I’m a Lombard resident calling who has lived two blocks from the train tracks since 1993. The Lombardian kindly gave us phone numbers to call to complain about the noise from the Union Pacific blowing its horn all the time. The Union Pacific has a message box that’s full of complaints; no more room for that. And the state takes only messages. The city of Elmhurst filed for a quiet zone for their town and the Union Pacific doesn’t pay attention to that. The Lombard village manager’s office said they have a huge amount of complaints. This is ridiculous noise pollution. Lombard village planning, can you do anything? Or maybe Peter Roskam could do something aside from having us bothered by his endless recorded message phone calls.

* * *

Will the day ever come when we can say our elected officials can be trusted, show character, play by the Golden Rule, have pride in their accomplishments, lead by example and share their compassion for those among us who are less fortunate? Obviously not as the record shows with all the corruption in our state legislature and at the local levels of government. The recent defeat of Gov. Quinn’s veto of Commonwealth Edison’s electric grid plan is a glaring example. Local and national newspapers recorded the money that numerous Illinois legislators collected from Commonwealth Edison for their yes votes. Listings of the Illinois legislators, party affiliation and pay-off amounts were neatly identified in newspapers throughout the United States and worldwide. Such documentation, supported by the Freedom of Information Act, will preserve the accuracy of the legislators’ names and the money they received from ComEd. How shameful.

* * *

I’m calling about the person who thinks that even if global warming is not caused by man that we should take steps to temper the long-term effects of it for our future generations. Number one, who decided that the temperature of the Earth right now is the best temperature it should be? There is quite a bit of literature out there that actually shows that the warming of planet Earth would mean the greening of planet Earth, which would be a boon for the farm industry. As far as the glaciers receding, I just read reports about glaciers actually moving, growing at a faster rate than they have been in over a century. All of this stuff is a silly little game perpetuated by the P.T. Barnum of our time called Al Gore. Once again, if there is global warming—sure there is, our temperature has changed; the Antarctic region used to be a tropical rain forest—I’m saying, I’d like Chicago to be a tropical rain forest.

* * *

This is funny. The debt jumped on Nov. 16 to $15 trillion. The Treasury Department announced that the bailout of General Motors only cost the taxpayers $23 billion. The oil on Nov. 16 jumped up to over $100 a barrel among fears of lack of supply while our brilliant President Obama nixes the pipeline aimed to boost U.S. supply. Hey, this is great.

* * *

I’ve got a comment on the person stating that the rich should be taxed. What you’re forgetting is that when the tax rates were this high, unemployment was not 9 percent. We did not have the deficit that we currently have. We did not have the housing problem we currently have. We did not have the foreclosure problem that we currently have. You are so misinformed, if you would think about it. I’m not rich, and I don’t want to spend money because I’m afraid the government is going to raise my taxes and with everything that is going on, I’m not going to spend money. If the government would come out and say, “We are not going to raise taxes; we are going to cut the capital gains tax; we are going to cut the employment tax; we are going to cut your real estate taxes,” then people would feel more comfortable and spend more money.

* * *

To the person who called saying the park district is not a place for youth socialization, are you kidding me? Their programs not only help young people learn to enjoy various sports and other physical activities, but they also provide more subtle opportunities for youth to learn about working together as a team and taking pride in one’s community. And if that means helping the less fortunate in the process through a food drive, how in the world can you even think of dissing their efforts to help build the character of Lombard’s youth? Bah, humbug.

* * *

Hello, Lombard. In regard to “At This Stage,” where Mr. Fitzpatrick and Ms. Dynako make a mention of our elected officials making extremely important decisions for our community, I agree with that 100 percent. But I do think there are a few people on the board of trustees who are serving themselves. They’re looking for other jobs within the political arena and I don’t think that they’re being as judicious as they should with regard to the community decisions. I do think they are there to get to higher ground.

* * *

To the person noticing more road kill on the streets of Lombard, the crows used to take care of this problem. Crows are smart and with the West Nile virus, the crows were smart enough to vacate the area. I know. I used to hunt them. They are very smart. The blackbirds and blue jays are also gone to some extent. If you are more than third generation off the farm, I can understand your frustration.

* * *

I know the village won’t tell us, but does anybody know what the two cameras at Main and Madison are for? They’re up on the traffic lights; two white cameras. One’s facing west, one’s facing south. I sure would like to know.

* * *

Bravo to MacKay Publications and the Lombardian for putting the information on the village board meetings in the newspaper. Obviously the village wants transparency but they won’t do anything about it so I’m sure glad you helped. It makes a great deal of difference.

The “Village Minute” column to which you refer is provided by Lombard Village President Willliam “Bill” Mueller and Village Clerk Brigitte O’Brien and is published by MacKay Publications.—JAC

* * *

Lombard calling. To the partner in a downtown business, I can understand your frustration about someone not choosing to open up a restaurant in Lombard. Before we open another restaurant, let’s get the people to fill the ones we already have. If Mr. Gron opens a restaurant in another town, it’s his money invested, not Lombard’s. I think he does what he can but I think he gets as frustrated as you are. Let’s pull together and get the job done once and for all. Let’s build the downtown.

* * *

Lombard. I would like you to know there really are angels among us. My car broke down Wednesday at the Lombard Post Office and it was going to be towed away. I went to Art’s Master Mechanics on St. Charles Road, which is a block away from the post office. When I got there the crew was getting ready to close up shop and go home, but they stayed late just to help me. One of the guys was having a holiday dinner at a restaurant and he actually interrupted his holiday dinner to come over to the garage to help with my car. I’m low income so to save me money on a tow charge, these angels actually pushed my car by hand down the street to the garage from the post office. Thanks to all of you angels for all of your help and God bless all of you.

* * *

This is Lombard calling. I want the Lombard Police Department to understand the laws of parking tickets and village stickers. I live in Flowerfield; I’ve made that very clear, all addresses have been changed, and I got yet another, second, parking ticket for not having a village vehicle sticker displayed. The last time I was in court they said don’t worry about it. I don’t have time to waste to keep going to court, so please, Lombard policemen, run the plates, see that I’m in Flowerfield and quit giving me parking tickets.

* * *

To the Lombardian SPEAK OUT: Mr. Gron’s statement is only correct that more property taxes would help the village. The problem is, he is not the one who can increase your taxes. It is the projects the village incorporates. If you don’t like the projects, get involved, read the Lombardian, go to a village meeting or watch it on Channel 6 the first and third Thursdays. You can also get a part-time job as a trustee for maybe about $5 an hour for Lombard. The trustees get a token pay for their efforts. Maybe we should give them a raise. P.S. I don’t work for the village as a trustee—I can’t take all the rejection.

* * *

OK, SPEAK OUT readers, do your job. The tollway board consists of nine people. They already have lucrative jobs. There are a lot of people who are just as smart who are unemployed. Why aren’t those unemployed given these director’s jobs instead of these other people having two jobs and hoarding the money. Pat Quinn should appoint people who are unemployed, very well capable, very well educated, as tollway board members. Don’t you think this is a good answer to some of the unemployment situation instead of getting greedy and giving it all to people who already have well-paying jobs and give them another job to collect money? This is ridiculous. Either that or let them do the job for nothing.