During a meeting Thursday, those for and against a new Muslim center in unincorporated DuPage County just east of Naperville learned about new conditions under which a county committee would agree to a permit. Neighbors to the facility have said the noise, parking and possible late nights would be a burden. However, applicants for the Irshad Learning Center agreed to changes, including an increase in parking, berms to shield the view of the center from neighbors and moving part or all of a septic field.
One member of Irshad did question "Why have we been singled out, as if our activity should be restricted?
What do you think? Are they being discriminated against? Are the rules fair? How about neighbors? What are your biggest concerns?
In a close 5-4 vote Monday night, the Naperville City Council agreed to raise the property tax rate from 0.7167 percent to 0.7367 percent.
The city has in the past approved a property tax rate increase and then lowered it when assessments are released, and officials claim the same thing will happen this time. The city plans to collect more than $50.6 million in property taxes next year and only approved the higher rate in case assessments fall, to ensure city services are funded.
This is necessary because a property tax levy must be approved well in advance of the budget year's beginning.
Councilwoman Judy Brodhead said the assessment was much more important to a person's tax payment than the tax rate, but Councilman Bob Fieseler objected to a tax that is impossible for a struggling property owner to avoid, unlike a sales tax.
Still, for owners hoping a drop in property values would mean a drop in taxes, it would seem the city is planning for a way around that contingency.
What do you think? Is this just business as usual or do you object?
Edward Hospital announced Monday new restrictions on visitors put in place because of H1N1 flu fears.
All visitors under age 18 are prohibited, including those who want to visit a newborn sibling. All others, regardless of age, are asked to refrain from visiting, if possible. You should not visit if you have any upper respiratory signs or symptoms. Patients and visitors with any upper respiratory signs and symptoms such as cough, fever, sore throat or general fatigue will be asked to wear a mask from the time they arrive until they leave or are instructed otherwise.
One can easily imagine a scenario where a parent is dying or facing serious surgery and the family wants to visit one last time, but is denied because of this policy. Of course, one can also imagine a sick visitor spreading an infection that sweeps through the vulnerable hospital population. Do you think this is something that has to be done, or is the hospital overreacting?
For awhile it seemed likely that the swine flu scary would turn out like a few other potential pandemics of recent years, such as avian flu and SARS, in other words, a lot of excitement but little real impact.
But with a second Naperville resident dying at least partially because of the flu on Wednesday, and with another death in Sandwich and more than 900 students sick at St. Charles East High School, it's starting to look like H1N1 may be for real.
Are you more worried about the flu now than a few months ago? Do you plan to get vaccinated?
The Naperville Public Library is consistantly at the top of the list of best libraries in the country. But it has seen a reduction in its tax levy two years in a row, dropping 6 percent in 2009 and nearly 7 percent in 2010.
Officials are being asked by the city to cut $1.1 million from the library budget to help eliminate the city's deficit. The library is proposing to use $500,000 from its operations fund, as well as a request that the city waive the library paying $150,000 into Naperville's IMRF and health insurance fund. Other proposals include cutting Sunday hours, discontinuing 'premium pay' on Sundays, and cutting staff.
Previously the library had been forced to cut many programs, book clubs and other events many residents had enjoyed, along with buying fewer books and reducing time materials can be checked out.
What do you think of the proposed cuts to the library? Can it maintain its quality with all the reductions?
Since the topics being discussed on the open topic forum appeal to some and not to others, I wanted to provide a second option for people who want to discuss something totally different than city or national politics. So this one's for you. So please, no pensions, home rule, Napergate, or pro- or anti- Obama on here.
As we do here on occasion, this is an open topic for whatever is on your mind. But please, not something that's already being discussed elsewhere on a recent board.
We are repeatedly told that public transportation is the wave of the future. As population increases and emissions and pollution become more important in the public consciousness, we will need new ways to cope. Traffic jams are getting more frequent, and road construction is far behind and doesn't appear able to catch up.
However, few people use public transportation. Pace is considering cutting 51 suburban bus routes, including five in Naperville. Most people have never taken or rarely take a bus, though some depend on them. The waiting list for parking spots at the train station takes years to reach the bottom. Besides that, the train is only practical for those who work in Chicago or somewhere else along the rail line, and many towns are nowhere near a commuter rail line.
Planners say the future looks like the area around Naperville's downtown train station, with high density residential and commercial property where everyone lives close to public transportation. But it seems likely most people will continue to live far from such locations.
So what can be done to improve transportation in the Chicago area? Can buses and trains be the answer or do we need another option? What other options would you suggest? Do you ever take public transportation?
Recently, President Barack Obama said American students need to spend more time in school to stay competitive. According to the president, students in other countries spend 25 or 30 percent more time in school than American students.
District 203 and 204 don't have any plans to lengthen the school day or school term, and District 203 is bound to its current school year by its terms with the teachers union. Also, factors like bus scheduling have to be taken into account.
Despite the objections, do you think Naperville students should spend more time in school, either with additional days in the school year or more time per day spent in the classroom?
Naperville currently does not have its own sales tax, but under home rule authority, it is allowed to implement one.
However, with a projected $14.1 million budget shortfall in the 2010-2011 year, the City Council is considering adding a sales tax as an option for closing the gap.
Other options include raising property taxes, raising gas taxes, deferring road work or taking on more debt. The property tax would have to rise from 71 cents to 89 cents per $100, and road work would get more expensive if it is delayed.
Also under consideration was the reduction of the downtown food and beverage tax if a sales tax is added, as that was part of the agreement when the tax was implemented.
Do you think a sales tax is called for, or is there a better option?
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