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4-30-08 David Stanczak FORUM
04/30/2008 09:11:33
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ALDERMANIC CHEERS AND JEERS
April 30, 2008
Dedicated, responsible public officials seldom get the credit they deserve. Either it’s never given at all, or it gets lost in the midst of the abundant news of all the bad stuff that is going on. Consequently, when I see officials who deserve a pat on the back, I like to give it. Thus it was that in my last Forum, I noted the efficiency of the City of Bloomington Township. This time, I want to focus on some Bloomington aldermen.
The U.S. Cellular Coliseum has been contentious ever since it was first proposed both among citizens and within the Bloomington City Council. Two Bloomington aldermen prominent in their opposition to the coliseum were Jim Finnegan and Karen Schmidt. However, both Finnegan and Schmidt have purchased club seats at the coliseum at an annual cost of $1,500 and $750 respectively. Their votes and actions may seem inconsistent, but in reality, they demonstrate their laudable ability to separate civic-mindedness from politics. Politically both opposed the project, but once it was built, their loyalty to the city prompted them to support it once it was up and running. Unlike some people who have voiced their displeasure with the coliseum by announcing their principled non-support of it, Finnegan and Schmidt demonstrated maturity and responsibility in their desire to see it succeed even if they thought it was a bad idea. Finnegan and Schmidt are not the only city council members who have ever bought club seats or patronized the coliseum; but they are the only ones who have financially supported it from the outset after opposing it politically.
At least one former alderman, who shall remain nameless, is boycotting the coliseum after committing city funds to its construction because of his unhappiness over the failure to get a commitment to pay a “living wage” to all coliseum employees. His loyalties were obviously elsewhere than with the city he had been elected to represent. I prefer to focus, however, on those aldermen who have concretely demonstrated that their priorities are correct. Well done, Jim and Karen-and thanks!
This is David Stanczak on WJBC’s Forum.
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