The failure of the old, liberal media is never more apparent than how it habitually turns a blind eye to the rampant corruption in politics and government at all levels. The result of their “willful blindness” is a public that doesn’t realize that as President Ronald Reagan said in his first inaugural, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”
There are many governmental watchdog organizations but not all of them are good at garnering old “dead tree” media headlines. One relatively new organization that seems to know how to kick up enough dust to get attention is Adam Andrzejewski’s “For The Good of Illinois.”
No doubt most readers are not surprised that Illinois is a state where political corruption runs rampant at all levels — even in the heart of one of its most “Republican” counties, DuPage, just west of Chicago. Here is a recent report from “For the Good…”:
TUITION FREEZE AT COLLEGE OF DUPAGE
“This was an important action for our community.” — Kathy Hamilton | Vice Chairman, College of DuPage
Thanking the Board, Challenging them to do much more…Watch my Public Comment at College of DuPage (COD)
You’re cynical. I understand we live in Illinois. But, on Thursday night, 200 students, facility, and citizens picked up a big victory. The Board voted unanimously to freeze tuition for two years.
COD has $180 million in the bank. So in May, my public comment advocated three policies: 1. Freeze Property Taxes; 2. Freeze Tuition; 3. Bring the extra dollars into the classroom.
In June/July, we exposed and stopped a corrupt $20 million state construction grant being used to generate political support for Governor Quinn.
On Thursday night, the board adopted our two year tuition freeze policy- reversing a February decision to hike tuition.
Also on Thursday, Vice Chairman Kathy Hamilton spearheaded our policy to “open the books” on the millions of hidden “petty cash” payments- up to $30 million over 15 months! Vote: 7-0.
Many groups were in attendance on Thursday, including Marko Sukovic of the student led organization Turning Point USA, West Suburban Patriots, and the faculty association.
MORE REFORM NEEDED
1. Unfortunately, COD Board Chairman Erin Birt ran an awful meeting with many allegations of Open Meetings Act violations.
Watch how citizens strongly pushed back on the Chairman.
Read the IllinoisLeaks.com summation here.
2. Kirk Allen, founder of IllinoisLeaks.com exposed Chairman Erin Birt’s misrepresentations and hidden arrest record. Then, Birt refused to allow the powerpoint presentation during public comment despite allowing others.
Here’s the full expose- Chairman Birt doesn’t want you to see!
3. Laura Reigle from OpenTheBooks.com showed that the $550 million construction spending built more office space for executives than classrooms for students.
4. The Board retaliated against Vice Chairman Kathy Hamilton- who battled an additional $50,000,000 in construction spending – by issuing a censure.
Here’s an AG opinion that explains why there is no basis in the law for public censure in Illinois.
WHAT’S THE MATTER WITH COLLEGE OF DUPAGE?
After $550 million in construction, building more office space than classrooms; $500,000 in total comp for the president and $2.4 million for only nine executives; wine purchases for $200,000 with $500,000 losses at an upscale French restaurant; $27,000 in payments to the local shooting club; 9 weeks taxpayer paid Global satellite phones; a wine cellar…After minimal reform, but targeting the reform board member…
After extreme property tax hikes and tuition hikes during one of the greatest recessions of our lifetime…
Our research regarding College of DuPage continues to expand. Unfortunately, there’s a whole lot more coming.
For The Good of Illinois.
This type of effort requires funding — it’s an example that enlightened donors understand. Self-made millionaire Adam Andrzejewski gets it, and he puts his money where it makes an impact, unlike most political donors that seem clueless as to how to make an impact on the public mind.
