Saturday, November 04, 2006
Mike Huntoon's Letter to the Editor
A month, or perhaps a little more back, I wrote a letter to the editor defending Representative Boland's vote on the budget this year. It got published in a number of newspapers, but a couple of the newspapers in the 71st declined to print it. I'll include it here for anyone who might not have caught it the first time around.
Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to recent letters criticizing Representative Mike Boland because he voted for this year’s state budget. I believe those criticisms were unjust, because a yes vote on the budget was a vote to move in a positive direction. Boland’s yes vote is about bringing significant new economic development to our area.
When the budget is presented to the members of the legislature, it’s usually put forth as a single piece of legislation, so there are always pluses and minuses to be weighed. It’s not usually a simple choice, but this year’s budget had so many benefits for our region, that the choice was pretty obvious.
The current budget not only included the long awaited opening of the Thomson Correctional Facility, it also contained the "local matching funds" necessary to secure millions of Federal dollars to transform Route 30 to a modern four lane highway. Boland’s vote for the budget was a vote to bring a full fledged Western Illinois University campus to our area, and there’s much more of benefit to our region that has not yet been announced.
When minority leader Tom Cross held a news conference with Steve Haring denouncing Boland’s vote, Cross perhaps wasn’t aware of all the great things the budget brings to the 71st district. As minority leader, Tom Cross does have the entire Republican Party to look out for, so, I can’t really fault him for wanting Steve to follow their party line. But it’s also pretty obvious that our regional needs, and one party leader’s personal interests, are not necessarily alike.
If either one of them had taken the time to study the budget and learn about all the improvements it brings to the 71st district, they would have easily understood why Boland voted yes. It’s simple really, a vote in favor of the budget was right thing to do for the 71st district!
I don’t believe that politics in the 21st Century should be about following party lines or pointing fingers in fancy news conferences with party leaders. I believe that being a good representative is about helping the people of your district, and getting things accomplished that will improve the quality of their lives. I am proud that Mike Boland represented his district so well with his votes in Springfield, and I commend Boland’s courage in standing up for us all and fighting for what is right.
Sincerely,
Michael Huntoon
Dear Editor:
I am writing in response to recent letters criticizing Representative Mike Boland because he voted for this year’s state budget. I believe those criticisms were unjust, because a yes vote on the budget was a vote to move in a positive direction. Boland’s yes vote is about bringing significant new economic development to our area.
When the budget is presented to the members of the legislature, it’s usually put forth as a single piece of legislation, so there are always pluses and minuses to be weighed. It’s not usually a simple choice, but this year’s budget had so many benefits for our region, that the choice was pretty obvious.
The current budget not only included the long awaited opening of the Thomson Correctional Facility, it also contained the "local matching funds" necessary to secure millions of Federal dollars to transform Route 30 to a modern four lane highway. Boland’s vote for the budget was a vote to bring a full fledged Western Illinois University campus to our area, and there’s much more of benefit to our region that has not yet been announced.
When minority leader Tom Cross held a news conference with Steve Haring denouncing Boland’s vote, Cross perhaps wasn’t aware of all the great things the budget brings to the 71st district. As minority leader, Tom Cross does have the entire Republican Party to look out for, so, I can’t really fault him for wanting Steve to follow their party line. But it’s also pretty obvious that our regional needs, and one party leader’s personal interests, are not necessarily alike.
If either one of them had taken the time to study the budget and learn about all the improvements it brings to the 71st district, they would have easily understood why Boland voted yes. It’s simple really, a vote in favor of the budget was right thing to do for the 71st district!
I don’t believe that politics in the 21st Century should be about following party lines or pointing fingers in fancy news conferences with party leaders. I believe that being a good representative is about helping the people of your district, and getting things accomplished that will improve the quality of their lives. I am proud that Mike Boland represented his district so well with his votes in Springfield, and I commend Boland’s courage in standing up for us all and fighting for what is right.
Sincerely,
Michael Huntoon
