Lombard Park District board: As a taxpaying Lombard resident, how much is it going to cost me to use the new fitness center? I'm already paying taxes. Is it going to be less than neighboring communities? Is it going to be less than going to a private facility and use it? I thought the taxpayers of Lombard voted this concept down a few years ago. Let's make the park district great again. God bless America.

Your question was forwarded to Executive Director Paul Friedrichs, who responded: "The goal when establishing fees [is] to create self-sustaining programs or services. This allows the District to direct tax revenues toward the administrative, capital and operational needs of the Park District. We also try to relieve the burden on taxpayers.  Taxpayers should not be asked to meet the entire cost of providing programs and facilities that involve considerable expense and serve a group of people with particular interests. When we establish fees, we make sure those fees are reasonable, consistent and based on a variety of factors. Factors include the area market, the direct costs of providing the program or facility, staff, instructors, equipment and supplies.  Until last Tuesday [March 28], we did not know the size and scope of the facility. The projected opening is summer 2018; actual fees will not be determined until late this year, early next. As far as your comment regarding the District's failure to pass a referendum "a few years ago," that was in 1993, some 24 years ago. Should you have any additional questions or concerns regarding this or any other Park District related issue, as always, please feel free to call me anytime at 630-953-6016, Paul Friedrichs, Executive Director."—JAC

* * *

FYI. Illinois.gov reports that Springfield lawmakers earn a base pay of $67,836 annually for their part-time work. That's without added stipends for committee and leadership roles. Thank you.

* * *

Well, all you Lombard grocery shoppers. Mr. Z's has been closed since 2013 and now Ultra Foods is closing. So, thank you to all our Lombard shoppers. Well, we've got another grocery store going in. I just can't figure this one out. Who's running this place? I thought they were going to make Lombard great again.

* * *

Lombard calling. I read a story in the March 30 issue of the Lombardian that caught my attention. The headline was, “Almost 90 percent of Illinois counties losing population.” Right at the end of the story, it said that over the course of one year ending July of 2016, Illinois lost 114,144 residents to other states. Wrap your head around that for a minute. That’s equal to the entire population of Springfield! I always see our local state politicians in the Lombardian telling us how they sponsored or co-sponsored this bill or that bill. Yeah, keep patting yourselves on the back. How about sponsoring some legislation that’s actually going to help keep people here, like freezing or reducing taxes across the board? I’m tired of getting nickled-and-dimed with this tax and that tax, and property taxes are out of control.

* * *

Good day. It is good to see that someone questioned reverse mortgages. The response in SPEAK OUT is true but not the whole truth. Robert Wagner, Henry Winkler and Tom Selleck, to name a few, do reasonably well trying to convince the person 62 or older reverse mortgages are good. Yes, you can stay in your house. Yes, you can spend the money as you wish. Tom Selleck says he did his homework. Really? He says when the last borrower moves out of the house you pay back the loan. He does not say how much it will cost you. TV commercials do not mention the interest MIP that is added each month to the outstanding balance. I got into this mess because of a vehicle accident. No longer able to work, no income, unable to pay my real estate taxes. Warning: You never want to get into that mess either.

* * *

What a shame. You know that great lamp shade store in Glen Ellyn? They're closing. They have been there 43 years. This is our last chance to get great "lamps and shades."

* * *

If leftists wonder why they lack any credibility, look no further than President Trump's recent executive order that undid President Obama's so-called “Clean Power Plan.” How did leftists react? According to one article by Jeff Masters, Trump's executive order “threatens to wreck Earth as a livable planet for humans.” Not to be outdone, Michael Moore stated that the day Trump signed the order will be marked as “the day the extinction of human life on Earth began, thanks to Donald Trump.” Please. Are we supposed to believe one of Barack Obama's executive orders was preventing human extinction? As commentator John Hinderaker noted, “No one, not even the most hysterical warmist, argues that anything the U.S. can do, up to and including killing all 320 million of our residents, will have any perceptible effect on the Earth's climate.” Nevertheless, global warming/climate change zealots will continue embarrassing themselves with ridiculous comments.

* * *

I'm calling from Lombard about the recent comments regarding District 44 and responses from the administration. SPEAK OUT is a public and anonymous forum for people to voice their concerns. Contacting someone at the administrative offices directly would not only prohibit other taxpayers from knowing what is going on with our school district, but also be counterintuitive to the process. Transparency is apparently unimportant to our school board. I have attended a few board meetings and much is discussed in closed session. With all the money being spent, either on a treadmill for the superintendent or us footing the bill for PhDs, I can only imagine there will be a referendum asking for more money. Will it be for legitimate classroom and learning tools, educating our children? I think not. Will it be for stipends and perks for those who sit in offices? More likely than not.

* * *

Kudos to the Lombard Park District for taking years to plan and are now ready to build a new recreation center with no tax increase and under budget. Maybe the Lombard Library Board could ask for help from the park district? The library has created their own dilemma and it is up to them to fix it, not the park district. Shame on the library for asking for a permanent tax increase without having done their homework and having an approval for a plan before taking our money. Wait until the Lombard residents get their property tax bill next month.

* * *

We had a sign in front of our home to vote no on the Villa Park library. We were surprised to have received several letters from residents, some nice, some not so nice. That is OK. We live in America and should be free to express our opinions.

* * *

Where is Donald Trump's wife? Back in the day, whether Democrat or Republican, Nancy Reagan had "Don't Do Drugs." The Bushes did literacy. Obama's wife did nutrition. Where's his wife and why do we have to pay $500 million a month to protect her in Trump Towers when she should be living in Washington, D.C.? Why does he have to go down to Florida? Whatever happened to Camp David in Maryland?

According to the New York City Police Department, it has cost the taxpayers an average of $127,000 to $145,000 per day to keep Melania and Barron Trump in New York. That amount is estimated to hit $8.6 million when they vacate in June. As for Camp David, the president was quoted as saying, "Camp David is very rustic, it’s nice, you’d like it. You know how long you’d like it? For about 30 minutes."—JAC

* * *

The library and park board: That land was set aside for a library. The park district should respect that and cooperate with library authorities. It's a shame they have to fight like this. We've got parks all over Lombard, but really, an aging library. It’s an American tradition that we have; all these great things we have in our town including a library. I think it's an embarrassment when you look at the neighboring towns with a similar population and we can't have a decent library? Let's work together, park district board. It's a shame you have to be like this. It looks like you've turned into a good-old-boys gang. That is too bad that you can't work that way. What are you going to do? Sacrifice a bush or two? Did they wait until the referendum ballot was ready so they could stay on the board? Terrible.

* * *

This is Lombard calling. This is to all the people who glorify our so-called President Trump. I hope you guys realize with the budget he announced, he is cutting everything for the poor people and making the rich get richer, putting it all in the military, building his infamous wall, with billion dollars and wanting to abolish Meals on Wheels, abolishing everything that the poor people and the people who need the help and the working class; they are going to get totally destroyed. I hope you totally glorify your president and I hope you really think about what he is doing and what he will be doing to destroy America. Thank you.

* * *

This is a response to the person who stated his or her granddaughter is afraid her friends or the parents of her friends will be taken away because of enforcement of the immigration policy. I suggest she use this as a teachable opportunity: when laws are broken, there are consequences. Sadly, in this case, these innocent children are caught in the middle. It is too bad the parents of these children did not think about them when they chose to break the law. Many years of failure to enforce the border rules and regulations have led us to where we are today. The Federation for Immigration Reform reports the totally yearly cost of illegal immigrants on all levels, federal, state and local, to the United States is about $113 billion. This can be easily Googled. With expenses like this, how can the U.S. hope to overcome the debt we are now burdened with? People seek to come to America for a better life. If this country were to go bankrupt that dream will end fore everyone.

* * *

Lombard calling. I was just reading these polls. We've got this one that says 78 percent of registered voters say the state should apply a 3 percent tax on incomes of more than a million dollars. Let's put that one as a binding referendum on the next ballot. Then there's this other poll that says Rauner's disapproval rating is now at 58 percent and he's planning on running for governor in the next election. I'm thinking a Republican governor running in a statewide election in a mid term of a Republican president who lost Illinois by 15 points, this guy could run against himself and still lose with those kinds of numbers. Thank you.

* * *

With regard to spending in District 44, there have been no real apparent answers in the responses given by District 44 about their seemingly frivolous spending. Paying $100,000 for two administrators to get their doctorates is ludicrous. I believe they make enough in salary to pay for their own degrees. When I looked on the Champion.org Web site at District 44 salaries for teachers and administrators, it was astounding. I'm so glad someone shared this Web site with me. When they get their degrees, are they also getting a bump in pay? And what about this treadmill I read about; don’t they have a workout center for their employees? Who’s approving this spending? Maybe we need a new board that runs a tighter ship. I'm sure that a lot of taxpayers feel the same. All I have to say is don't expect taxpayers to vote yes on a referendum.

* * *

Hi. This is Lombard calling. I'm a resident and I have paid taxes for over 20 years, much of which supports our school district. And the accomplishments of our school district has been a source of pride over the years, but I’m concerned by the spending done recently by this administration. There seems to be little concern as who is footing the bill. It's made me aware of how active we should be in our school board activities. Go to the meetings. The meetings are held at 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month. For the rest of the year they'll be at Madison School on April 11, and at the Administration Center on May 9 and June 13. Go to the meetings and see what your school board is doing. Be a part of the decision. Be a part of the process. Thank you.

* * *

This is a message to one of my neighbors. I was looking out my upstairs window and saw you with your little white dog walk right over to your neighbor's yard and stood there until your dog did what he had to do on the neighbor's lawn and you didn't pick anything up. You walked back home to your nice clean lawn. This isn't the first time I saw this. Very neighborly of you.

* * *

This is why we have a problem in America. Nobody wants to obey the laws, from small ones to big ones. Just to show you here in Villa Park, it seems nobody stops at stop signs. Apparently nobody ever talks on their phone. Everybody apparently texts on their phone. It seems that everybody disobeys the laws. It seems the police don't do too much about it anymore. This is why we have so many problems in this country and you people out there who are fighting against Trump, you guys have some serious issues for man who just wants to bring back law and order in our country. God bless you all when it comes down real bad.