12 of us met in Lake Forest, Illinois last Friday night most who had not met before. This was one of the earliest of almost 3,600 Economic Stimulus Discussion nationwide last weekend.
We viewed the videos from Organizing for America and discussed the local economy. We decided to attend today’s Town Hall meeting for our local Representative, Mark Kirk, who voted against the House Economic Stimulus program but who we believe can support the Senate version.
We also want to promote and implement a local Economic Summit to highlight the distressing situation. We hope to engage the support of the local Chamber of Commerce to bring together main street businesses, realtors, developers, local government and interested citizens to a) understand the situation, and b) decide what we can do locally. Still a lot to develop for this idea.
Here is what we plan to do and ask today at 2 PM at Mark Kirk’s Town Hall.
“I am spokesperson for a diverse group which wants to ask you about two things: your support for the Economic Recovery Plan, and for participation in a local, grassroots initiative to improve our local economy
We are a diverse group, most of whom did not know each other before last night
- From Libertyville, Lake Bluff, Glencoe and a core from Lake Forest
- Software engineers, bankers, health care, manufacturers, homemakers
- Some you voted for you even if we voted for our President
- Came to a Economy Recovery Discussion at our home in LF
Last night was the earliest of nine meetings in District 10 and 32,00 across country this weekend under the Organizing for America group, which was the former Obama for America grassroots organizing effort.
- Saturday PM – Vernon Hills, Highland Park, Mt. Prospect, Grayslake
- Sunday PM – Wheeling, Winnetka, Waukegan, Wilmette
- Tuesday – Highland Park
This Town Hall is timely because you’ll be voting on the Economic Recovery soon. We also appreciate your willingness to listen – many of receive and respond to your regular surveys. Here is what we learned last night which you may already know but which surprised and distressed us.
- 100+ foreclosures in Lake Forest alone
- 16 vacant storefronts in downtown business district
- Several of us have lost jobs with multi-national No. Shore companies
- One of our member house is in foreclosure now
So things are bad – worst than many might think even in higher income areas of Lake County. We can only imagine in other parts of District 10.
Lake Bluff - 52 foreclosures Lincolnshire - 59 Libertyville - 95 Wilmette - 66 Wheeling - 100+ North Chicago - 100+ Waukegan - 100+* * The site only lists up to 100 for a community.
So we have two questions – each based on actions we decided last night.
1 – Given the changes in the Senate version, can you support the Economic Stimulus program – that’s what you can do? You stated on Chicago Public Radio that your biggest concern was the size and the mix between tax credits and infrastructure spending. If passed as proposed, will you vote for it?
2 – Would you or one of your representatives attend a Lake Forest/Lake Bluff Economic Summit – that’s what we can do?
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