Carpentersville To Receive $400,000 To Combat Gangs
Posted by Bill Sarto on March 11, 2009
Batavia – Today we were notified by Congressman Bill Foster’s District Office that Carpentersville will receive $400,000 to help fund our Community Response Team. This is our gang crime unit that we have been trying for the past few years to get additional funding.
This money will come in handy. It will most likely help us hire additional police officers and equipment to help combat gang crime in Carpentersville. This additional money will be helpful.
This money is part of the Omnibus bill that was recently passed and was signed by President Barack Obama.
For those who think that ear marks are all “pork” projects, I would say to them that this money was an ear mark. I would challenge anyone to call this “pork”. Helping to make our community safer is not pork.
Once again this is money we need and it will be put to very good use. This will benefit the entire region not only Carpentersville.
Just as a recap. In the past week we have realized $814,000.00 in funding from both the Kane County Community Block Grant program and now the Federal Government in an ear mark.
Stay tuned ~ more money is on it’s way to our Village.
Dave Reece said
“PORK”? Are you saying there is someone that is a Village employee, actually is in opposition to Carpentersville receiving $400,000 to combat Gang crime? Has this person been living under a rock?
Please don’t tell me it is someone in the Police Department, because if it is, well that person should be fired, now. The audacity of someone who is an employee in a Town with a well know Gang problem, placing his b.s. partisan politics before what is best for the community.
Ken Elsey said
I am so glad to hear we are getting some “pork” after receiving little or no “beans” in the past. Also glad that Route 25 from 90 to 72 will be getting long overdue work done. I hope this doesn’t upset those in the area that would claim this kind of work to be frivolous and would not bring anything to our community. Maybe this will show the management of our “Mall”(sic) that it takes investment into our infrastructure and also aesthetic refacing of buildings as well as refitting of existing businesses inside and out to draw more commercial and retail. So another reminder to myself as well as all my friends and neighbors, lets go Carpentersville, we can do it.
carpentersville2 said
Ken Elsey,
Thanks anyway, but you live in Chicago. We don’t need any Sarto Cheerleading here from outsiders.
Bill Sarto said
Carpentersville2–
Once again you are wrong. Ken Elsey lives here in Carpentersville. If you are going by Facebook, well you will notice, that most every local person is listed as from Chicago.
I find it odd that you have no problem with those who come to Carpentersville’s meetings from Harvard, IL and other places like Elgin and Des Plaines. When they support your candidates. These outsiders have caused our meetings to be disruptive and you find that to be just fine?
Is that the kind of “respect” that my two opponents keep mentioning. Neither Trustee Ritter or for that matter Mr. Krenz have said anything about the outsiders who have come to our Village to cause trouble. They seem to prefer to blame that on me.
That’s why neither Ritter nor Krenz can lead this Village. They miss the point way too often. They just don’t want to admit the real problem with our community is coming from the majority on the Village board.
Krenz, by his silence is condoning what has taken place. That’s not leadership. That’s the same type of “leadership style” that Ritter is talking about. Ignoring problems is not going to make them go away.
That’s what too many before had done. They ignored the problems and the problems only got worse. Today we are facing our problems and we are making headway. Good things are getting done, in spite of the majority on the board.
Ken Elsey said
Thanks Bill, yes I live in Carpentersville. Probably closer than anyone else that participates in this blog. I live less than a block away from city hall. Have lived here since 2003, and lived here before from 1992-2000. Oh, by the way, I have been to Chicago like six times in the time I have lived in this area. I don’t really like the big impersonal cities.
Dave Reece said
Carpentersville 2 doesn’t care about Carpentersville, never has and never will. It is obvious that he and the rest of the crackpot group of outsiders and “haters”, are hell bent on destroying Carpentersville. It is people like Dennis Carr, Frank Stonehead, Dick Grass, Judy Sigwalt, Paul Humpfer, Kay Teeter, Ed Ritter, Pat Schultz and Frank Scarpelli, that are responsible for Carpentersville’s bad image.
Mike K said
“It will most likely help us hire additional police officers and equipment to help combat gang crime in Carpentersville. This additional money will be helpful.”
When we hire these additional police officers, will they be made aware of their temporary employment? I mean, when the 400,000 is gone, who will continue to pay for their salaries?
Mike K said
I should add, I am all for combating the gang problem, but lets do it in a fiscally responsible way…
Bill Sarto said
Mike K-
Are you suggesting we turn our noses up at this revenue for our Village to help us fight gang crime?
Would that be responsible?
Even if this means we hire a couple more officers for a couple of years that would be a help and who knows where we will be financially at that time. It may be possible to keep those officers employed. Any new equipment will certainly help our efforts for a long time. So, why take such a negative attitude toward this money? I really don’t understand your thinking on this.
Our budget changes from year to year. If we can add $400,000 to our gang prevention program NOW that is a very good thing for our Village.
We should welcome any and all help we can get.
Bill Sarto said
Mike K-
Was that an April Fools Joke?
Mike K said
Sorry Mr Sarto,
It’s not an April fools joke. Secondly, my response is not about the gang problem. We all know there is a gang problem that needs to be addressed. Unfortunately as the mayor you are not afforded the luxury of unlimited resources to spend on village projects, needed or otherwise. So when we start speaking about hiring more employees, ones that will eventually be paid from my taxes, and ones who’s pension will also be paid from my taxes while I continue to see my retirement dwindle, I pay attention.
I don’t mind accepting federal funds to help us out. The problem I have is when we, or any municipality I fall under, says that new jobs were made with temporary funds. There are many water department projects which seek federal funding as well. Each of those have a #jobs listed along with them as well. I do not know if that number represents jobs created (Government), workers hired (Sub contractor), or jobs saved (Government). In two of the above three choices I, the taxpayer, will eventually burden more than the initial cost.
So before we hire more people with the hopes that we will have additional revenue to maintain their employment after the Government funds run out, make sure that you have exhausted all other possibilities. Hiring someone who is destine to lose their employment in the future without making them aware of the circumstance is unfair to the employee as well as those who may be called on to pay for their services and retirements.
So no I am not “suggesting we turn our noses up at this revenue for our Village to help us fight gang crime?”
That truly would not be responsible.
However, neither is making permanent jobs with temporary funds…
I hope this helps you understand not only my thinking on this, but the opinions of many of my neighbors…
Bill Sarto said
Mike K-
I appologize for taking so long to respond. But, I’ve been busy lately.
Let me address your concerns about this money being temporary. Yes, federal money is typically temporary funding.
If we use this money to hire a couple of officers that will be dedicated to helping combat “gang crime” that could be what makes the difference to attract new business to Carpentersville. Or, that added police presence may be what it will take to cause our residents to feel safer shopping at our existing businesses. These two things could bring in enough added revenue on a regular basis that we can keep the additional officers (hired with the $400,000).
We as a Village requested this money. It wasn’t just some unexpected gift given to us by Congressman Bill Foster. It’s money we’ve sought for the past few years.
These funds are given to communities to help them improve their situation. In doing so they can add a permanent revenue stream that I mentioned earlier. That’s the goal.
I disagree with your take on this money. If put to good use this money should be a significant help in fighing gang crime in our Village.
By the way, I just sent letters of support to both of our United State’s Senators and our Congressman for any assistance they can provide to help us get an additional $912,000 to add 3 more full time police officers for three years. Our police department made this request through a grant application. If we are successful in getting this additional funding that would also help us a great deal. These are the type of things that do help a community get over the hump and become better.
Centurion said
The way I see it is that the Village either needs the help or it doesn’t. The economy is taking a toll on revenue opportunities and most communities, even though they need an adequate work force, have to lay some workers off in times when they should be adding to staff due to citizen needs. With help to get the number of police we need, it is absolutely essential that we utilize this funding for now and deal with the future when it comes.
As the economy improves, due to the stimulus money that puts more people to work, we will see revenues improve to take care of needs for the future. And, as crime/gang violence is brought under control, as you pointed out Mr. Sarto, it will open up the opportunities to grow the community and give people the confidence to shop in the Village increasing revenue from sales taxes. Those that fight the use of the stimulus money or any funding that might be short term are just short sighted and out of touch with reality. They might be listening to FOX News and are really just confused about what is going on in this country and in our community in particular.
We have the economic crisis we have today because the average people have seen a decrease in their earnings and are out of money and out of work. how do we get things turned around if we just sit back and wait for the wealthy to dribble some of their excess funds down to us. Sorry, that has never worked and has been responsible for 6 recessions since 1982…. And, we seem too dumb to understand that it is just stupidity or insanity to think if we keep doing it, it will finally work….It only works for those that are wealthy and get wealthier from the upside-down programs we keep getting under the GOP.