Readers: Last fall I attended a conference at which the speakers talked about making more information available electronically — that is, online with computers and modems. There is so much new vocabulary to learn: electronic superhighway, Internet, telnet, upload and download, menus, and much more. Let's face it. This can evoke fear and anxiety in those of us who did not grow up with computers, even among the most intelligent people. But the times won't slow down for any of us, and the state of Illinois is moving, albeit slowly, in the direction of making data, lists and other information accessible through our computers at home and work. Jennifer Follis, a lecturer in journalism at the University of Illinois, spent time this spring researching exactly what is available, and how people like us can get access to state government information. She then transformed her research into a couple of articles for this edition of Illinois Issues. One obstacle in writing these pieces was computer jargon because we know our readers have various degrees of understanding and expertise in the use of computers. We didn't want to be a source of more fear and confusion for you.

So she made her articles as user friendly as possible —that is, reader friendly. Follis helps all of us understand better how Illinois is proceeding to release information electronically. Her report is on page 15.

There seems to be universal agreement that it's great news for Illinois that Chicago will host the 1996 Democratic convention. We thought this would be a good time to examine what has happened to the Democractic party in Illinois since that tumultuous convention in Chicago in 1968. The assignment went to longtime Democrat and journalism teacher Robert Reid, who offers a perspective that may surprise you. He has serious concerns not only about the Democrats, but also about the Republicans and government in general. His essay begins on page 12.

One challenge in journalism is that every story, especially every developing story, has a short life. We write about an issue today, and then three months later, the issue is often all but forgotten because the most current daily events always grab the headlines.

A magazine like ours has an opportunity to be different. Being a monthly publication, we can sit back a little and provide more perspective on major issues.

That is why we offer you insightful follow-ups to two important stories of the past year: the great flood of 1993 and the World Cup competition in Chicago this summer. Our statehouse bureau chief, Jennifer Halperin, returned to the Mississippi River this summer to talk to people about their adventurous lives over the past year. She also asked them about the government's response to their situations. Her report is on page 23.

Mayor Richard M. Daley said this spring the World Cup competition in Chicago would be the most important international event ever held in the city. Those are strong words, deserving of another look now that the event is over. What happened? The event did not attract as many visitors or generate as much money as officials had projected, but it nonetheless generated a fair amount of goodwill for the city around the world. Lisa Holton's analysis is on page 20.

Finally, an official welcome to Peggy Boyer Long, who comes on board full time as our editor Sept. 1. You'll be hearing more from her in the months to come.

In July our Question of the Month dealt with the subject of scattered site housing. The question was:

Should the government expand its efforts to establish "scattered site housing" to help people in need get decent living arrangements? And you responded:

So, by almost a 3-to-l margin, readers who responded to this question think the concept of scattered site housing is viable for Illinois.

Many who said yes referred to Jennifer Halperin's article about the scattered site success story in the affluent suburb of Highland Park. A reader born and raised in Highland Park (now living in Evanston) had this to say: "The Highland Park model should be replicated throughout the region. When low-income residents realize that the price of safe, livable housing is attention to their property, commitment to family members' social and educational needs and general responsible citizenship, they will flock to the opportunity."

Other readers expressed general dissatisfaction with failed social policies that have promoted the concentration of poor people in the same neighborhoods. "The only way to avoid slums and the problems that accompany them is to stop the clumping of the poor into areas that foster crime and only serve to keep the needy 'in their place,'" a Springfield reader said. Wrote another from the Chicago suburbs: "Scattered site housing means the dispersion of poor, less-advantaged persons from concentrated public housing plagued with high crime, drug trafficking, higher school dropout rates, fewer suitable role models and collapsed aspirations and expectations. We need a larger melting pot if Illinois is to get cooking."

While those comments summarize what many respondents said, one reader said it would be better to build scattered site dwellings in rental and apartment neighborhoods rather than those dominated by single-family houses.

Opponents of scattered site housing generally saw additional government involvement as a bad idea, and they viewed scattered site housing primarily as a way to ruin good neighborhoods.

"Do not spread crime," declared one reader who emphasized his (her?) point by writing very large letters with a green magic marker.

"Government should get entirely out of the housing business," wrote another. "Government building programs only result in the creation of new slums."

And a few readers suggested housing will not solve problems because only a change in attitude will. "Scattering the sites will have no lasting effect on the quality of life of the people in the housing," a Rock Island reader said. "Only a change in individual personal values can do this in any lasting way." 

Ed Wojcicki

September 1994/Illinois Issues/3