Pollak challenges Osmond for House seat

Political newcomer Scott Pollak of Antioch will challenge state Rep. JoAnn Osmond for her seat in the 61st District, a position Osmond has held since the death of her husband, Timothy, in 2002.

[Its about time]

Yes it is about time. The only time we ever hear from or about Osmond is election time. We get the flyer in the mail telling us what has been done while she was in Springfield and I think who is this person. I see that she's tight with Suzy Schmidt who is also running for a higher office. I do know that Schmidt's position on the Lake County Board has set some records like Lake County being the highest taxed county in the United States , wow there's a record to be proud of. COME ON NOVEMBER 2nd .

[Mystery Man]

I think we have enough democrats already in IL
I'll vote to keep the few Republicans we have and vote more in when possible.
But i welcome a civil discussion on the issues.

[VyvB]

Joanne Osmond has been very responsive when I've contacted her. I've sent emails to our Senators only to receive form letters in return. I've contacted agencies that give me the brush off. But when I've contacted Osmond she's replied personally from her balckberry within an hour. I was shocked. Even the form letter responses from our senators took a week or more to come back. (And no, I don't know Rep. Osmond personally.)

[Mystery Man]

VyvB wrote:

Joanne Osmond has been very responsive when I've contacted her. I've sent emails to our Senators only to receive form letters in return. I've contacted agencies that give me the brush off. But when I've contacted Osmond she's replied personally from her balckberry within an hour. I was shocked. Even the form letter responses from our senators took a week or more to come back.(And no, I don't know Rep. Osmond personally.)

I know how you feel. I met Jesse White once on a fluke.
Really nice guy, very down to earth. The real deal too.
I liked the things he's done in office.
I wish every politician were like him.
I even voted for him and he's a democrat. That is how impressed i was and still am about him.
With that said there is a certain reality to accessibility of political figures.
You can't really expect them to personally respond to every single letter, e-mail, and phone call that comes to them through their office.
What should matter more is do they push for the things you want them to push for.
How good are they at accomplishing those things ?
Obama was very good at impressing people but look at his record so far.
Anyway the upcoming elections should be interesting.
What they stand for will be what will decide who wins.

[VyvB]

[QUOTE who="Mystery Man]You can't really expect them to personally respond to every single letter, e-mail, and phone call that comes to them through their office.[/QUOTE]

Agreed. That's why I was shocked by the personal response from Osmond. Durbin's office staff was slower to respond, but at least the response I received made sense and addressed the issue. Our other Senator's office was qucik to respond, but sent an outdated form response that did not relate directly to the issue.

[Mystery Man]

Yeah i once wrote to Congresswoman Mellisa Bean and pretty much got a form letter thanking me for support which of course was not what i had written to her about.
Thats why i really liked that Jesse White took about 30 minutes to talk to me on anything at all that i wanted to discuss.
No bum rush, no twist to his talking points.
Both democrats two different reactions.
I can imagine you'll find this occurs in both parties.

[VyvB]

I contacted Bean once too. Her staff responded timely and didn't use a form letter. Her staffer told us the issue I raised was a state issue and that I should contact Osmond. They even forwarded my issue directly to Osmond's office. I never heard back from Osmond that time, but the issue I raised was resolved, so I think she may have gotten involved.

[Mystery Man]

VyvB wrote:

I contacted Bean once too. Her staff responded timely and didn't use a form letter. Her staffer told us the issue I raised was a state issue and that I should contact Osmond. They even forwarded my issue directly to Osmond's office. I never heard back from Osmond that time, but the issue I raised was resolved, so I think she may have gotten involved.

I'm glad you got a response but in a way you are making my point.
Sometimes politicians can make time for us and sometimes not.
I didn't get a real response from Bean.
You didn't get a real response from the senators.
Yet we both on occasion did get a real response from other politicians.
So i don't judge any politician based solely on personal response.
I base it on what the politician has accomplished that i wanted to see done.
That's a point i've made in post # 4

[Bean Nooooooo]

Bake the Bean!
Schmidt dropped the ball with Geo-Karis.
Osmond got in on the sympathy vote along with the old way mentality.
Jesse White? Are you kidding? Ever been to a drivers license facility in the last few years?
Bean? Joke after joke after joke. The queen of the form letter.
Start new and then start new again.

[Mystery Man]

Bean Nooooooo wrote:

Bake the Bean!
Schmidt dropped the ball with Geo-Karis.
Osmond got in on the sympathy vote along with the old way mentality.
Jesse White? Are you kidding? Ever been to a drivers license facility in the last few years?
Bean? Joke after joke after joke. The queen of the form letter.
Start new and then start new again.

I with ya on throw the bums out.
I'm with ya on Bean. She stands for everything i'm against nuff said
Ya i have been to the DMV in Libertyville several times over the years.
Its really been improved since White took over.
Before him there were longer lines in every category.
Now they speed it up before you even enter the building by giving you a number.
Before him the written test was done by paper.
Now its faster by computer.
Titles and other stuff way faster.
And he has held the cost down after Ryan doubled it.
I like the new laws on teen driving too.
And keep in mind i hate democrats, i'm a conservative republican voter.
White is the true exception to the rule.
let me know why you think he's bad.

[WOW]

Bean Nooooooo wrote:

Bake the Bean!
Jesse White? Are you kidding? Ever been to a drivers license facility in the last few years?

Gotta give props to Jesse White as well. the DMV used to be a nightmare. My last experience was... do I dare say it? Pleasant! Renewed my license, in and out in under an hour, despite quite a crowd at the facility.

[VyvB]

I agree, I actually found my last visit to the DMV a very smooth process and the people working there were friendly. The volume of people they were moving through that place was amazing. In the past, if I had seen that many people waiting I would have given up and tried again on another day.

[Mystery Man]

What i'm not impressed with is the drivers ed in schools.
When my kid was of age i got her into private lessons. Price was ok too.
Much better driver as a result.
But then she wound up waiting a year before she could drive to school because they claimed they didn't have enough parking spaces.
Which i thought was bull because every time i drove over to the school there were plenty of spaces.
I do like the law limiting how many kids can ride in the car with a teen driver.
I bet that law saves untold lives.

[Just Sayin]

We've heard a lot in this thread about politicians other than Pollak and Osmond.

How do they differ on the critical finance issues facing the state?

[Mystery Man]

http://www.elections.il.gov/InfoForVoters.asp...
I found this to be very helpful.
You can find out if you are registered, where to vote, who is running , etc.
Its really good for finding out which districts you are in so you know in advance who is on your ballot.
It has an easy interface for finding all the info and includes a good FAQ with a search engine.
I admit i didn't know which judges were in my district now i do.
If you don't vote then don't complain later.

[Beannie Baby]

Mystery Man wrote:

<quoted text>
I with ya on throw the bums out.
I'm with ya on Bean. She stands for everything i'm against nuff said
Ya i have been to the DMV in Libertyville several times over the years.
Its really been improved since White took over.
Before him there were longer lines in every category.
Now they speed it up before you even enter the building by giving you a number.
Before him the written test was done by paper.
Now its faster by computer.
Titles and other stuff way faster.
And he has held the cost down after Ryan doubled it.
I like the new laws on teen driving too.
And keep in mind i hate democrats, i'm a conservative republican voter.
White is the true exception to the rule.
let me know why you think he's bad.

When the first guy doubles the price, there is no need to raise the prices. Doesn't the gov set the rates?

The workers still believe we only exist to interrupt their breaks.
They now have computers? Welcome to 2010. I have a computer in my gym shoe. For what we pay for these facilities there should be no line at all. They should be open at night and on weekends to allow us to not have to take the day off of work.

The facilities are poorly run, awful looking, in areas that do not assist all in the counties, run by surly overpaid people and they still doubled the rates.

Say all you want about it being better than before, I even agree with you in some respects but better at crap is still crap.

He does have those 40 year old tumblers though...

[Mystery Man]

Beannie Baby wrote:

<quoted text>
When the first guy doubles the price, there is no need to raise the prices. Doesn't the gov set the rates?
The workers still believe we only exist to interrupt their breaks.
They now have computers? Welcome to 2010. I have a computer in my gym shoe. For what we pay for these facilities there should be no line at all. They should be open at night and on weekends to allow us to not have to take the day off of work.
The facilities are poorly run, awful looking, in areas that do not assist all in the counties, run by surly overpaid people and they still doubled the rates.
Say all you want about it being better than before, I even agree with you in some respects but better at crap is still crap.
He does have those 40 year old tumblers though...

No the gov does NOT raise the license fee. He only signs it into law but its the secretary of state that sets it.
George Ryan doubled it at the end of 1998 while as Secretary of State and then signed it into law as gov, so Jesse White had zero control on that increase.
And for the last 11 years White held it at this price.
Name any government controlled item that has held its price for 11 years in illinois.
As for the computers say what you want but it was White who brought them in.
It was White that changed the driving laws for teens.
And it was White who improved the lines.
You may not think so but others do think its been improved under White.
Then look at our governor situation.
Ryan - in jail
Blago - soon will be in jail
Quinn - worse then both of them

Jesse White looks like a darn good politician to me.
I'll vote for him in any office he wants.
As for the tumblers i've only seen them once and they were great too.

[Larix laricina]

Where is Joann on environmental issues?

I never see her voting in favor of preserving our natural heritage?

Why is she so quiet on this issue?

As I understand it, she benefited from Tim’s untimely demise, that some say was triggered by the removal of trees on an adjacent State owned lot, which triggered a heart condition that proved to be fatal.

So I think if this is true, then Tim Osmond cared about the environment, and more specifically, Trees!

God Bless your memory Tim.

[Just Sayin]

Beannie Baby wrote:

<quoted text>
When the first guy doubles the price, there is no need to raise the prices. Doesn't the gov set the rates?
The workers still believe we only exist to interrupt their breaks.
They now have computers? Welcome to 2010. I have a computer in my gym shoe. For what we pay for these facilities there should be no line at all. They should be open at night and on weekends to allow us to not have to take the day off of work.
The facilities are poorly run, awful looking, in areas that do not assist all in the counties, run by surly overpaid people and they still doubled the rates.
Say all you want about it being better than before, I even agree with you in some respects but better at crap is still crap.
He does have those 40 year old tumblers though...

The facility I go to is much better than it was when Ryan and his predecessors were Secretary of State. White has further cut down the lines by letting people with good driving records renew their licenses automatically for one four year period. It goes much faster than it did in the 1980's and 1990's.

I do agree that government facilities should at least have some hours that are evenings or weekends for working people. The Drivers License facility does have weekend hours, but not enough to accommodate all the people that need to use the services then. People should not have to miss work to use government services.

[Expensive plates]

Mystery Man wrote:

<quoted text>
No the gov does NOT raise the license fee. He only signs it into law but its the secretary of state that sets it.
George Ryan doubled it at the end of 1998 while as Secretary of State and then signed it into law as gov, so Jesse White had zero control on that increase.
And for the last 11 years White held it at this price.
Name any government controlled item that has held its price for 11 years in illinois.
As for the computers say what you want but it was White who brought them in.
It was White that changed the driving laws for teens.
And it was White who improved the lines.
You may not think so but others do think its been improved under White.
Then look at our governor situation.
Ryan - in jail
Blago - soon will be in jail
Quinn - worse then both of them
Jesse White looks like a darn good politician to me.
I'll vote for him in any office he wants.
As for the tumblers i've only seen them once and they were great too.

Sales tax?

Permit fees?

Speeding tickets? Yes, it's a tax... a stupid person tax but a tax just the same.

Income tax levels went down?

AMT went away?

I could and would go on but I'm tired and I just don't care.

The facility still sucks it big time. The end. Quit shilling for White and start demanding more from elected officials.

The rates on the plates was doubled to pay for schools, bridges and roads...remember? She schools are broke, the roads are falling apart until Obama spent money we didn't have and had to borrow and even then, they are only taking care of a small portion that need to be fixed.

I can't remember any bridges fixed in the area or even around all of Chicago land and I drive more than a few miles per year.

It sucks and so do those who try to convince us that it doesn't.