City Hall responsible for Chicago Police
After reading an article in your publication, "A View from Chicago," (see Illinois Issues, June 1998, page 37), I couldn't help but take pen in hand. As a retired Chicago police officer I, too, am concerned about the Chicago Police Department. Jim Ylisela, in his article, missed a very important point: How many of the officers involved in the stealing of drug money and shakedowns became police officers as a direct result of Mayor Daley's affirmative action process? As for the Mearday case, the officers involved lost their jobs because of political pressure not facts, and, yes again, these officers will be reinstated to their jobs after due process in court. At this time I believe the problem with the C.P.D, originates in City Hall.

The citizens of Chicago cannot afford to lower standards but must demand higher standards and let the make-up of the department fall where it will. As for Superintendent Rodriquez, if he did what the columnist states he did, why wasn't he charged with "obstruction"? I think Ylisela should confine his remarks about excessive force, racial tolerance and diversity to the journalism ranks and leave the Chicago Police Department alone while they try to work under very difficult times.
Randall B. Bassie
Retired Chicago Police Officer

Humor falls flat
Humor is a wonderful tool. That is, until it falls flat. Mike Cramer's cartoon depicting Illinois prison inmates doing jobs such as income tax processing, day care and home safety inspections fell real flat (see Illinois Issues, July/August 1998, page 44). The cartoon followed recent news flaps over inmates doing processing of driver's licenses and registrations.

The cartoon only added to the stereotypes of Illinois' inmates as permanent waste in society. Cramer's cartoon builds the image of all prisoners as a permanent pariah on society without any distinction to a public overwhelmed with crime and the shadowy images of how to solve the increasing breakdown of society.

Of course, the fact that Illinois politics and public policy exploit crime in the state for the purposes of local economic development is protected as if it were an endangered species. In July, Gov. Jim Edgar said, "This spring I announced my intention to bring a prison near Savanna because the Army Depot will leave more than 400 people out of work. ... I remain committed to building a prison near Savanna in a timely and cost-efficient manner to offset those lost jobs for Army Depot workers and their families."

The future prison housing more than 1,200 inmates would join others operated by the Department of Corrections. Currently, Illinois has 42,350 prisoners in 26 prisons, 17 camps and 11 work release institutions and 14 individuals in out-of-state facilities. In case there is any lingering doubt about Illinois' prisons being an economic development tool first and foremost, get rid of the illusions. Edgar the prison builder made it clear as part of his legacy to the state to make sure more prisons were built in Illinois to spur the local economies.

So much for the rehabilitation of people in prison and improving their poor communities. Instead of poking fun at Illinois' prisoners, we should be finding ways of reducing the numbers and closing facilities.
Doug Dohmeyer
Chicago

Schools offer no thanks
After nine months of waiting, a reasonable person can now assume Illinois schools will probably never tell taxpayers, "Thank you for the extra cash." Late last year in a special legislative session we (Illinois taxpayers) forked over nearly one-half billion dollars in new state school funding aid. Taxes were soon raised on cigarettes, gambling and long distance phone calls. Those citizens who want to support education with gusto should start smoking and gambling while talking on the phone.
Kim Alexander
Delavan

Citizens disciplining lawyers? Dream on
Regarding the article in the June 1998 issue titled, "Citizens could have a hand in disciplining judges" (see page 8), it will never happen. Lawyers own the judiciary. Lawyers become judges and continue to attend Bar Association meetings and party and revel with lawyers. And you're naive enough to think they will allow an honest human on the Disciplinary Committee? Dream, dream, dream.
O. G. Ferrari
Alton

Correction
Illinois Issues reported in June (see page 38) that lawmakers had raised the income ceiling to $14,000 for a program that provides cash grants to the elderly to help offset property taxes and pay for medication. According to the Department of Revenue, the ceiling is $16,000, beginning with the 1998 grant year.

How to write us
Your comments on articles and columns are welcome. Please keep letters brief (250 words). We reserve the right to excerpt them. Send letters to:
Letters to the Editor
Illinois Issues, K-10
P.O.Box 19243:
University of Illinois at Springfield
Springfield, IL 62794-9243
e-mail address on Internet;
Ilissues@uis.edu;
Editor; boyer-long.peggy@uis.edu
Web site: www.uis.edu/~ilissues/ilissues.htm

44 ¦ September 1998 Illinois Issues