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TRAIN PROBLEMS Springfield has a problem that no mid-sized city with hopes of development should have: trains. There are three sets of tracks that run right through the middle of the city. At just about any moment, you can hear the whistle of a train as it goes through town. Some of these times are more inconvenient than others. There are many days a freight train will be going through the Third Street corridor around 7:45 a.m., just as people are trying to get to work. Similarly, another freight train will go through the same corridor around 4:45 p.m., just as people are leaving work. An Amtrak train makes its way through every day at 5 p.m. with a stop at the train station on its way to Chicago. As this train is unloading and loading passengers, it blocks the westbound traffic on Jefferson Street, which is easily the busiest thoroughfare in the downtown area. Around the same times, trains often pass through the tracks that run between Ninth and Eleventh streets.
The city has done little to alleviate this issue. In fact, they have likely made it worse. Last year, they decided to close several crossings along the Third Street tracks. This forces traffic to the few open intersections, adding more cars to the already busy routes.
For a city that is so focused on growth and development, especially in the downtown area, it does itself no favors by limiting access to these areas due to constant rail traffic and crossing closures. While the underpasses at Carpenter and Ash streets do allow trains to pass through without disrupting traffic, they don’t address the issue of the tracks being there in the first place. In fact, they make a more permanent solution, such as rerouting the tracks outside of the city, less likely. Kurtis Klay Springfield
MCCANN VS. SUPER RICH In his Sept. 6, 2018, Illinois Times cartoon, Chris Britt forgets Sam McCann, the non-rich candidate, and, in my opinion, the only one who can find a solution by bringing both sides together. Let’s face it; Illinois is in deep doo-doo. There will have to be cuts in spending and new revenue to save our state. A vote for Rauner, whom has proven he can not compromise, or a vote for Pritzker, whom I only know was Blago’s buddy, will not fix this mess.
Sam McCann has taken the heat for his decision to be his own man and paid a political price that neither of these rich guys could. I support Sam. Jerald Jacobs Springfield
TEACHER PAY A lot of people are arguing about Gov. Bruce Rauner vetoing a bill that would have increased starting pay for teachers by saying teachers deserve more. Or they don’t. That’s not the point. This was a fiscally irresponsible unfunded mandate, as unfunded mandates usually are.
Nothing is easier for legislators than passing something their political contributors want while telling somebody else to pay for it. By comparison, you and I could be arrested for taking our friends out to dinner and insisting the bill be passed around to the other tables.
Lake and DuPage counties can probably better fund the higher minimum than some. A lot of other Illinois counties are property-value depressed and therefore school-funding stressed. Legislators passed an across-the-board expense knowing full well the money is available in some districts but impossible in others.
Sangamon County is considering an education tax increase. If both that and this legislation went into effect, a chunk of the new revenue would have to be diverted to fund the legislated pay increase. Whatever improvements school officials promised in return for higher taxes, some would have to be partially withdrawn.
Rauner made a good veto. Remember this, though: Whichever arguments you prefer about paying teachers are unaffected. If you want to pay them more, figure a way to work it fairly across the state. If you don’t, wait and see what proponents offer and make them tell you how you’re going to pay for it. John Levalley Springfield
