AFLA candidates forum
I had thought I would get through this winter without a cold, but last week it started and yesterday it reached the point where I couldn’t talk. Maybe Bob Gilliam had a similar problem. They said he didn’t attend the AFLA forum either.
From the Courier:
Nine candidates comprised Monday night’s panel, including incumbents Juan Figueroa and John Walters, and challengers Shane Nowak, Linda Quezada, Lenora Scruggs, John Prigge, Bruce Trego, Brenda Harris Kahn and Richard G, Dunne.
Absent from the event was Elgin City Council member Robert Gilliam, who was not able to attend due to illness.
Unlike the last forum, where a more diverse range of issues were discussed, questions asked by moderator and AFLA co-founder David White focused more on the issue of illegal immigration.
Candidates were asked whether they would be in favor of tougher enforcement measures, such as requiring companies who do work for the city to use the federal government’s Web-based E-Verify system to screen the Social Security numbers of their employees to verify their work status.
Responses among the candidates were for the most part in favor of imposing requirements on employers. A notable exception was that of Trego, who described the use of such measures as “divisive.”
“I would fight such a measure. It’s too divisive,” he said. “This isn’t Germany 1939, it’s America 2009.”
Neither the Courier story nor the Herald story includes a lot of details, so if you were there, how about filling us in on the details? For example, who said they wouldn’t take SEIU money?
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Good Evening all, the question of E-verify last night was not taken clearly by most candidates, especially, Walters! Companies contracting with the city could and should allow the city to do monthly audits. Most took this issue as the ENTIRE WORK FORCE, the city can easily check 15 to 25 names per month from varius companies whether large or small. This would not take much time, nor would we need to hire someone to take on this great tasc, as Walters put it! Walters really goofed up the last question in regards to the downtown area gaining momentum with more business and restaurants. Did all of you hear the boooos in the crowd! There was some waffeling again last night with some of the candidates on illegal immigration and other matters, where one thing would be said, then it would be repeated with a diffrent meaning! Waffeling as a candidate means it will carry over to a council person! I am the only two year candidate with a legal and practical plan of action to manage, not solve, illegal immigration. My website spells out plans for clear action on this to make it less desireable for illegals to come here to Elgin. Mike Warren calls this process a WITCH HUNT! and is persuaded by long standing ties with the present administration. Warren also states the city of Elgin is not in the practice of GUARDING OUR BORDERS! and that congress must address this issue. But as a council person he will give you safe neighborhoods. Warren goes on to say we can not persecute one segment of our city. How about all of the residents that are persecuted by the injustices of illegals in the city he wants to represent? Emi Morales states we are limited until the FEDS implement reform and that we can not let this issue devide us. And we must be carefull not to violate anyones protections! How about citizens being violated. Then she states however, that she will work with ice and the sheriffs to keep our community safe? Emi’s heart and soul are with Lulac and Soap, she will not combat illegals. Brenda Rodgers states it is a Federal issue. Brenda had her chance once, and did not come through!
Correct me if I am wrong, but is Emi Morales an active member of lulac? I heard she was or is secretary of the Elgin branch. Lulac actively supports illegal immigrants. Is that not against the law? Aiding and abetting a person or persons not legally in this country. So Emi Morales belongs to a group that overtly breaks our laws, and maybe breaks them herself, and wants law abiding citizens to vote for her. God help Elgin if we continue to put in power people that have the interest of only their heritage.
It is pretty certain that she is involved in that way with LULAC.
Did John Walters really say he hasn’t taken money from the SEIU????
What about the $2,869???
Tom, I’m guessing he meant in this election cycle.
MIKEY ROBBINS ATTACKING THE CANDIDATES? just same old politics from Mike Robins… did your twin Doug Heaton write that post for you?
I couldn’t believe my ears at the AFLA forum when Bruce Trego said we need more affordable housing in Elgin. Does this guy live under a rock? We have the lowest house values in the northwest suburbs. If this guy gets elected, it’s time to move!
Do not miss any forums! Mr. Trego is a sideshow worthy of admission.
please use spell check Mr. Robins.
varius-various
tasc-task
devide-divide
carefull-careful
please, we need a candidate that can at least spell.
He should spell correctly and you should remember to capitalize the first letter in every sentence you write.
Just to be correct, you know.
Mr. Trego obviously made quite an impression at the forum. I can’t find any website for his candidacy. Does anybody know anything about this guy?
As best as I can determine from some googling, he’s about 63 years old and was Director of Development for South Barrington until 1999 when he was fired. He became Director of Community Development for Naperville shortly thereafter but was released from that position in December 2000. In April 2001 he was arrested on a trespassing charge in connection with his Naperville dismissal and media reports have him still under that charge in September 2001. He seems also to have been a member of Elgin’s planning and development commission and perhaps Streator’s interim city manager.
“Dance cut short: Police said several skirmashes among groups of students attending a school dance Friday evening at Larkin High School caused them to put an early end to the event. Police said three fights broke out, including one that was described as a gang-related dispute…” Courier News, March 3, 2009.
Someone at the forum should have asked John Walters, Larkin Class of 1969 I believe, to express his pride in pursuing policies that have transformed an outstanding American high school into a gang-ridden mess whose failures were acknowledged with the recent dismissal of its administration. Perhaps, though, his classmates will give him a little time to boast of his achievement when they return for their 40th reunion and find their school in this condition. And who says John Walters has done nothing in his years on the Council except take SIEU money?
boxcar- I am not running for City Council, Mikey Robbins is. I expect those who are to have proper grammar and know how to spell.
I agree. I also think even basic English rules should be used when criticizing those who have poor spelling habits.
Fine, if Mr. Robins is elected we can all chip in and get him a copy of Strunk & White and a paperback American Heritage Dictionary. OK?
Boy, this election is turning on substantive issues. No wonder what’s left of the media and journalism in the Fox Valley is giving it such superficial coverage.
I just found my way to this site. It’s good to see that Mr. Robins is still talking. I wonder if he ever shuts up. Or maybe it’s just me adding to the virulence of this little discussion. Anyway, I don’t like him so I won’t vote for him.
There are other better ones out there. I like Rich Dunne. He has an excellent resume and beneficial experience beyond that of his challengers. To me he represents a good way to break up the “yes men” Schock majority we currently have sinking our ship.
Robins is not running against Dunne.
Robins is the ONLY candidate in his race that will work to deal with Elgin’s runaway illegal alien population. He’s adopted the very sensible agenda of 4 yr. candidate John Prigge on illegals and that’s an asset.
Rodgers says Elgin’s illegals are only a Federal issue.
Warren says dealing with Elgin’s illegals is a witch hunt, or whatever Schock tells him to say.
Morales is sworn to NOT do anything abouot illegals from LULAC. She’s also on record saying just being illegal in Elgin is not a problem. Of course, Emi.
In Robins’ race, it’s all about being for or against illegal aliens continuing to ruin Elgin.
Walters sounded like the tired old incumbent he is. This won’t work, that won’t work. This is as good as it gets because I helped create it.
Trego is holding down the far left. Nowak the far right.
Figueroa has changed careers from mortgage broker to substitute teacher (Dist 300). I suppose we need plenty of those.
It was a forum with more hardball questions.
The question I liked best was about illegal aliens and the oath of office. Figueroa and Walters both said it isn’t a violation of the oath to accept the presence of illegal aliens. Trego too. The rest had more sense and said people shouldn’t sit on the council unless they uphold ALL the laws.
Hello, I have added more information to my website on illegals and the charity section. Thing are picking up steam, received 53 emails off the site for yard signs! There were no requests before the primary.
Residents and voters, I am still getting a vast majority of you that continue to bring up illegals, even when I first meet you and start talking of other issues! I was purchasing two tires last week. I arrived at the tire store at 7:30 to wait until they opened at 8:00am. Four men arrived shortly after me and we all started talking without them knowing who I was. When I brought up my name with Elgin and the council seat, three of them right away started to complain about the illegals! I then asked do you know my position and they all did not, so I told them. Of course what came next was more facts they felt were relavant for action, and that something has to be done about it! I advised them that they need to first check my website. They were all registered to vote. Then I asked them to call and email everyone they know and get out the vote. The reason I explained to the four of them before the business opened, is that, if people do not get out and vote me in on this issue! There will be nothing I can do for them and they will continue to live with what their complaining about. They all agreed and we went in to buy our tires!
Ladies and Gents, we must get the word out on this issue. So many of you are bringing it up to me and feel very strongly about it! Some of you get angry talking about illegals and Elgin, especially if you lived here all your life or your family. We need to continue to spread the word that Robins is the only two year candidate that will follow his plan. I would like to get to work on this for you, keep me off the sidelines. Check the list of Not-For-Profits also, Thankyou.
http://www.robinsforelgincitycouncil.com
I still cannot believe that Mike Robins is the ONLY candidate in his race who thinks illegals are a problem in Elgin. Can Elgin voters be THAT out of touch? Can they NOT see what illegals have done to this community?
I saw it today when I saw bus load after bus load of kids get dropped off at a middle school today. I could not help but wonder where do ALL of these kids live????
I actually met with Mike Robins at a neighborhood group meeting last night. I like him. Mike is about more than just illegal aliens or as Emi calls them “undocumented citizens” (can you be a citizen if you didn’t go through the citizenship process?) But, Emi wants to sit on City Counsil and she can’t figure out the definition of an American Citizen. RED FLAG PEOPLE.
I also met John Prigge, I like him as much as Mike — I am confident he can do a good job and his heart is in the right place.
The residents of Elgin should be tired of the incompetence that we consistently see from Gilliam and Walters. H e l l o — it is starting to look like those good old boys are the smart ones and all the residents of Elgin are the idiots, because we keep electing them. They have no idea how to proceed with things in such a way that it is beneficial for all residents (i.e., downtown mess, the rec center, etc.)
I’m tired of Gilliam’s ego trips too! He sits on a board of directors for a not-for-profit, has major decision making authority for the not-for-profit and that organization is in the process of having some of their holdings foreclosed upon. Ironically, the mission statement of the not-for-profit is to provide affordable housing for residents in the mod to low income bracket. NICE JOB GILLIAM!
Is Gilliam really the man we should trust with $ coming from HUD to help with Elgin’s foreclosure problem (not unless you just want to hand it over to Gilliam to clean up the mess he has created in his own not-for-profit’s organization AND DON’T THINK IT WON’T HAPPEN!) ANOTHER RED FLAG.
I will save my comments for Walters and some of his inappropriate personal traits that have gone on within his own office. IT WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT — I PROMISE.
WAKE UP PEOPLE