Halvorson, Jackson on opposite sides of Peotone airport debate

The battle for control over a proposed airport near Peotone has evolved into a full-blown dispute between two prominent Illinois Democrats, with one undercutting the other's chance for a seat in Congress.

[CountMyVote]

Sounds like "Democrat" Jackson is trying to get Republican Ozinga elected.

[Jane P]

The Peotone airport was never an economically sound idea. And now that the airlines are cutting jobs and the number of flights, the plan should be shelved, permanently.

[SouthSuburbian]

I don't care how the airport is built as long as every member on the board is an elected official. Why, after the Rezko debacle, would anyone generate legislation that allows political appointees? The very idea of political appointees should be axed from Illinois law.

[Pam]

If this airport goes through it should be the plan that supports Will County, It is not wonder allegations are being made by Mr Jackson's he has his hand out for Cook County, and it's no wonder Mr Ozinga wouldn't mind making allegations against Debbie Halvorson he is her Republican opponent.
The revenue for this airport should stay in Will County alone and support the people who live there.

[Jim Chicago]

The politican in Will County are a discrace. This airport should have been built years ago and the area would be propering now. If you don't think an airport brings, jobs and lots of them , drive around O'Hare and see all the towers that are built or being built. An airport is a continuous construction job. Halverson is one of the biggest land owners in Will County. Do you think this has anything to do with her obstruction?

[george]

is tony rezko involved in any honest projects?

[Enough Already]

Jim Chicago wrote:

The politican in Will County are a discrace. This airport should have been built years ago and the area would be propering now. If you don't think an airport brings, jobs and lots of them , drive around O'Hare and see all the towers that are built or being built. An airport is a continuous construction job. Halverson is one of the biggest land owners in Will County. Do you think this has anything to do with her obstruction?

What about mid - america airport in East St.Louis, it's a financial and job creating bust...Peotone smacks of the same disaster waiting to happen...

[Jim Chicago]

Enough Already wrote:

<quoted text>
What about mid - america airport in East St.Louis, it's a financial and job creating bust...Peotone smacks of the same disaster waiting to happen...

Have you ever been to East Saint Louis?

[Enough Already]

Jim Chicago wrote:

<quoted text>Have you ever been to East Saint Louis?

That is not the point here, it's the similarities of the projects, and their eventual outcomes, no one is going to use either of these airports. The airlines already said they will not go to peotone, and with the way airlines are downsizing admist this poor economy we have now, what airline will take the gamble and build at peotone ?

[Political Mosquitos]

Jane P wrote:

The Peotone airport was never an economically sound idea. And now that the airlines are cutting jobs and the number of flights, the plan should be shelved, permanently.

WAIT, STOP, LOOK & LISTEN.
Peotone...where?
The entire concept of an airport in Peo{nowhere}tone, Illinos is utterly and totally without any sound basis whatsoever!!!
1st. The demographics of those who fly are those with the means to do so. Think Wilmette, Winnetka, Glencoe, Lake Forest, Bannockburn, Deerfield, Northbrook, Highland Park, the Gold Coast, etc, etc. IT IS NOT those from the far south side of Chicago, from Robbins, Maywood, Hazel Wood, Hillcrest, Harvey, Wentworth, Englewood, etc, etc. Therefore, facilitating aviation for those who do and will use it ONLY makes sense. It's not a case of build it and they will come. Those from central and northern Cook County and all of Lake County will use O'Hare or, more and more, look to Mitchell Field in Milwaukee. Midway is entirely out of the question for the monied demographics of nearly all of those living outside of the near western and/or southwestern suburbs. Peo{nowhere}tone is utterly beyond comprehension.
2nd. Alternatively, invest in high-speed rail from Chicago's Union Station up the Kennedy {put the 'L' underground where it should have been to begin with and put to lines of HSR overground in their stead} and provide HSR from Downtown to O'Hare. Build spurs under the Eden's for the HSR up to Glenview, Deerfield/Lake Forest and on up to Great Lakes and Miwalukee's Mitchell Field. Also build HSR under the tollway/294 north to Gurnee and beyond {perhaps all the way to Madison Wisconsin}. We should also establish HSR under the N/W Tollway out to Rockford.
This isn't rocket science, it's logistical mananagement of tranportation infrastructure 101. Get the local political hacks [like Jackson and the other perverse...low-lifes] out of the formula. Build what's needed, where it's needed and where it's likely to continue to be needed.
Leave the netherlands of the corn fields down and out in Peo[whocare]tone to the...hicks.

[Batman]

george wrote:

is tony rezko involved in any honest projects?

Gov's 'clout lists' surface in Rezko trial
FEDERAL COURT | Records reveal who fund-raiser pushed for state jobs
February 22, 2008
BY CHRIS FUSCO, DAVE MCKINNEY AND NATASHA KORECKI Staff Reporters
"Clout lists" that tracked politically backed job seekers to Gov. Blagojevich's administration have surfaced in the case of indicted businessman Tony Rezko, with Rezko's lawyers arguing the documents shouldn't be allowed as evidence in his upcoming corruption trial.
The lists, which total 26 pages, offer yet another glimpse into the administration's hiring practices shortly after the governor took office in 2003. They include dozens of recommendations made by Rezko, other Blagojevich fund-raisers, members of the General Assembly and lobbyists for full-time jobs and seats on unpaid state boards and commissions.
» Click to enlarge image

Gov. Blagojevich with indicted former fundraiser Antoin "Tony" Rezko, right, at a 2003 benefit dinner.
(Courtesy)
RELATED STORIESRezko's trinkets:$65,000 watch,$22,000 coat Rezko sought state post for agent who sold Obama home Rezko finds sharing underwear 'degrading' More headaches for Tony Rezko Clout corner: Inside the halls of power Rezko's biggest civil claims RELATED PDFGovernor's clout list The lists also use some of the same political-sponsorship codes as a separate clout list the Chicago Sun-Times disclosed in May 2006. Rezko, for example, is identified as "TR." Another top Blagojevich fund-raiser, Christopher G. Kelly, is "CK." One of the lists, Rezko's lawyers said, is a spreadsheet of "recommended candidates" for state jobs "made by or through Rezko" to Blagojevich's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. That list includes 39 recommendations, including one for Joseph Aramanda, a Glenview businessman whom sources have identified as the unnamed "Individual D" in prosecutors' case against Rezko. Aramanda allegedly was part of a kickback scheme involving Rezko and co-defendant Stuart Levine, who has pleaded guilty and is to testify in Rezko's trial.Aramanda was to be considered for a "budget/financial aid" job. But like 32 of the people on the list, state records show he wasn't hired. The governor's office wouldn't vouch for the authenticity of the lists and defended its hiring practices, which have been under federal scrutiny since before Rezko's October 2006 indictment. The governor has maintained political considerations haven't played any role in hiring decisions. "We don't know what they're referring to," spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said of the hiring records. "We made hiring decisions based on who we thought was right for the particular position." Rezko lawyers charged that the government is trying to wave clout lists in front of the jury "to show that Rezko wielded great influence in state government." But his lawyers contend that the trial involves Rezko's involvement specifically with two state boards and not his role in getting state jobs for friends.Treasurer's brother named Rezko, according to the lists, appeared to be pushing several candidates for what one of the spreadsheets describes as the "Hospital Licensing Board," an apparent reference to the scandal-plagued state Health Facilities Planning Board that Rezko allegedly used to leverage campaign contributions to Blagojevich from hospitals seeking state approval for projects.

[Batman]

george wrote:

is tony rezko involved in any honest projects?

Among those candidates were Dr. Paul Ray, a Rezko business partner, and Charles Hannon, whom Rezko allegedly owed millions of dollars and who is identified by the feds in the Rezko case as "Co-schemer F."Ray is listed as "Investor 1" in a Rezko indictment, a title that stems from Ray's ownership role in a Rezko fast-food business. Neither Ray nor Hannon have been charged, and neither was appointed by the governor. Another planning board candidate linked to Rezko, according to the records, was Dr. Ronald Michael, who has contributed $63,810 to Blagojevich's campaign. Michael, too, was not appointed, though a Sun-Times report in October raised questions about how Blagojevich administration officials signed off on his purchase of a Downstate bank given that he had once headed a company that went bankrupt. Rezko also pushed for the appointment of Chicago banker Demetris Giannoulias, brother of Democratic state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, to the Illinois Finance Authority board, records show. Other Rezko-backed candidates on the lists of potential state job applicants or of those seeking state board appointments included Jabir Herbert Muhammad, a Rezko business associate who City of Chicago officials say headed a minority-front company that enabled Rezko to open three Panda Express restaurants at O'Hare Airport. Contributing: Steve Warmbir

[MYOB Jr]

Jr.'s only concerned because when Halvorson gets elected, WILL County will FINALLY have sole control over what happens in not only OUR County, but the 11th District as well. If JJ Jr. was really concerned about HIS constituants, he would have been pushing harder for the Gary-Chicago airport to come to fruition.

Halvorson says she's never met Rezko, Jackson claims to have been "pitched" by him, I'd like to know exactly to what extent are Mr. Jackson's affiliations with Mr. Rezko

This is nothing more than a cheap attempt to slime a fellow Democrat with the Rezko situation, in an effort not to lose control over something that isn't his to control anyway.

The facts remain, the citizens of Peotone & the surrounding communities have not wavered in their opposition to this unwanted, unneeded airport. It seems the only people who are for it, are the Pols, Business men, Investors/Blind Land Trust holders. One has to wonder about who the Blind Land Trust holders are. Perhaps JJ Jr. could enlighten us with his knowlege of such things.

[wildwest]

This is a bad project period. With all the cutbacks in aviation, along with the fact that we already have 2 airports, an gary's airport a failure, why build a new one. Come up with a new idea that will generate jobs and revenue.

[sis]

Jim Chicago wrote:

The politican in Will County are a discrace. This airport should have been built years ago and the area would be propering now. If you don't think an airport brings, jobs and lots of them , drive around O'Hare and see all the towers that are built or being built. An airport is a continuous construction job. Halverson is one of the biggest land owners in Will County. Do you think this has anything to do with her obstruction?

I would agree with you about the politicians in Will county being a disgrace but, let's be truthful in what we write here. Halvorson owns the land her house sits on in Crete and that is it. She is not "one of the biggest land owners in Will county."

[Formerly Hazel Crest]

No one in Peotone wants this airport. Many people in Will County are former Cook County residents and left for many reasons. The airport would hurt the county's farmland. It also won't create jobs. Expand Gary's airport instead. Jesse only wants this airport so he can get his mitts in Will County.

[hostage]

Given the facts of the changing aviation economy in this country, who in their right mind could justify building a new airport in Peotone? The airlines won't. Smart investors floating a bond issue to pay for it won't. However, politicians who have been pushing the idea for over 30 years now, continue to push the public to build it and of course pay for it. How many Will County resident's are aware that the people of St. Claire County who were pushed to build the Mid America Airport in their county now have a seperate line item on their property tax bills charging them to continue to pay for their failed airport? If the truth about the cost to the average Joe ever was told, I wonder how many would still support this? This is a history lesson we can not ignore!