Comments on: Questions for candidates http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/ Fri, 18 May 2012 12:52:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Jessica T http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45771 Jessica T Mon, 09 Feb 2009 20:29:43 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45771 The importance of the sidewalk ordinance varies from street to street. I have seen people walking in the street on 31, Summit/58, Randall, and Big Timber. That is not safe. The urgency of having sidewalks shoveled on these streets (and HAVING sidewalks on these streets, period) is much more important than having sidewalks shoveled on a residential street in a cul de sac. I do not know if any municipalities have done sidewalk ordinances that only apply to certain roads or not. It could be determined by the average daily traffic. If you're road has an average daily traffic at or above X, you must shovel. The importance of the sidewalk ordinance varies from street to street. I have seen people walking in the street on 31, Summit/58, Randall, and Big Timber. That is not safe. The urgency of having sidewalks shoveled on these streets (and HAVING sidewalks on these streets, period) is much more important than having sidewalks shoveled on a residential street in a cul de sac.

I do not know if any municipalities have done sidewalk ordinances that only apply to certain roads or not. It could be determined by the average daily traffic. If you’re road has an average daily traffic at or above X, you must shovel.

]]> By: Paul http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45765 Paul Mon, 09 Feb 2009 18:05:53 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45765 I'll vote against ANY candidate wanting to require homeowners to shovel their sidewalks. Why? I walk all around Elgin in the winter and I don't walk on sidewalks, generally. Why? Even if sidewalks are shoveled, at the end of the block I still have to climb over a snow bank on the street. Why? In every block there is at least one sidewalk not shovelled. Why? The snow melts along a shovelled sidewalk, refreezes on the sidewalk and I fall on my ass. I don't have any of these problems when I walk in the street. I don't shovel my sidewalk. Why? Because all the snow from the street is pushed onto my sidewalk. I'm not shoveling that mess when EVERYONE can walk, unencumbered by snow or ice, 2 feet from my sidewalk. My neighbor does shovel his sidewalk. But then he parks his car in the street so the snow plow never gets close to his sidewalk! And incredibly enough the same neighbor sometimes parks other cars 4 to 5 feet from the curb because the snowplow left snow 4 - 5 feet away from the curb! There is already a city ordinance against parking 4 - 5 ft away from the curb. Uphold existing laws and maybe our streets could again allow 2 way traffic at the same time! On the other hand I would ask the city at least shovel the sidewalks on the bridges crossing the Fox River in downtown Elgin. I’ll vote against ANY candidate wanting to require homeowners to shovel their sidewalks.
Why? I walk all around Elgin in the winter and I don’t walk on sidewalks, generally.
Why? Even if sidewalks are shoveled, at the end of the block I still have to climb over a snow bank on the street.
Why? In every block there is at least one sidewalk not shovelled.
Why? The snow melts along a shovelled sidewalk, refreezes on the sidewalk and I fall on my ass.
I don’t have any of these problems when I walk in the street.
I don’t shovel my sidewalk. Why? Because all the snow from the street is pushed onto my sidewalk.
I’m not shoveling that mess when EVERYONE can walk, unencumbered by snow or ice, 2 feet from my sidewalk.
My neighbor does shovel his sidewalk. But then he parks his car in the street so the snow plow never gets close to his sidewalk! And incredibly enough the same neighbor sometimes parks other cars 4 to 5 feet from the curb because the snowplow left snow 4 - 5 feet away from the curb! There is already a city ordinance against parking 4 - 5 ft away from the curb. Uphold existing laws and maybe our streets could again allow 2 way traffic at the same time!
On the other hand I would ask the city at least shovel the sidewalks on the bridges crossing the Fox River in downtown Elgin.

]]> By: Jessica T. http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45761 Jessica T. Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:37:30 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45761 Great question Clarence. Many of our neighbors have sidewalk ordinances requiring property owners to shovel snow and I think that bit of information could be used to push Elgin in the same direction. I'm copying & pasting a list that I got from this site http://www.activetrans.org/blog/mkohara/snow-sidewalk Algonquin Chicago Cicero Countryside East Dundee Elmwood Park Evanston Grayslake Haover Park Palos Heights River Forest South Elgin Wheeling Great question Clarence. Many of our neighbors have sidewalk ordinances requiring property owners to shovel snow and I think that bit of information could be used to push Elgin in the same direction. I’m copying & pasting a list that I got from this site http://www.activetrans.org/blog/mkohara/snow-sidewalk

Algonquin

Chicago

Cicero

Countryside

East Dundee

Elmwood Park

Evanston

Grayslake

Haover Park

Palos Heights

River Forest

South Elgin

Wheeling

]]> By: Tom http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45753 Tom Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:58:24 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45753 Common Sense Clarence, I'm on board. We need to stick with one candidate so we don't split our vote. One candidate for the two year seat and one candidate for the four year seat. Common Sense Clarence, I’m on board. We need to stick with one candidate so we don’t split our vote. One candidate for the two year seat and one candidate for the four year seat.

]]> By: Clarence Hayward http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45750 Clarence Hayward Mon, 09 Feb 2009 01:08:32 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45750 The three incumbents running for councilman have been in office a total of 65 years. Part of the reason it is so easy for them to get reelected is because chances are the more challengers there are the more votes the incumbents can get because a voter will vote for the one challenger they are interested in and then because of name recognition they go for two incumbents to complete their ballot. A good strategy if a ballot is legal with just one vote for a four year councilman instead of the three allowed, is for all the challengers to advise their supporters to super power their vote by only voting for the challenger so there is no chance the incumbent will get the other two votes from the supporter. I have not gotten a response from the election office as to whether a vote is valid with only one vote for the four year councilman race. Do any of you know for sure if my ballot will be a valid ballot if I give it superpower and only vote for one challenger and no one else and advise other challenger's supporters to please consider doing the same? The three incumbents running for councilman have been in office a total of 65 years. Part of the reason it is so easy for them to get reelected is because chances are the more challengers there are the more votes the incumbents can get because a voter will vote for the one challenger they are interested in and then because of name recognition they go for two incumbents to complete their ballot.

A good strategy if a ballot is legal with just one vote for a four year councilman instead of the three allowed, is for all the challengers to advise their supporters to super power their vote by only voting for the challenger so there is no chance the incumbent will get the other two votes from the supporter. I have not gotten a response from the election office as to whether a vote is valid with only one vote for the four year councilman race.

Do any of you know for sure if my ballot will be a valid ballot if I give it superpower and only vote for one challenger and no one else and advise other challenger’s supporters to please consider doing the same?

]]> By: Clarence Hayward http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45749 Clarence Hayward Mon, 09 Feb 2009 00:59:30 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45749 Lyle and Big Timber border Century Oaks West Subdivision and within walking distance is the commuter train station as well as two banks, Popeye's Chicken etc along Big Timber. None of these merchants shovel their sidewalks of snow forcing commuters to walk in the street to the train station or to any of the businesses. Would you support an ordinance requiring merchants in the city to shovel the sidewalk next to their business and fines high enough to provide for the city to shovel if the business won't? Lyle and Big Timber border Century Oaks West Subdivision and within walking distance is the commuter train station as well as two banks, Popeye’s Chicken etc along Big Timber. None of these merchants shovel their sidewalks of snow forcing commuters to walk in the street to the train station or to any of the businesses.

Would you support an ordinance requiring merchants in the city to shovel the sidewalk next to their business and fines high enough to provide for the city to shovel if the business won’t?

]]> By: Jessica T. http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45727 Jessica T. Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:35:46 +0000 http://elginite.org/blog/2009/02/07/questions-for-candidates/#comment-45727 How many people die in Elgin per year from car crashes? How does this number compare to violent deaths, which usually receive more attention? What is being done to prevent the number of Elgin deaths from car crashes? More people turn to alternative forms of transportation in hard economic times. What is being done to make Pace a viable option, even for car owners? Would you be open to promoting a car sharing program in Elgin? Would you be open to promoting a bike sharing program in Elgin? Do you support bus rapid transit on Randall Road? One new subdivision west of Randall is building in a traditional urban style--on a grid system with alleys behind houses. This could greatly help with future public works problems we currently have in other parts of Elgin. Do you propose pushing for this type of development in other to-be-developed areas west of Randall? Do you believe the odd/even parking ban is the most appropriate solution to public works problems? In Chicago there are many streets that have a ban on each side of the street just one day per week. This would greatly reduce the burden the parking ban puts on residents. Would you consider it? Elgin is pushing for mandatory deconversions of multi-unit houses that do not provide off-street parking for each unit. Couldn't this lead to more foreclosures if the homeowners cannot afford to either add off-street parking or lose the income from rents? Should that really be a priority in these economic times? And what about the deconversion grants, even if the deconversion is optional? Is it really a good use of taxpayer money to convert a multi-unit house into a single family or 2-unit building? Wouldn't the money be better used to go toward homes that are not up to code, with costs that are pushing owners into foreclosure? How many people die in Elgin per year from car crashes? How does this number compare to violent deaths, which usually receive more attention? What is being done to prevent the number of Elgin deaths from car crashes?

More people turn to alternative forms of transportation in hard economic times. What is being done to make Pace a viable option, even for car owners? Would you be open to promoting a car sharing program in Elgin? Would you be open to promoting a bike sharing program in Elgin? Do you support bus rapid transit on Randall Road?

One new subdivision west of Randall is building in a traditional urban style–on a grid system with alleys behind houses. This could greatly help with future public works problems we currently have in other parts of Elgin. Do you propose pushing for this type of development in other to-be-developed areas west of Randall?

Do you believe the odd/even parking ban is the most appropriate solution to public works problems? In Chicago there are many streets that have a ban on each side of the street just one day per week. This would greatly reduce the burden the parking ban puts on residents. Would you consider it?

Elgin is pushing for mandatory deconversions of multi-unit houses that do not provide off-street parking for each unit. Couldn’t this lead to more foreclosures if the homeowners cannot afford to either add off-street parking or lose the income from rents? Should that really be a priority in these economic times? And what about the deconversion grants, even if the deconversion is optional? Is it really a good use of taxpayer money to convert a multi-unit house into a single family or 2-unit building? Wouldn’t the money be better used to go toward homes that are not up to code, with costs that are pushing owners into foreclosure?

]]>