Letters to editor express election views

Due to space in the printed version of the Oct. 29 Galva News, letters to the editor this week are being published only at galvanews.com, seen here.

Dear Editor:

I am supporting Bobby Schilling as the 17th Congressional Representative. I believe he is a man who knows about running a small business and therefore is understanding of his potential constituents’ and how the taxes and government regulations of the government inhibit job growth.

He is pro life, and a supporter of our great Constitution in its purest form. I have campaigned for him and have met him personally. In my opinion, he is a man with impeccable character and integrity.

That being said, I formed my opinion about Phil Hare before I knew about Bobby Schilling. Phil Hare has followed the Socialists’ agenda right down the Democratic Party line. His statement that he “doesn’t care about the Constitution” was a glaring reflection of that fact. He has voted for Cap and Trade, the Health Care Bill, and all of the Stimulus bills – all of which are ideas that will bankrupt and have already proven failures for his economy.

He has voted in several occasions to allow federal funds (tax payer money) to be used for voluntary abortions both here and in foreign countries. And, he has voted for more control for our children’s education by the federal government.

His voting record has led to more taxes, more government regulations, has contributed greatly to nearly 10 percent jobless, has driven industry away from his area because of the government regulations, and has created a more dependent constituency.

Stop Phil Hare from promoting a Socialistic government in this country. Vote for Bobby Schilling, a refreshing, necessary, and welcome change.

Sincerely,

Sandra Whalen

Kewanee

Dear Editor,

Are you tired of government that spends more money than it takes in? Henry County carried a $776,000 deficit last fiscal year and just passed a $500,000 deficit budget for the next fiscal year.

Do you want a government that listens to you and cares about your concerns? The Henry County Board does not allow the public to comment until the end of their meeting, never at the beginning before they vote on spending our money.

Do you get paid mileage reimbursements to come to your workplace? I don’t, but the Henry County Board members do. Republican County Board member Karen Urick made a motion at the October Board meeting to require the reimbursements to County Board members be posted at least once a year on the county web site. All 16 Democrats, including my opponent Jim King, voted no on that simple form of transparency. If elected, I will not turn in mileage reimbursements to come to county meetings.

I have created a Baker’s Dozen of ideas and reforms to improve Henry County. They are posted on my web site at www.votezahm.com.

If you want a government that is accountable, transparent and conservative I would appreciate your vote and support on Nov. 2. The Democrats have had control of the Henry County Board for too long. Vote Republican and, together, let’s turn the county government around.

Jon A. Zahm

Osco

Republican nominee for Henry County Board District 2

Dear Editor:

I would like to address some recent comments and statements made by candidate Elizabeth Double in her bid to unseat 74th District State Rep. Don Moffitt.

She claims that she is not “in the back pocket of House Speaker Mike Madigan.” Does she honestly believe that it matters?

Madigan is a very seasoned politician and wields most, if not all, of the Democratic power in this state. The fact that Double got no money from the state party doesn’t give her the right to say that; it means that they are putting money where they feel that they – the Democrats – have a chance to win. In short; they have written off her race against Moffitt as unwinnable.

She states that, even though Rep. Moffitt has voted against the last eight budgets, he “is part of the problem.” I can only speak for myself, but the Illinois budget IS the problem. Don has voted against them. How then, is Don “part of that problem?”

Double wants to believe that Moffitt’s message is “Hey, don’t blame me. I didn’t vote for this.” Don has a record in the state legislature that many on both sides of the aisle admire and respect him for; one that has garnered him numerous awards and accolades and she wants to dismiss his hard work as “making excuses?” Many of us have nothing but a deep and abiding respect for the tireless work that he has championed for ALL of his constituents.

For Double to assert that Don is tied to ANY special interest group is ridiculous. I have known the man for many years and his vote CANNOT BE PURCHASED. She should be ashamed for thinking otherwise. As a former teacher, she should have studied Don’s voting record a little more closely and she would have discovered that Don is very pro-education, pro-agriculture, pro-seniors, pro-public safety, to name a few.

But, as I said earlier, the one comment that she has made that really took me aback was her comment about Don Moffitt’s work on behalf of public safety; specifically, rural fire protection. I am led to believe by her comments that she believes that rural fire protection is a “special interest group.” How narrow-minded and wrong she is, yet, she criticizes Don for having a focus that is “too narrow?” Were it not for Don’s efforts on behalf of the small fire departments in this state, many could not fulfill their missions to their fire districts.

It just so happens that I sat on the earliest committee with Don to create the much needed zero interest fire truck loan program here in Illinois. I took vacation time from work to attend the meetings in Springfield some years ago, because of its importance to every taxpayer in this great state. I can say with some certainty that the program has saved many fire departments several hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of dollars through this loan program, thereby allowing tax money to be used elsewhere.

With our newest truck that cost our district $300,000, the interest savings alone was $80,000 – more than 85 percent of one year’s budget for our fire district.

State Rep. Don Moffitt’s diverse portfolio of sponsored and co-sponsored house bills is a testament to his bi-partisan cooperation and respect among his peers. Candidate Double should not discount it as “narrow.”

Instead of running against him, she should be campaigning FOR him.

Sincerely,

Art Goodrich

Clover Township Fire Protection District Board President

Woodhull