From yesterday's News-Gazette:
Under the approved agreement, most residential property will not be annexed for 25 years. But all new developments will have to annex into the MTD district once they are annexed into the village and become contiguous with the MTD boundary.
"We're throwing them under the bus," Dykstra said. Even if those individuals know about the tax, Dykstra said, they will not want to pay it. She said now that the agreement has been passed, she hopes to see the village watch over the MTD and challenge the district to prove its services are being used.
Trustee Bill Smith said he had some concerns about the MTD and asked about having a representative work closely with the transit board.
"I'm disappointed because we as a village had the unique opportunity to make MTD accountable in a variety of ways," Dykstra said. "I think we've missed it."
Discuss.
Joan is correct Savoy did miss an opportunity to make the MTD accountable. It is very disappointing since no others are on the horizon. Most of the voters and their elected representatives either cannot see this dangerous 'wolf in sheep's clothing' or are admirers of this government agency's ability to get tax dollars without local accountability.
Now I fear with Savoy taken in, the MTD with the blessing of both Champaign and Urbana governments and Champaign's financial/legal backing will probably concentrate on crushing the newly formed Champaign Southwest Mass Transit District.
"Joan is correct Savoy did miss an opportunity to make the MTD accountable."
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Problem is, that shouldn't have been Savoy's job to do. The MTD should be accountable to the County Board. But, since the County Board is such a sad, pathetic joke in itself, Volk and Company can continue to do what they do best, without having to answer to anyone.
It's easy to sit back and criticize, but if Dykstra was the lone voter against the agreement, that makes her, by definition, the minority. We can only assume that the others, the majority, see something good, and Dykstra cannot see it.
Now will Dykstra have the good grace to accept the majority rule and work together, or will she become a shrill, marginalized minority-of-one?
It would be nice if people could be in the minority and not be called shrill and marginalized. That's exactly what the majority wants. Kinda like blacks who don't know their place, right?
Under the approved agreement, most residential property will not be annexed for 25 years.
I assume that means that a lot of business property will be annexed soon?
Problem is, that shouldn't have been Savoy's job to do. The MTD should be accountable to the County Board.
If you are a taxpayer, it's you're job to keep every taxing body accountable. It's up to us to keep track of the Champaign City Council, the Urbana Council, etc. As the N-G said in that article, if bureacrats think they have no one looking over their shoulders, spending happens.
It's easy to sit back and criticize,...
Good point. Take your own advice. Dykstra had many good points about accountability. You want to criticize her but many, many people in this community are concerned with the same issues.
LV said "Most of the voters and their elected representatives either cannot see this dangerous 'wolf in sheep's clothing' or are admirers of this government agency's ability to get tax dollars without local accountability. "
Anf said "The MTD should be accountable to the County Board. But, since the County Board is such a sad, pathetic joke in itself, Volk and Company can continue to do what they do best, without having to answer to anyone."
Anon 10:14 added "If you are a taxpayer, it's you're job to keep every taxing body accountable. "
AMEN, AMEN, AMEN
If everyone in elected office sat back and went along with the program and the bureaucrats, we'd be in bad/worse shape. That's the easy way, the get-along to go-along way. That's a lot of what this whole MTD issue has been about; the minority speaking out against the 800 lb. gorilla in the room with way too much federal, state, and local tax money.
I heard Tom Costello be the spokesman (again) for the latest issue. Why on earth doesn't the director, the head of the MTD ever speak for MTD? Why is it the 2nd banana?
I think there was some agreement that Costello would speak because what Volk had to say, or how in said it, provoked a lot of controversy.
And he gets paid HOW much to not do his job?
Enough to collect penny scales per Bob Swisher's column on Saturday.
CD, is complaining all you can do? Now you complain about some guy's hobby?
Don't you have a life? Why don't you go collect rubber bands, or lint balls, or something else to keep you busy.
Anonymous--it's not a complaint--arent' you being too thin-skinned?
Comments about that Swisher article. Very interesting. "I spent some time last week in the VERY comfortable office of the managing director of the CU-MTD." So I've heard. They have great digs over there. "Where do you find happiness?" (the penny scale asks) Answer: In Bill Volk's golden parachute retirement, of course.
Anon 08:20 has a point. If this agreement is such a raw deal for Savoy, why did the Village Board support it 5-1? Either the MTD enjoys more support among Savoy voters than most of the posters here give them credit for, or some Trustees have got some 'splaining to do!
I thought it was awful that Mr Volk would have a comfortable office. He should have to wear a hair shirt and sit on nails. Everyone knows if you work in the public sector you should suffer. That way we can make sure that we have the worst possible employees and then we would have real reasons to complain about public services. It is really annoying to have to complain about a transit district that is well run, that the community likes a lot by large margins, and that wins awards for efficiency.
I think Mr. Volk must have supernatural powers and he somehow took control of the 5 members of the Savoy Village Board who voted for the annexation. How else can you explain it? Undoubtedly Joan of Arc from Savoy is correct in her righteous indignation. Maybe God will zap the MTD with a bolt of lightening.
anon 5:47
Diversin, diversion, diversion. MTD is beyond reproach and no questioning of how they spend taxpayer's money. If nothing else in this long debate, we got that much.
How do you know Volk spent taxpayer money on the chairs? Did it say so in the article?
Because you want to bash Volk WITHOUT ANY shred of evidence. None. You make it up. A comfortable chair for a visitor? Execute Volk, skip the trial, we know he is guilty. Guilty of having a comfortable chair for a visitor. You can't stick to the issues, it's personal, Volk having a nice chair for a visitor makes him an obvious thief, or more, the Devil incarnate. Stick to the issues: is the MTD being run well (imo, yes)? Is the MTD properly planning growth (imo, no).
When people (Champaign Dweller, reality chick) stoop so low as to bash someone for his furniture, you've jumped the shark. You have no credibility left, you just spent the last of it. Stephen Kaufman has more class.
Whoa partner, who said anything about a comfortable chair? Take a deep breath.
Let's do talk about his salary and retirement package.
I think that there's no question that the MTD has very comfortable offices at their main office. I have no idea if the taxpayers bought the furniture--I'm assuming that at least some of it was purchased with tax money. That's water under the bridge, but the MTD, as other taxing bodies, can't spend large sums of money on stuff like that and then turn around and complain that they need more tax dollars; and I do expect them to have serviceable offices, just not princely offices.
Where on the continuum should the MTD offices be? As nice as Public Works, but not as nice as the Mayor's? Almost as nice as the School Superintendent, but not as nice as the Associate Chancellor? Better than the fire cheif, and just the same as the police cheif?
All those entities ask for increased tax money, one way or rhe other.
What's your formula? Just what is "princely"? Leather? Vinyl, but more of it?
Hardwood desk, mahogany or oak, or pine or laminated pressboard if it's a really big desk?
Maybe before they get another tax increase we should make the MTD hae a used furniture sale.
Very very silly, "princely offices".
Hey, if you don't mind MTD spending their money like this, O.K., but I and other taxpayers do--we'll just have to agree to disagree.
Let's do talk about his salary and retirement package.
How about it MTD folks?
Let's do talk about his salary and retirement package.
How about it MTD folks?
The silence is deafing!!!!!
On February 25th, 2008 at 11:05 AM, Oil Man said:
Let's do talk about his salary and retirement package.
How about it MTD folks?
The silence is deafing!!!!!
This is one time I think anonymity is a good thing on here, MTD people are reluctant to say any thing about Volk and His bunch, And the only one you EVER hear is Costello The "Ed McMann" of the MTD, You could tell Him his house was on fire and he would break out laughing. when He is on WDWS "Giving Away free bus shelters" Doing his pitiful trivia stichk for idiots! Hey Tom they ain't free!!! The taxpayers are paying for that!! Why does the MTD advertise at all?? they have a virtual monopoly!!!!!
"Why does the MTD advertise at all?? they have a virtual monopoly!!!!!"
It justifies their need to gather property tax but more importantly as suggested by one of their consultants it sweetens their image by promoting "good feelings" for the locals through small contributions tax $'s to other local 'non-profits' who do not have a virtual monopoly.