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CORRECTS |
Citizens Organized for
Reasonable Routes Enhancing
Community Traffic & Safety
non- non-partisan, nonprofit, member-supported public interest organization that promotes Traffic and Safety issues by influencing public policy decisions: legislative, administrative, legal, and electoral. A community organization dedicated to providing a central place to review Park Ridge Traffic and Safety issues with its citizens and their elected Representatives and City's management. To practice and promote the responsible use of our roads, traffic systems and resources. To educate and enlist citizens to protect and restore the quality of our auto and pedestrian traffic as one of our cherished human environments in Park Ridge. CORRECTS - Citizens Organized for Reasonable Routes Enhancing Community Traffic & Safety believes that citizen's pedestrian safety, auto safety and reasonable routes comes first in city traffic. That before adding a traffic signal or traffic signals which generates slow traffic, bumper-to-bumper traffic, traffic gridlock, traffic complaints, traffic crashes, traffic signs, traffic bottleneck, automobile traffic, traffic congestion, rush hour traffic, bumper to bumper traffic, traffic congestion, rush hour traffic and automobile traffic, that a Park Ridge Alderman and/or Park Ridge Aldermen, should require a traffic study to avoid this auto traffic scenario in Park Ridge, Illinois. Only reasonable auto traffic should be permitted to provide reasonable routes with traffic safety and avoid traffic accidents, traffic injuries, pedestrian injuries, auto accidents, traffic problems, which will also decrease pedestrian traffic in Park Ridge and thus negatively affect retail sales and our quality of life. We encourage Park Ridge citizens to register and for all voters to vote only for a Park Ridge Alderman / Park Ridge Aldermen Park Ridge Mayor that promises to ensure Reasonable Routes and City Traffic Safety. Today’s Park Ridge City Policy of waiting for citizens to first be injured, maimed and dead, while creating a serious crisis of traffic congestion, in traffic routes and hurting existing retail businesses, is unacceptable. CORRECTS holds itself out as an Open Forum to provide an opportunity for citizens and organizations to inform the public of events, issues or projects. This will allow you to report anything you wish to see addressed or answered regarding traffic anywhere in Park Ridge. Your input on this issue if vital to all of us. Please review and advise us of what you think of the concepts and what you prefer. We need your input to inform and advise. Check out our Park Ridge Traffic and Safety series of forums and speak out.
.Our Mission: Reduce Vehicle Congestion, Prevent Injuries, Save Lives |
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Issued - March 26, 2005 How CORRECTS Rates & Recommends Candidates An interesting and meaningful question was asked on our Discussion Board* We’re glad you asked, as we try very hard to separate the truth from fiction or hope. It is the candidates own position regarding their level of concern and willingness to follow through on traffic and safety issues that their rating is based on. They need not agree with CORRECTS on particular solutions or all issues, but only indicate that they have a position and that their position is independently thought through and is based on reasoning and facts. They must also be aware of and have concern for traffic and safety issues. We believe that our Civic leaders must be informed , open minded and reasoned individuals who are concerned for all Park Ridge citizens and businesses. This is not the easiest thing to do, but we believe we have developed as impartial and fair a means by which to accomplish this task for Park Ridge voters who are concerned about traffic and safety. We should note, that CORRECTS only addresses traffic and safety. Every voter needs to determine the other attributes a candidate brings to the table. We believe a voter should vote according to their conscience and use our ratings in accordance with the facts they have and degree of belief in that candidate. We hope upon review of our CORRECTS site, a voter will have information to determine truth from fiction (spin) on traffic and safety issues and will have assisted the voter in deciding if a candidate has the concern and attributes to be a viable Mayor or Alderman. CORRECTS only endorses candidates based on the candidates own words and publicly voiced concern regarding Traffic and Safety. Thus, those who were provided detailed studies, reports, alternatives and other input and chose either to ignore, not think about or recognize independent facts in their decision making process, will not get high ratings from CORRECTS. Those with closed minds who will vote only what their leader believes will also not get high ratings. Those unwilling to take a common sense approach and take a few minutes to review traffic and safety issues, will not receive high ratings. Currently, the approach to a proposed signal light at Touhy & Summit issue, appears certain to create the greatest harm to safety and traffic ever experienced in the history of Park Ridge and will detrimentally impact Uptown and much of Park Ridge. Therefore, this “issue” has become our greatest concern and resulted in our greatest amount of political activism to see it done right. Candidates that hide behind a statement about studies by "expert" consultants (IDOT thus far has denied a permit), but rejected a $15,000 traffic study by Distinguished Traffic Experts who disputed their claims and whose livelihood is derived from protecting cities from developer’s “experts”. In addition, this study was available to the City for free. Demonstrate to CORRECTS, a reckless disregard for all its citizens and future redevelopment of Uptown “target areas”. Their plan has a car turning on an average of once every five seconds and other cars passing alongside the walkers as pedestrians are crossing. This rate of turns while pedestrians cross exceeds any intersection we know of in Illinois where the speed of the vehicles is expected to be well in excess of 5 MPH. We discuss with each candidate where they stand on traffic and safety issues and this, starting from the day they announced their candidacy. We listen to all input from others and CORRECTS founder "George Kirkland" clears, contacts and checks these issues out with each candidate to assure CORRECTS properly gives each the same ear, to protect the candidates from third party errors, much the same as a legitimate newspaper provides someone they are writing about a chance to respond. Plus this protects against a designed by committee type of design, notorious for imperfections or any bias toward a political party, a “true” Independent or the splinter group running as “Independents” running to join prevailing faction remaining in the Council. Then, based on the information presented and backed up by public statements released to the general public a rating is determined. Public statements and actions of the candidate’s positions, they themselves promote are given the highest degree of certainty. As they are willing to publicly back it up in their campaign and hopefully will keep their promises when elected. The more openly candidates express concern in real terms, especially on real issues; the more likely it is that the candidate will follow through on their campaign promises. So it is far from "simply whichever candidate responded to the questions/concerns of one person associate with" CORRECTS, as all have done and still do, as we continue to monitor for any shifts toward or away from traffic and safety issues. This review and rating process has been ongoing since we began rating months ago. As an example, look at the ratings determinations for the Mayoral Contest and First Ward. CORRECTS initially did not give any Mayoral candidate a rating, to allow them to make the hard decisions while we followed up with them to see if they would consider additional information. Eventually, candidate Tinaglia said, "that traffic would not be a problem in Uptown… However, if there is a problem, we will work to solve that problem"… whereas, Frimark said, "I don't want a traffic problem later. I want to do it right now so we don't have a traffic problem later.". These comments are virtually unchanged from their quote given at the CURRB forum and as reported in a Park Ridge Advocate article by Jennifer Johnson ( see the Advocate’s article at: http://www.pioneerlocal.com/cgi-bin/ppo-story/localnews/current/pr/03-03-05-524097.html ). Frimark is simply not dismissing the safety issue and the potential cost to the city in traffic delays and lost business and is proactive in desiring to place the City’s best interest first. Thus, Tinaglia’s non-action on safety is unacceptable to CORRECTS and receives our lowest rating, while Howard Frimark’s combination of personal assurances to CORRECTS, public statements at places such as the CURRB candidate forum, and willingness to take appropriate actions on Traffic and Safety to safeguard us and the City earns our highest rating. Since the differences between the candidates are so far apart, it was easier for CORRECTS to recommend Howard Frimark as Mayor, despite enjoying Tinaglia on a personal level. If a candidate would allow serious injury and harm to our citizens as Mayor, what else would they allow? This review and rating process has been ongoing since we began rating months ago. Thus far, only Kirke Machon appealed to us to discuss his negative rating. We met with him for over two hours and have reviewed his written records, history and concerns over the closing of Meacham and the creation of what turned out to be an unsafe signal, which seemed like a good idea at the time and the right thing to do. We accepted the evidence that Machon had meant to do the right thing but it created a problem and asked him to take steps to make right what was wrong. Machon agreed to do what he could to correct the situation, although he never asked for us to change his rating, we then elevated it slightly and awaited results. Mr. Machon did request in writing the city reexamine the traffic facts and CORRECTS was invited to review with the Public Works our concerns on traffic, despite City Manager Schuenke's and Interim Mayor MaRous’ initial obstruction (see our January 20th Editorial "City Manager Admits Loss of Traffic Control... Whatever Will Be, Will Be... Que Sera, Sera at http://www.corrects.org/Traffic_Loss_of_Control.htm ) and their recent order to suppress all traffic information from the public until after the election, despite talk of “open government”. David Schmidt, who was running against Machon, not only met all verbal criteria but addressed the City Council to ask they consider our last proposal for a better, faster and safer setup, which would have permitted the new light to be installed and safely crossed. However, our interim Mayor chose to obstruct any discussion or traffic study. When Schmidt withdrew his candidacy, he threw his support to Machon, because he believed Machon living on Meacham only a block from the development would best protect this area in the first ward and would represent them by doing the right thing, thus Machon rating has been rising. Meanwhile, we continue to wait for Iberl to prove his promise regarding safety and traffic publicly, which weeks later we heard addressed by him at the CURRB meeting, but are still awaiting a public statement of the Touhy & Summit signal light. Both candidates currently are rated the same and neither is endorsed at this time, since they have equal scores and safety must come first. We hope one of them breaks their public silence on this issue, which is largely related to the manner in which Meacham was closed. (i.e. a candidate could publicly propose that the cul-de-sac of Meacham be placed on the north side of Northwest Highway, thus preventing the traffic from making the proposed Touhy & Summit signal light so dangerous. Although traffic flow would still be congested on Elm, Washington, Prospect and Greenwood… at least no one would be injured by it. That would increase their rating over the current plan, which is demonstrably unsafe). Both candidates, Mr. Machon and Mr. Iberl, currently are rated the same by CORRECTS, and neither is endorsed at this time since they have equal scores and safety must come first. We hope to hear one of them break their public silence on this as it is largely related to the reason for which Meacham was closed. (For example, a candidate could propose that the cul-de-sac of Meacham be placed on the north side of Northwest Highway, thus preventing the traffic from making the signal light so dangerous. That would increase their rating over simply leaving the cul-de-sac at Touhy, which is demonstrably unsafe. Although traffic would still be congested then on Elm, Washington, Prospect and Greenwood… at least no one would be injured by that choice.) The ability of candidates to make hard decisions for the safety of its citizens and the best traffic interests of Park Ridge, is what drives the highest rating or an endorsement. Only detrimental actions taken while in office or appointed positions carry the greatest weight... for a person truly can be defined by the action or inactions (what they do)... which trumps anything they say they will do or stand for. CORRECTS hopes that this clarifies the rating and endorsement process for you. CORRECTS also rates elected officials and tracks them using this methodology both now and after the election. So that if an elected official breaks their promise or oath to serve the citizens, it will be reported and the rating adjusted accordingly. You may check at any time by visiting “Check an Official” on the sidebar at CORRECTS website or enter the following URL directly into your browser: http://www.corrects.org/Park_Ridge_Officals.htm . CORRECTS encourages you to be as particular with your candidates on other issues as we are on traffic and safety. But, most of all, CORRECTS encourages you to vote. ** Since this was issued, both Kirke Machon and Marc Mazzuca have provided the requisite combination of private and public assurances and statements to have earned CORRECTS strongest endorsements. *"Endorsement Question" the paying members and active supporters of CORRECTS felt the initial question merited a response, although we collectively felt that it appeared more partisan oriented than interested in safety and traffic in Park Ridge... which we deem as overriding “politics” and some of its less than honest statements or dealings we have witnessed. This is why we provide this forum, to let the truth get out to the public beyond the political gatekeepers and short and snappy local newspapers which can not afford to go into the depth required. However, this questioning apparently is politically motivated, as the author’s name, "K. Sosay", appears to be a pseudonym since no such name as "Sosay" can be found in Park Ridge, and we believe the real intent was less than honorable. We want citizens who are honorable and serious about meaningful discussion to enjoy this site and find the relevant information they seek and perhaps start a discussion that will lead to some area of concern being addressed which would otherwise go ignored by the City. We therefore will allow a "guest" to not be required to provide any verifying contact information in order to encourage "openness" in freely reading and reviewing. But to post or reply one must register, as is normally how these forums work for this reason. While this is no guarantee of misuse by those with a political bent However, those with a political bent who wish to debate over candidates may have at it at our where only your voices count! George Kirkland Fair Use Notice This site contains copyrighted material the use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. We are making such material available in our efforts to advance understanding of environmental, political, human rights, economic, democracy, scientific, and social justice issues, etc. We believe this constitutes a 'fair use' of any such copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner Contact us anytime by email at George Kirkland
STAY INFORMED... KEEP IN TOUCH WITH NEW TRAFFIC ISSUES! |
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