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POOR ARE DESPERATE
I am a volunteer at Senior Services of Central Illinois. I would like to draw attention to the plight of nonprofit agencies in our state. All nonprofit agencies funded by the state are struggling to survive because they have not received financing from the Capitol building.
This is devastating to lowincome voters. Many need assistance to eat, clothe their families, or received needed medication. Without a budget, they will need to look to others for help. Some will go to already burdened family members. Some may resort to criminal acts. Others will go without and become homeless or die.
If the poor look to family members for assistance, the state will lose revenue because their family can claim them as a dependent. If they turn to criminal acts, the state will have to police them, put them on trial and support them in jail. If they become homeless they will need beds this winter and will put additional strain on other underfunded agencies.
Does anyone care? Does this state’s legislature ignore the lowincome voters? People are desperate now and the holidays are coming. Senior Services may have to limit the humber of Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets for the first time.
Caroline Niesmann
Springfield
NOOSE UNRESOLVED
The recent quietly resolved “noose” issue has not really been resolved. All parties involved have been released to do it again. This is not a “boys will be boys” situation; this is a serious incident that the city seat-fillers have acted on in their usual no-key manner after an initial perfunctory show of outrage. It is of less importance that there was no racial intent but the the idea that it occurred at all is bothersome.
If you show a noose to a horse thief, I believe he would be a bit disturbed and to say it was all in fun only points out that our city leaders are attempting to head us to the sea like lemmings. It is probably a good thing that these “incidents” in Lincoln’s home town are not widely publicized because it sure would not excite people to visit or relocate here. The expectation of Springfield’s citizenry is far higher than what we have received thus far from our leaders(?).
Michael Abrams
Springfield
LAKE 2 STIMULUS
Springfield should consider applying for stimulus money to finish the second lake project, which has been on the drawing board for decades. It’s a shovelready project. The city should contact our senators and reps, and let’s get this finished. We will eventually need a second lake, if the city continues to grow.
Gerald Caslin
Springfield
