Bob Furst's List: politics

• Mike Janczak

• Because top city officials believe that sales tax revenue will decrease significantly in 2010, a dilemma will surface whether the money can be provided.
• from Golf Road on the north to Touhy Avenue on the south. On the north and south ends, an existing, mainly undeveloped horse dirt trail will be widene
• Starting this week, the city is inviting interested residents to review plans for the river trail and provide input. For the next 30 days, plans will be available for inspection in the engineering department in city hall. Included in the plans are specifics about traffic signals at Rand and Ballard roads, crosswalk information and way-finding signs along the route.
• Aldermen will probably launch discussion on the proposed 2010 city budget in October. City Manager Jason Bajor said last week that the city is facing the possibility of severe cuts and downsizing due in part to a projected major decrease in anticipated revenue in 2010.

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• This flood problem area on the west side of Des Plaines has been identified in the city's $15 million Storm Water Management Master Plan, and $750,000 has been allocated for additional storm sewers by 2011. But the Vincis and their Marshall Drive and Pennsylvania Avenue neighbors worry that it may be too late.
• Speeding up the work could double the cost,
• Mayor Martin Moylan said the city wants to help but doesn't have the money yet.
• The city stands to receive $1 million from the state's $31 billion capital improvement plan
• casino, which may not open until 2013
• After the June 19 flood, I got 100 phone calls and e-mails.
• Argus said 120 residents signed a petition asking the city to recognize the need for flood improvement in their area immediately
• last two years, there's been flooding four times in our area
• mayor agreed that casino money can't be counted on to fix the problems.
  
  "It's important to do everything possible to combat flooding now,"
• Halina Gumulka has lived along Marshall Drive for 16 years and cleaned up 4 feet of storm water in 2001 and 2008 and again this summer.

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• estimated $10.1 million in annual revenue
• a bit rosy
• Even if it is, however, the city will undoubtedly reap millions of extra dollars and local jobs with the arrival of a new casino within the next two years.
• When Bluhm's proposal was chosen over similar plans including one from neighboring Rosemont, the total amount of host community tax revenue expected to be generated for Des Plaines was approximately $25.6 million. In order to gain state approval, Des Plaines agreed to remit to the state $10 million of that sum and then dole out 40% of the remaining $15.6 million to economically disadvantaged communities in the area. That would have left Des Plaines with $9.3 million. The city believed at the time that an additional $150,000 would be generated in local food and beverages taxes and $650,000 in property taxes.
• arrival of video gaming machines where winners obtain instant cash payouts will eat into casino business
• additional casino licenses, especially within the Chicago area, as some believe will happen, the number of gamblers visiting Des Plaines would be negatively effected.
• Des Plaines city leaders have not made any decisions yet on how to spend the new casino revenue.
• City Manager Jason Bajor has recommended that the new revenue be used to pay for capital projects such as new streets, alleys and for flood relief as well as paying off city debt.

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• Levee 37 floodwall.
• Earlier this week, Des Plaines Mayor Marty Moylan sent a letter to U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th) urging her to act quickly to help expedite federal help in executing an agreement that would allow the building of a water retention basin in Wheeling
• construction of the reservoir in Wheeling's Heritage Park
• 500-ft. gap in the wall that Mt. Prospect h
• he gap will remain in place until the Heritage Park reservoir becomes operational.

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• east side of River Road and  Milwaukee Avenue between Euclid Avenue and Palatine Road.

• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• n Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• n Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.
• In Des Plaines, EMA is divided into three divisions: Homeland   Security, Emergency Management and Citizens Corps. Citizens Corps is   divided into 1) Citizens on Patrol, a group of trained volunteers 2)   the Medical Reserve Corps, volunteer health professionals 3)   Volunteers at large, residents who wish to assist on their own time   4) Neighborhood Watch, an organized community action group which   functions as a communications networks and 5) Community Emergency   Response Team (CERT), a group of volunteers trained in disaster   response skills such as fire safety, light search and rescue,   disaster medical operations, and team organization. It is this type   of evolved organization that helped Des Plaines earn the   accreditation.

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• Mr. Mike Elliott, Illinois Flood Action Group, addressed the City   Council stating that they have received a number of complaints   regarding flood insurance; Mayor Arredia made an appointment with   Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan= s office to see what can be   done; Mayor Arredia said we just can= t complain, we need   perspective as to what can be done; we should set goals; he thanked   Mayor Arredia for his assistance.

• drive north on River Road through our neighboring communities of Mount Prospect and Wheeling. You cannot help but observe a massive construction project along the west bank of the Des Plaines River.
• My concern about the flood wall project involves a 500 foot gap in the portion of the wall running though Mount Prospect. The problem with this "gap" concerns timing.
• Discussion has centered on the $24 million development of Wheeling's 250-acre Heritage Park area as the compensatory storage area, but documents remain unexecuted. And it should be noted that Heritage Park is 2.3 miles from the flood wall

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• Mike Elliot,
• "The Levee 37 project has progressed in a way that will cause serious, irreparable harm to you constituents," said the petition. "This project is funded through federal and state tax money and is being carried out by the Metropolitan Water Reclamation Dist. of Cook County and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers."
• "prohibiting the cities of Mt. Prospect and/or Prospect Hts. from temporarily filling in any gap in the wall of the Levee 37 project at any time, with significant penalties for any violation."

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• Des Plaines' grant was $576,900. Hoffman Estates received $515,100. The city of Chicago won a grant of $27.6 million under the same program.