “art wall” on Beaufort without citizen input. When the plans became public, citizens placed a question online to save or not to save the wall. Within a few days, over 1,000 emails expressed desire to save the art wall. The cost to move the wall was about $100,000, a tiny fraction of the development cost. Normal opposed the citizens’ ballot request in court resulting in delay of Trail East Development and eventual cancellation.

Citizens of Normal met the legal requirements to have the question to elect councilpersons “at large” or by “districts” be placed on the ballot. The Town hired an expensive Chicago law firm to oppose the question being placed on the ballot as well as having State Rep. Sharon Chung introduce legislation to prevent the question from being placed on a ballot.

“The Town, at great expense to taxpayers, went to defend these cases in court and so they are trying to prevent that from happening again,” Chung, the legislation’s sponsor, told lawmakers at a committee hearing in March. Sharon Chung emphasized “the Town went to great expense” to oppose Normal’s taxpayers’ desire to have the question placed on the ballot or any future question.

Obviously, Rep. Chung and Normal councilpersons believe that using taxpayer money to oppose the taxpayers is taxpayer money wisely spent. Once elected, Normal councilpersons and State Rep. Chung desire absolute power, desiring no input from the people they are elected to represent.

Ronald Ulmer, Normal