Educated residents are empowered residents. Public indifference to the detrimental actions and inactions of the village board has virtually ensure the village board will not consistently act in the public’s best interest. By becoming aware of the issues that will shape the future of the community, and arming yourself with knowledge of these issues, you the voter can make more informed choices when choosing candidates and voting on policy issues that will have the most impact on the future of the town.
In addition to the failing grades the residents are giving the Winfield Village Board, of major concern today in Winfield is the corrupting influence of special interest group Winfield United and the astronomical amounts of money they contributed to village board candidates.
According to data from the State of Illinois and Winfield United’s D-2′s, Winfield United contributed in excess of $62 thousand dollars to Winfield Village Board members in the last two contested elections. With this kind of money being spent by Winfield United to both elect and influence those holding village office, it is no wonder our elected officials answer to the contributors who financed their elections rather than the constituents they are sworn to represent.
Public attitudes and behaviors must change in several key ways to ensure a brighter future for Winfield. First, residents must overcome their indifference and apathy as voters. Elected representatives must be held accountable, voters must educate themselves on the issues, turning out on election day and voting for the right people will be key to turning around the failed state of the town.
The residents must demand from the candidates stronger moral positions in reducing the influence of special interest on both elections and the town’s future. Residents must also hold village board members accountable for their voting record on issues and their behavior when it comes to the amount of money they receive from Winfield United. Through stronger vigilance of the public, our village government can once again be reconnected with the people they are required to serve.
Winfield United’s D-2 Election Filings
http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/D2Semi.aspx?id=304114
http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/D2Pre.aspx?id=298755
http://www.elections.il.gov/CampaignDisclosure/D2Pre.aspx?id=343723
http://winfield411.com/magazine/2011/01/19/best-government-money-can-buy/
Zero Sum on January 2, 2011 10:57 pm at 10:57 pm (Edit)
As for Winfield United, Zegel, and anyone supported by Winfield United, screw them, don’t listen to them, boycott anything they are involved in, write letters and support blogs that tell it like it is. The people have power they just have to decide to use it. Winfield United, Zegel, and their candidates are all afraid of an informed citizenry armed with the facts.
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Decker on January 28, 2011 7:37 am at 7:37 am (Edit)
Winfield United’s “big-money interests” will always have disproportional clout over our town and village board. The residents will always be stifled on every issue until Winfield United’s undue influence has been removed.
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Beyond on January 28, 2011 9:31 am at 9:31 am (Edit)
You know WU’s money is having an adverse effect on our elections. How else can such weak and do nothing people such as Joel Kunesh and Jack Bajor get re-elected??? Given their dismal record of the previous 4 years they shouldn’t have been elected dog catcher. We won’t even get into Deb Birutis or Glen VadeBonCoeur being elected.
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Grounded on January 28, 2011 11:11 am at 11:11 am (Edit)
Tim Allen has really done a good job letting everyone have insight to what really is going on with the Winfield Village Board. With more and more Winfield United followers taking spots on the village board, commissions and community organizations, WU’s money is corrupting everything. It is my belief that nothing will change until the Winfield United and their money machine is stopped. Otherwise Winfield United will only look at how much they need to spend to get their people elected. Winfield United President Steve Romanelli tells people he’s doing the people’s work? I guess when you hold all the money, you might as well be King of Winfield!
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Zap2it on January 28, 2011 12:41 pm at 12:41 pm (Edit)
I signed a petition to District the town into 6 separate voting district. What ever happened with that?
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iwillfollow on January 28, 2011 2:24 pm at 2:24 pm (Edit)
That’s a good question, I don’t know.
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LMG on January 28, 2011 3:14 pm at 3:14 pm (Edit)
There was some snafu about when the deadline was to get that petition question on the ballot at the last election. I think it might have been a DuPage County snafu? Or changes in the date from last time?
Short answer, the petitions were not submitted in time to get on the ballot last time. The Village Board could have waived the issue and put it on the ballot out of the goodness of their hearts, but they declined to do so. It’s not like they really want community input, do they?
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TYA on January 28, 2011 3:01 pm at 3:01 pm (Edit)
Residents need to open their eyes to the fact that Winfield United has undermined the interest of the community, aided and abetted by their lackeys in our allegedly representative village government. The town has to stand up for itself and dissolve the Winfield United money influences that has corrupted our community. Resident must demand candidates explain the causes which impel them to align with the influences of the Big Money political machine, Winfield United.
Our elections are being steamed rolled by Winfield United’s Big Money. It violates the principle of one person, one vote, and diminishes our vote by allowing Winfield United to have an undue influence over the political process. The voter’s voices are being muted by the Winfield United and their Big Money donors who can and do monopolize the elections.
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LMG on January 28, 2011 3:11 pm at 3:11 pm (Edit)
Excellent job on the post. I think we are both on the same soapbox. The more local the politics, the more it will affect your life. Even if you can’t muster up the energy for federal or even state politics, your local politics are not that hard. You probably know a local politician PERSONALLY.
How did such a small community lose such control over their leadership? Money, and the money which was used to by a newspaper.
Our residents read that newspaper and believed it – at least at first – because we’ve been raised in a culture where printed news was legitimized. Unfortunately that meant the voting public had do so more research, listen to more opinions, educate themselves and make a more informed decision than what Zegel and WU printed up as a newspaper and put in people’s mailboxes for free.
That didn’t happen last time. I’m afraid that it won’t happen this time. You really have to talk to your neighbors and your friends about this. Because that money that has elected the WU board in the past is NOT going away. And there’s another newspaper that may pick up where the Register left off.
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Citrix on January 28, 2011 8:08 pm at 8:08 pm (Edit)
So Birutis really is the ‘Fraudulent’ Village President!
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Common Sense on January 28, 2011 9:11 pm at 9:11 pm (Edit)
Will Rogers once said, “we have the best government that money can buy.” It’s a truism that is hard to argue with. Birutis, Bajor, Kunesh, and VadeBonCoeur didn’t have a chance to win an election. All of sudden they found themselves with a huge war chest of money from Winfield United and decided they could now win. Kunesh lost 3 straight elections prior to teaming up with the money machine Winfield United. Not only did he lose he came in last each time by a large margin. Winfield United’s money changed all that. Without WU’s money none of them would have ever entered the race let alone won. Just think of how much better the town would be today had we never heard of Winfield United. Lets not let it happen again!
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Liquid on January 29, 2011 1:11 am at 1:11 am (Edit)
Whatever the evidence, most people still expect money to influence politicians’ votes. That’s why Winfield United HIDES the money they pour into an election, and doesn’t report all the money until after the election. If money didn’t buy votes, then why else would WU give the large sums of money they do? Why “waste” so much money to get nothing?
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lil red riding hood on January 28, 2011 10:01 pm at 10:01 pm (Edit)
This is where talking neighbor to neighbor makes s difference. This election will not be drawing that many people to the polls. Reading the truth that comes in your mailbox will be important, get out and ask the right questions when the candidates come knocking. Remember that the trustees you put in office are to look out for the best interest of the taxpayer, not an agenda. One must look and take care of the entire town, not just whats good for the North or South-side but good for Winfield as a whole.