Bob Allen running for Alderman 1st Ward

I have known Bob Allen for the last 6 years. The one thing I can say about Bob is that you where he stands. I don’t know how he can be a politician because he doesn’t sit on the fence and say what you want to hear. I have always known here he stands and even when we don’t agree we can discuss the reasons. I believe that Bob can make a hard decision even if it is not politically correct. I know that when issues come up he will make the decision that is not self-serving but benefits our community.

Robert Skidmore
Yorkville Resident

I have known Bob Allen for years. He has shown his dedication to the people of Yorkville. He has worked to make the city better by building parks and supporting public safety. After reading Patch, I understand that Carlo Colosimo is for higher property taxes. I am supporting Bob Allen for Ward 1 alderman.

Wow Linda, you really do your research before commenting, don't you? Just because Bob told you so doesn't mean it's true. Try checking a little further and you would see Carlo's quote,
"Do you prefer a sales tax or a property tax to payoff the sewer debt bonds?
This is like asking if I prefer the electric chair or the firing squad, either way you have the same result. I acknowledge that due to poor decisions in the past we now have an obligation to pay these sewer bonds. I agree that we cannot simply default on the bonds. Before I pass off the burden onto the taxpayer I want to make sure that the city has cut it's budget as much as possible. At this point we have no choice but to find alternate revenue streams to pay for the bonds. Currently, the city council has voted to place the burden on the property taxes. Although, this is a bitter pill to swallow we must honor our past obligations. I am not satisfied that our current administration is doing everything possible to bring the budget and spending under control.
There are advantages and disadvantages to either the property tax or sales tax options. I am currently in the process of speaking with residents in my ward about this very issue. I acknowledge that one of these options will most likely have to take place. If elected, I will have a ward meeting with my residents to listen to their opinion before making my final decision."
I believe this is the actual TRUTH of what Carlo is saying despite what Bob told you.

Gosh darn it Bob, there you go again. I corrected someone who was misinformed. I believe in honest politicians and honest citizenry. I don't believe you will find anything I have posted to be dishonest as you accuse. Go back to campaigning Bob. Reading your posts tells me you will need the help.

Scratch On Patch, I agree with you and have removed the comment. Mr. O'Connell is welcome to repost the comment without that reference.

A gimp mask is a form fitting cap with many variations. The humor injected was directed at a fictional cartoon character portrayed as a super hero. It would be no different if I referred to his pants as dancing ballet tights.
I can understand if the editor removed a word he/she felt it was too strong or offensive, and replaced the characters with symbols. This would be called editing.
To remove an ENTIRE post, based on one word is censorship.
The word gimp used to describe a mask, is not discriminatory towards any race, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation, nationality, heritage, or any disability.
Thank you, Jillian Duchowski for your noteworthy "editing".

Okay, here is what I am talking about. Last night, I went to the Yorkville City Council meeting. I was the only candidate from ward 1 to attend the meeting. At about 11 pm, there was a motion to apply for a grant. The grant is from the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program. These grants are very complicated and, as you would expect from the government, require a mountain of paperwork. Under this program, you ask for money and it doesn't come for a while. The grant cycle is for Fiscal Years 2012 through 2016. The Yorkville project is a pedestrian and bicycle path along Highway 34. If I understand it correctly, the great majority of the cost of the project would be paid for with grant money, if we even decide to do it.
I know that grants can sometimes come with strings attached. I understand that. But this grant does not require a hard commitment from the city at this time or ever. I understand that taking money from other levels of government means using taxpayer dollars. Isn't that why those other levels of government have money in the first place, to support the people?
But here is the main point; Alderman Gary Golinski voted to apply for the grant. Most of the council (including supporters of Mayor Burd) agreed with him. Alderman Rose Spears voted against applying for the grant. Only one person voted with her.

You are asking me why I am fighting to be elected to the office of Ward 1 alderman.

Bob, when did you become such an unethical politician? I have been attending city council meetings for four years and you were nowhere to be found. Although it is none of your business, I was at a funeral last night in DeKalb. Sorry I chose to pay my last respects to my friend rather than go to the city council meeting. Before implying that I don't go to council meetings, which I regularly attend, why don't you bother to call me and ask why I wasn't there. Shame on you Bob. But I guess when you feel you are behind you can't think of anything else to do but attack. I will keep telling people where I stand on issues and you just keep attacking me. We'll see how that works for you on April 5th.

Carlo, I am sorry for your loss.

Here's my beef with our mayor and all mayors throughout IL & the country. They all say, "Let's get our share of everyone else's money." We are Yorkville. We deserve it. The whole world thinks that everyone else must pay for their own WANTS. I say STOP the madness now. If the people really want something, then PAY FOR IT OURSELVES! Just google grants in IL & see what you find. EVERYBODY WANTS! Don't you understand you are paying for every other city's WANTS in IL and the country? Do you go over to your neighbors and ask them to give you 80% of the cost to put a swimming pool in your backyard? I didn't think so. So why is it okay for us to do this? Just because EVERYONE else does it? As my grandpa used to say, "If everyone was jumping into the river would you do it too." Here are two local cities and only 2 grant programs they have. You want to see more? Just check the Internet and open your eyes. It is about time someone stood up and said "earmarks" are NOT GOOD for anyone but the few who want. Everyone has to pay. What a shame... Greed! I say draw the line in the sand right here and right now! I can't afford your frivolous wants anymore!!!!

Here are 2 examples of what these cities think they DESERVE. When does it end?

The Special Events and Cultural Amenities (SECA) Fund provides an opportunity to grow Naperville's unique identity and sense of community through festivals and public events.

1. Residential Rehabilitation Grant Program:
What: Overall objectives of the program are to financially assist homeowners in making exterior code violation repairs, to improve the quality and safety of the existing housing stock, and to foster community pride. Owners may qualify up to a maximum of $10,000 or $15,000, depending on the household income.
The City is pleased to announce funding for a number of residential grant programs. Funding for these grants come from a variety of sources. “These changes were made to benefit as may projects as possible considering the great number of worthwhile applications.”
Grant Program:
What: Overall objectives of the program are to financially assist homeowners in making exterior code violation repairs and to foster community pride. Owners may qualify up to a maximum of $10,000 or $15,000.
Fence Removal Program:
What: Provides up to $3,000 to property owners to remove existing chain link fencing.
Siding Removal Program:
What: Provides up to $5,000 to property owners to remove substitute siding from the house.
Energy Efficiency Residential Revolving Loan Fund:
The city provides up to $40,000 as a no-interest loan that the owner pays back over ten years based on the energy savings.

Now, what were you saying about Rose Spears voting against grants? I say, "God bless her for voting with the poor people who have lost their jobs, had their homes foreclosed, and have to go to the food pantry to have something to eat." There will be a time in the future(I hope) when the economy comes back and we can once again afford some grants. But today isn't the time! God bless you, Rose Spears! I support what you are standing up for.

And here are a few more that should open your eyes:
10. A $427,824 grant to design better video games for senior citizens based on their unique “game-play needs”.
9. Funding of a Dartmouth College study involving “sexual arousal in anesthetized female rats” ($9,870).
8. Funding of a $168,300 to the Escape Massage parlor in Midlothian, VA.
7. Funding a $447,492 Univ. of North Carolina study on the development and use of “African American English” amongst 70 adolescents.
6. $10,346 for a heating and cooling company to provide “escort services” for other companies performing a laser scanning survey at a courthouse.
5. An academic study comparing outcomes of the concurrent and separate use of malt liquor and marijuana ($389,357).
4. A $225,000 study at Ohio State University on the relative and combined impacts of air pollution and a high fat diet on obesity.
3. A $712,883 research grant to develop “machine-generated humor“. Project will design artificially intelligent “comedic performance agents”, and will “deploy them both on and off-line for the enjoyment and illumination of everyday citizens”.
2. A $54 million project to relocate one bridge for the Napa Valley Wine Train (!) in order to mitigate the possible impact of a “100 year storm event”.
1. $9.3 million (!) to fund the design and development of a “coordinated colony of robotic bees“!
But all we WANT is to get our tax dollars back!!! Yeh, right... Nobody wins this losing race!

Thank God it is still America, Todd and as you know there are literally MILLIONS more of these "grants" out there that we ALL are paying. Here is one from the Beacon this morning that might mean more to you and the readers. I'm afraid Jillian doesn't have the room for all of them. "West Schools installing energy efficient lighting." $200,000 grant so the rest of the world can pay for West Aurora's electricity bill/savings. I can't afford to eat today but I'll chip in for Aurora's WANTS.
http://beaconnews.suntimes.com/news/4203297-418/west-schools-installing-energy-efficient-lighting.html
AURORA — With the help of a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, West Aurora School District administrators are thinking green.
The state agency just issued a $200,000 grant to the West Aurora district to be used to replace the lighting systems in parts of all the school buildings in the district.
The new lights will consume less energy and be more environmentally friendly. “It’s definitely a win-win from our perspective,” School Superintendent James Rydland said.
In total, the project will cost about $598,000, he said. The remainder of the project will be paid for out of the district’s capital budget. The project should completely pay for itself within about three years, he said.
And I'm sure they will pay us back after the 3 years, won't they?! When are the taxpayers going to tell the politicians that "we can't take it anymore?"

This appears to be a long term cost saving measure. It will save a great deal of money in the long run with decreased energy cost. I only wish Yorkville's district 115 would be as forward thinking and save the taxpayers of Yorkville money too.

I heard a comment the other day from an elected official who called the Rob Roy Interceptor, the Art Roy Interceptor. Apparently, this is the sewer and water lines taken up to Corneils road from Rte 34. Is all this talk about the sewer bond in reference to those expenses? It would seem to me that if you and I were to build in this city, we would take our plans to the city for approval at wich time we would pay ALL the costs to obtain the permits, correct. So, now you're telling the community that oops, nobody paid for those Art Roy services and therefore it is up to the citizens of the city to step up to the plate and pay. It is hard for me to believe one person has the authority to act wrecklessly in making that decision. Is there an opportunity down the road to recapture those expenses that the city incurred? How about the $1,000,000 in litigation over all the annexing of all the land to get out to the proposed landfill. Can't the city buy errors and omission insurance on Mayors for Bad Decisions? Or are they exempt because they are "government"?

I spoke with many residents today about the proposed sales tax. No one wants another tax, but the sales tax was preferred by almost everyone I spoke with. In fact, no one wanted higher property taxes. On Monday, my opponent continued to voice opposition to the sales tax. It is true that eliminating the tax will take council action some day in the future. But we are not dealing with a lot of alternatives in the present.
The sewer bond debt must be dealt with. Mayor Burd has repeatedly asked for other options from Alderman Golinski and the rest of the council. There are no other options that they have offered.
The people that I am speaking with prefer the sales tax option. They disagree with Carlo Colosimo.
I am the candidate who is listening to people of Ward 1. I am the candidate who understands the problems and supports common sense solutions for the people.
When I served as Ward 1 Alderman, over a hundred people came to my ward meeting with Alderman Wally Werderich. I called for the meeting. I reached out for input.
Thanks for all of your support. If we have not brought your "Allen for Alderman" sign to you, yet, please forgive us. We are getting them out to you as quick as we can. We have had a lot of phone calls and a lot of requests.

Bob, what's your take to pay for these bonds? You say nobody is offering a solution. Where's your solution? I say let's charge all those people who want bike trails a license fee. I say let's charge those out of towners who are sure to flock here for the canoe chute a daily fee or annual fee. I say put parking meters in all the city parking lots. I say put red light cameras on every corner like Naperville. Let's make those out of towners pay our way. Where are your solutions Bob? Spit them out if you have any. But I haven't heard any from your mouth. Please tell us Bob.

After re-reading these posts it appears that Bob and Todd might be related. Bob's comments sure sound just like Todd's, don't they? These two must be very close to Mayor Burd.