The editorial "Ryan's carte blanche" (Aug. 4) reveals a disturbinglack of knowledge about the legislative process and the way the newIllinois FIRST program has been set up.
The list of projects that you crave can be found in theappropriations legislation that was debated and passed by the GeneralAssembly in May and enacted with my signature in June. Also,transportation projects were itemized in the Department ofTransportation's capital plan for highways and airports.
The Legislature has yet to appropriate a large share of IllinoisFIRST money, recognizing that it is a five-year program. It isimpossible to say what projects will be funded in 2001, 2002 or 2003.It would be irresponsible of the General Assembly to appropriatefunds several years in advance. The annual review of the budget andspending priorities is vital to public accountability, and thatscrutiny is welcome.
What I find most disturbing is the Sun-Times' lack ofunderstanding of how spending projects found their way into IllinoisFIRST. The legislation was the result of lengthy negotiations withthe General Assembly that included input from every legislator.
For instance, Sen. Kathleen Parker (R-Northfield), Rep. JeffreySchoenberg (D-Wilmette) and Rep. Elizabeth Coulson (R-Glenview) allhad a hand in sponsoring the appropriation for the Kohl Children'sMuseum.
I am glad the Sun-Times believes a state appropriation to assistin the expansion of the Kohl Museum "may be a good idea." TheGeneral Assembly believed the project worthy of state funding.
In addition, you alluded to a "revelation" about $100 million instate funding for a proposed renovation of Soldier Field. Yourconclusion in your editorial indicated that if this mysteriousfunding would go to Soldier Field, it would be done withoutlegislative debate. To suggest that any public appropriation of thatsize would be released without the approval of the General Assemblyis ludicrous.
Illinois FIRST is full of projects that "may be good ideas" - ormay not be good ideas. For instance, there's a $10 millionappropriation to help rehabilitate the Pullman historic site - aproject that is still in the early planning stages. There are nodefinitive plans yet for spending that money. As plans becomeavailable, I'm sure the General Assembly will have a say - as I will- on the validity and the merits of the appropriation before $10million in public money is released.
The point, however, is that every project identified in thelegislation was a proposal from legislators representing their viewof the needs of their districts. I do not agree with the priority ofevery project, but the system requires the Legislature to appropriatethe money. My responsibility is to ensure that the projects arelegitimate and that the money is being spent as the Legislatureintended.
Is Illinois FIRST "carte blanche," as you suggest? No. IllinoisFIRST will continue to face the same public and legislative scrutiny- misguided or not - that accompanies all state spending. Youreditorial proves that point. George H. Ryan, governor of IllinoisLife with the gauche
Today when people go to worship, they dress as if they are goingto a rummage sale. Why do religious leaders allow it?
I understand that there are some unfortunate people who can'tafford to dress the way they would like, and this letter is not forthem. Churches, synagogues, mosques - these are our creator'shouses. Can't we dress our best for our creator?
The social problems we have today may have been created throughthe way we dress. It is not easy to respect someone dressed like abum. People like that do not exude confidence. If they don't careabout their self-image, then maybe they don't care about me as acustomer or the type of service they render.
The one thing that stands out about Europeans is the way theydress. They take pride in their dress, and it shows. In Europe,whether they are going to a nightclub or the supermarket, the womendress their best. The next time you're in a nightclub, take a lookaround - you can't tell the porters from the patrons. Robert Wheat,Westchester Metra's mea culpa
In response to Rodney Perry's letter (Aug. 9) regardingcommunication during the July 30 Electric District power disruption,I offer Metra's apologies to Perry and to anyone whose delayed triphome was worsened by confusion about which trains were stopping atwhich stations. Once we started running trains after a 40-minuteloss of the current that powers the trains, the crews on the firsttrains to depart Randolph Street station were not fully informed ofan altered plan for outlying station stops.
That was corrected, but not soon enough to prevent extra problems.The communication failure already has been the subject of an internalreview. Again, our apologies to all concerned. Frank Malone, mediarelations director, Metra Give us a break
I wish the Democrats would stop whining about the proposed $792billion tax cut. We taxpayers desperately need tax relief, too, butthe plan is phased out over 10 years. Five years would be better,but we'll take it.
The Democrats want to increase spending for more bloatedbureaucratic programs, while saving Social Security and paying downthe national debt (so they say). We would end up deeper in debtbecause we know that they always will spend more than they take in.
I urge all taxpayers to support the Republicans on this badlyneeded tax relief. Karen Skillman, Brookfield The word is the word
The Rev. Bill Hogan demonstrates his ignorance of Catholicteaching and how it is promulgated (Letters, Aug. 5). He fails torecognize that the church itself makes a distinction between truthhanded down through the centuries from Christ's apostles to theirsuccessors, which cannot be changed because divine truth cannotchange, and disciplinary regulations, such as cremation, which may bechanged because they are not essential to the Catholic faith.Terrance J. Hodges, Mount Greenwood Minds shut tight
The recent controversy over Stanley Kubrick's final masterpiece"Eyes Wide Shut" is drenched with irony. In 1950, the film "LaRonde" (directed by Max Ophuls, a man who was a huge influence onKubrick) was banned in this country because it was declared "obscene"by the New York State Board of Regents. Even though this filmcontained no nudity or violence, it had a rather relaxed attitude onadultery. This film was based on a play by Arthur Schnitzler, whowrote Traumovelle, the book on which "Eyes Wide Shut" is based.
The U.S. Supreme Court over-turned the Board of Regents decision,and "La Ronde" was shown in this country in 1954. I'm sure theoriginal version of "Eyes Wide Shut" will make it to video and/orDVD. But it is disheartening that the Motion Picture Association ofAmerica is preventing adults from seeing Kubrick's film the way heoriginally filmed it.
It is sad that in the last 45 years the only progress we've madeis in the field of ignorance. Gregory Runfeldt, Midlothian Twowallets up
With all the outcry to come up with a better rating system formovies, I feel I have the perfect solution. Instead of stars, itwill be a numerical rating system. For example: 7.00 - Denotes amovie you should be willing to pay full price ($7) to see. 3.50 -Wait to rent it on video, so you won't kick yourself when it turnsout to be a stinker. 2.00 - Wait for it to go to the cheap theaters.The sound may not be as good, the film may jump a lot and your feetmay stick to the floor, but you will spend only $2. 0.00 - Wait twoyears and it will be on commercial TV. It may be hard to followbecause of commercial interruptions, censoring and the time allottedfor an evening movie, but the price is right.
Anyone who ever paid full price and sat through 90 minutes ofgarbage knows what I'm talking about. I am still trying to forgetthe time I saw "Dr. Detroit." Pat Todd, Lansing The big whopper
The letter from Ted Schwartz (Aug. 8) said the original charterfor toll roads said they were to be freeways once they are paid for,and he laments that it never happens.
He should know by now that most politicians are compulsive liars.Remember how Gov. Ryan during his campaign boldly promised not toraise taxes? After the election, the first thing the governor andstate legislators did was raise taxes horrendously. I suppose ifyou're going to lie, you might as well make it a big one.
It is time for voters to forget both Republican and Democraticcandidates in the next election, since both parties have lost allsense of honesty and respect for keeping one's word. It is time tothrow the rascals out and take on third-party candidates, such as theU.S. Taxpayers Party. William J. Holdorf, Downers Grove
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