City Buys Run Down Business to "Re-Invest" in our Community!!

Blast from OakForest 1 wrote:

<quoted text>Again, I encourage you to ask the source vs. finding an answer on a blog. I asked Alderman Toland if he has donated to any political campaigns. Here is his answer:

"I haven't written a check directly to any campaign from my business or myself as a campaign contribution. I might have bought a raffle ticket for one Mayoral candidate, and I have attended a couple of golf outings which I believe are reported as donations since the funds go into the campaign funds, and I went to a couple of fundraisers the first time I ran for office to meet the other candidates and hear what they had to say in case I would eventually work with them. There might have been a small fee to get in (around $25), but that is under the amount which is required to be reported, but I have nothing to hide. I don't think you will find those on a website. I believe I went to one golf outing for Mayor JoAnn Kelly, one for Mayor Hank Kuspa, and one for Sheriff Sheehan, all after they were elected, as a paid attendee. I was a non-paying guest of someone else at a couple of Mayoral Golf Outings. Attending these political functions is important to my constituents to meet people on an informal basis no matter who the Mayor is at the time. It's important to meet the decision makers and administration in a social situation. I would assume the people who elected me would want me to attend such political functions as a part of my duties to them. Besides attending these functions, there is no reason for me to contribute to a political campaign. I have to worry about my own campaign coming up in April. It is all public record, and I have nothing to gain or hide. If you consider these campaign contributions, then I have donated indirectly to some politicians. Anyone can ask me this or any other question directly."

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clof wrote:

I also just pulled up Simon. There are 48 contributions totaling $15,920. He must golf also!

smoke n mirrors wrote:

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Based on what the website shows I would say it is better to check the website which is factual, than go the the political source!

smoke n mirrors wrote:

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I don't see a big difference between accepting campaign donations and making campaign donations! They are both done with the same purpose. To better position the politician
Smoke N Mirrors!

Interesting Issues wrote:

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WOW, great post it really tells me a great deal about this alderman! Are you sure that people are asking what the Adlerman Contributed to or are they trying to point out what businesses contribute to the Aldermen or Mayoral campaigns? How about the current employees that contribute to campaigns that make sure they keep their jobs or family members jobs? Although legal, sure is not a very ethical thing in the scheme of Oak Forest Government! I guess that is just the way it has always been and this blog or any other avenue for discussion will change that process! With an answer like the one above, I sure hope someone runs in the 4th Ward so my vote will count!

cl wrote:

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Check the list. They donate to political campaigns for their their gain!

Interesting Issues wrote:

Can you folks give us the link to the website you ae quoting all this information from? I know I saw a contribution list for the current mayor and it really was an interesting list of contributions.

I for one have not seen any politcal person in our town that is not getting some type of favorable impact from their term. So if you want to say their is no gain to being an alderman or having politcal office, step aside and let someone else do the job, not sure what you are getting at here! Gains come in all shapes and sizes, many I would think are not documented! Lets be real, someone that should be advocating for their ward probably should not have voted for $ 60,000 in Professional Fees to a building and business plan that may not ever succeed! What are those fees for? Sure doesnt' cost $60K to re-establish electrical service! Maybe as alderman of a ward the question or questions would be how is the city going to re-cover their investment? Rmember the "Seed" money for the Field of Dream or should I say "Folly", just good taxpayer dollars for a bad idea!

Lets be real, do we really have to review a website in Illinois to see political benefit to a politician? The jails are full of Illinios politicians that ask the taxpayers - what gains, show me the gains!

Alderman Chuck Toland wrote:

<quoted text>
What is different from my response vs. what is on the website? Blast quoted me, and I said a couple of golf outings and maybe some raffle tickets or meet the candidates fundraisers. I actually provided more information than the website did.

Dude wrote:

Alderman Toland, you can tell Oak Forest citizens are fed up, don't trust our elected officials and there certainly appears to be something fishy about the city buying a building. Real estate flipping is a risky investment and you should not be risking tax dollars. Now the only thing we can do is vote you all out and try again with someone new. You all that have been there a while should be ashamed of how you have failed this city and the citizens. Nothing has been accomplished in the last 3.5 years. The Gateway is an embarrassment. But this building will be the downfall. It is on a hill! It's a bad investment you've made and will cost us, the taxpayer.

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Tommy Two Toes wrote:

At least Toland lives in his ward.

smoke n mirrors wrote:

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I think it is mis-leading for politicians to brag about never accepting a campaign donatation. While it may be factually correct, the donatations that they have made to anothers political campaign may be ever more impactful.
Everyone knows it does not cost $500 to golf, so we can all assume that $400 of that donation went to a political fund. In fact if it wasn't considered a political donation it wouldn't be on that website.
obviously the govenmnet feels it is in the public's best interest to keep that transparent.
You are entited to make donations to whoever you want, it is your right. But it will be available for all to see. As voters we have the right to form whatever opinion, regarding the information we have read.
and I think your response to Blast is wishy washy. The first line of your quote is " I havent written a check directly to any campaign from my business or myself as a campaign contribution"
but your closing statement flip flops "If you consider these campaign contributions, then I have donated indirectly to some politicians"
again, everyone, including you, knows it does not cost $500 to golf!

really wrote:

Tommy, Who doesn't live in the ward?