Another thing's been on my back burner...
I could not see how voters bought LarryBoy's campaign stats/crap 'crime is down'....it should be abundantly clear there is a MAJOR,INCREASING gang problem developing right here in RiverCity...start here....
http://www.rrstar.com/homepage/x1092974505/Rockford-catching-up-on-graffiti-removal
"...Although nationally about 78 percent of graffiti is what is known as hip-hop graffiti in which crews try to gain “fame” by painting “masterpieces” in highly public places, 53 percent of what is recorded in Rockford is gang-related and just 13.5 percent is hip-hop, according to the Rockford Police Department.....
Through March, vandals are setting a damaging pace that eclipses that of the same time period last year with 323 reported cases compared with 274....."

So THIS just becomes common...
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x297231343/Rockford-police-Man-shot-in-back
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x50623222/Auburn-freshman-shot
http://www.rrstar.com/homepage/x718275461/Police-investigate-stabbing-carjacking?popular=true
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x718273485/Rockford-police-find-man-s-body

And no one seems willing to slap Chief Chet upside that melon of his,and say"HEY!!WHAT'S THE DEAL????"
And see,the OTHER thing is,that whole bogus "Weed and Seed"success has validated the view many have expressed, all this dog-and-pony show has done is MOVE and EMBOLDEN the punks....THEY know there's not enough cops to cover the city when most manpower is concentrated protecting LarryBoy's Haight Village and the Weavers' compound....

(these FOUR years are gonna be lonnnnnggggggg)




BTW,
Thanks for your support,Jay and Oldman...

(Gonna start a little personal again...."LarryBoy in his own words, for what it's worth -"...nearly 3 years' of sarcastic commenting and investigative fact-finding,with 123758 views, last entry Thu Apr 23, 2009 6:52 pm ends with a whimper....
See,I never took the time to document my password,just stayed logged in....so one day months ago,I discovered I was no longer logged in,tried to recover,re-register,everything...with no luck....
BUT,that was w/Mozilla,out of the blue tried IE and I was stilled logged with THAT browser....
(censorship????...don't know)
Well last night IE ALSO seemed to have"losted" my log in...when I attempt to recover my password the forum says the e-mail address I created JUST FOR "unmanager"was NOT the one on file(??????????) AND not able to create a "NEW"username because....Sorry, but this username has already been taken....but I didn't even TRY A NEW USERNAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I always knew the day would come....Kinda bittersweet....
Que sera,sera...
KEEP MOVING FORWARD!!!!
EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE ROCKFORD'S RISING!!!
EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE !!!!("T'aint what you do, But who you know" ) READY FOR ACTION!!!!!!(psst,buddy,wanna buy a TIF?...It's the only game in town)
WE KNOW WHAT'S BEST...SIT DOWN,SHUT UP!!!!!WE CONTROL THE NEWS!!!!WE CONTROL THE STATS!!!!WE CONTROL YOUR TAX$$$$$!!!SIT DOWN,SHUT UP!!!!!

So I remember watching that Council meeting when they passed the budget,and Ald.Timm wanted to take $225,000 from the General Fund so the non-union city employees would not have to take "furlough"days,unpaid days off without pay....so the only argument AGAINST this move was that it would turn a "balanced"budget into a "deficit"budget,I mean,REALLY,it's only a WORD...anyone with any sense knew LarryBoy's flair for spending would not let a little old word like "DEFICIT" rein in HIS "vision".... So that (and the election) seem the only reason the Metro bailout, (IN THE WORKS FOR 6 MONTHS!?[wasn't Dancin'Doug the Mark hired within that time frame?] )wasn't brought up BEFORE was there'd be a "deficit"budget to pass.... (On a related note,seems that although we(the watching public and aldermen) understood that there would be those "furlough"days,apparently the next day the affected employees learned they were actually receiving a PAY CUT...but to "sweeten" the blow,they ALSO RECEIVED EXTRA (paid)VACATION DAYS!!!!!!!! )

I could only shake my head in wonder with the news of the MetroCentre needing mo'money... http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x718262375/Request-to-City-Council-for-MetroCentre-loan-laid-over?popular=true And,of course,the newspaper story makes a few too many excuses for the situation in defense of LarryBoy.... Thing is,this is about the third time we've heard "just this ONE time,really,from now on we will be self-supporting"... the whole situation just reeks of spoiled-kid spending,underhanded manipulation and 'keep it quiet till after the election'.... Didja see LarryBoy making excuses at council during his officers' report? Corey recited the AME script... http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/43322762.html
Quote:"The economy is a really big part of that right now so we're hoping to get through that,” said Pearson during a Rockford City Council meeting.... Pearson says an eight-month delay in construction of Corporate Suites and an absence in naming rights have put the MetroCentre in a hole...“They have a lot to gain from this as well. We bring a lot of people downtown so we work very close with the city,” said Pearson. He says going to the city was a last resort since he's already reduced his staff from 38 employees to 18 and combined businesses to fill vacant suites. "We’re doing more partnerships than we anticipated. It seems to be working well; it just takes longer when you have two to three people that you’re trying to put together," Pearson said..... Pearson says although financial times are tough, the MetroCentre has seen a nearly 70 percent increase in attendance since the renovations began.EERIE,huh....see one thing obvious to me with LarryBoy's history of STATS..."nearly 70 percent increase in attendance..."and the sell-outs also mentioned are meaningless....ATTENDANCE does not mean they COVERED THEIR COSTS.... Between the BONDS(bad for roads,good for hockey),the overpriced parking lot and the LAST time they needed loan, seems we've got our OWN CitiBank or something,just too big to fail... it would just be nice if LarryBoy was just more upfront and honest about the entire situation....(t least one report attempts to tell it like it is... http://www.wrex.com/global/story.asp?s=10217889
Quote:ROCKFORD (WREX) -- Despite claims that a $20 million MetroCentre renovation would eliminate the need for operating subsidies, the city considers a $600,000 loan to the downtown sports arena....Although Pearson said he has been working on the loan for six months, most aldermen were informed only this afternoon. The agenda item given for the MetroCentre loan - required by law - was two words: "Financial Discussion."And LarryBoy said..." "They have significant short term needs," he told the City Council Monday night." and HIS SIGNIFICANT SHORT TERM NEED was to keep this quiet before the election....taxpayers couldn't be reminded how that remodel/hockey deal was SHOVED DOWN THEIR THROATS.... Check THIS...http://www.metrocentre.com/corporate/staff/
Quote:Corey Pearson General Manager Brian Luther Assistant General Manager Doug Mark Vice President of Corporate Sales and Premium Seating Erin Jenkins Executive Assistant Susan Campbell Director of Operations Brian McMahon Director of Finance Matt Mohr Director of Marketing and Sales John Gilbery Operations Manager Elizabeth Grans Event Manager Samantha Henwood Video Services Manager Jena Keith Box Office Manager Dave Lape Guest Services Manager Kathryn Wade Marketing and Sales Manager Michele Crew Assistant Box Office Manager Matt Bechtol Operations Supervisor and Ice Technician Jerry Sofran Building Engineer Supervisor Sandra Swain Maintenance Supervisor Patty DiMario Receptionist Carol Gulley Payroll Specialist Chris Smith Accounts Payable Clerk looks like a very top-heavy bureacracy,huh? I think it's too bad that there won't be the ENOUGH resistance to this plan,(quite sure it's a done deal)but wish Council could grow a SPINE...give the money,get rid of management... (Those who forget the past are doomed.....)

Remember THIS....
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x617072795/Rockford-superintendent-search-recap-Mayor-was-there

Quote:

ROCKFORD —Mayor Larry Morrissey, a frequent critic of the Rockford School District, met with School Board leaders at least two times during their search for a new superintendent.... The mayor also downplayed his role and evaded questions about his participation....
Morrissey was reluctant to talk about his connections with the search.... Morrissey said Thursday..."the last thing I wanted to do was give the impression I was sticking my nose in it. I wasn’t.”

See,that brings us to THIS....
http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x50620477/Revised-contract-for-LaVonne-Sheffield-being-sent-to-School-Board-members

Quote:

“I hope to still have productive conversations with Dr. Sheffield,” Kalchbrenner said.
Mike Williams, School Board vice president, said the e-mail was private.
“That e-mail was supposed to be between board members and our attorney,” said Williams. “I think it’s an ethics violation.”
But all the information circulating now isn’t the holdup with Sheffield’s contract, he said.
“Not everything in that memo is still an issue. Whoever gave out that information gave out old information.”
Kalchbrenner agreed — “some of that is not even on the table.”

So there's all this hoopla about "our" new superintendent,BUT she isn't signed yet....
See, anyone with a recollection of LarryBoy's tenure could see his fingerprints all over this circus....
reminds me of the grand announcement of the Police Chief he picked(until they did a background check...,oh,well Chief Chet will have to do) and then the "eminent domain-style" of quick take of the Icehogs' name for his new hockey team...LarryBoy made public e-mails of then-owner Dr.T....REMEMBER????

Premature announcements and leaked e-mails....a legacy...
MOVING ROCKFORD FORWARD!!!!
(Those who forget the past are doomed.....)

I guess LarryBoy just can't stop the spending.... http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x126898151/RHAs-goal-Improve-not-just-replace
Quote:...As the RHA moves forward with its plans for redeveloping the neighborhood, city officials have proposed a larger East River tax increment financing district to encompass the area....With the plan set for discussion Monday by the Planning and Development Committee, projects are already lining up in anticipation of district’s approval, said Richard May, Rockford Commercial Development coordinator. Those include a $3.4 million redevelopment of a building in the 400 block of East State Street that houses Sims Jeweler. The project aims to redevelop 10 market-rate condos and add two storefronts or restaurants. The project would benefit from $550,000 in reimbursement from the property tax increment. Redevelopment of seven condo lofts is under way at 202 N. Madison St., and a model is set to open soon, May said....TIF TIF TIF...DEBT DEBT DEBT....SPEND SPEND SPEND... (His buddy/partner of Garrison Lofts,Chandler Anderson,is appointed to the RHA board....HHHHMMMMM) And I'm quite certain those addresses on E.State and Madison have sucked up city "development" funds under past projects.... (During the campaign,LarryBoy showed his lawyer ability to dismiss broad generalizations while ignoring the kernel of TRUTH in a statement....but see,at the rate things are going,soon the city will be just 90+ happily-overlapping,blind trusted LLC "development" TIF's ( !!!“we’ve got to throw every dollar we can at redeveloping downtown.”) with one fire truck,2 'citizen' cops, and a couple of snow shovels...(WHO needs PUBLIC SAFETY and PUBLIC WORKS when we're developing a "hip,urban core"!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So the story finally hit the paper about the "GreatMallRemoval"... http://www.rrstar.com/homepage/x1931071789/Mall-removal-on-tonight-s-council-agenda
Quote:....The lowest bid during a bid opening last week was $2.7 million, well exceeding money set aside for the downtown streetscape project in the city’s Capital Improvement Program. That forced the city to pull the item from the Rockford City Council’s agenda and to re-evaluate its options....I may well be mistaken,but I just cannot see how this project is THE HOLY GRAIL,an imperative step to downtown Rockford's RESURRECTION!!!!!!! Anyway,on WNTA today,Ken Decoster had "Dancin'Double-Dippin" Doug Mark on to answer questions about the project and,considering it's in HIS ward and HE has so championed the move,when asked about the "WHY" the cost was so high,DM really didn't seem to have a CLUE!! Heck,I'd expect he'd have been in on the planning and scope of the work specs...(or just READ..."Cafe-style seating, more on-street parking, and intricate way-finding medallions built into the pavement at intersections are all part of the designs. ...." the story tells us...) And see,with Pat Curran PLEADING for attention for Rural ST.(he's right,the road is downright DANGEROUS) and Vic Bell outraged ("unacceptable"he railed) at no immediate stimulus money for S.Main St., it would be so cool to see the "Battle of LarryBots",those three duking it over road money....ah,but it won't happen....LarryBoy won't tolerated his toadies acting up.... see,Dancin'Doug had promised the Signal Hill Neighborhood a cul-de-sac where Grant Ave.comes off Whitman,...oh,3or4 years ago...and a year later,when asked about it,he explained the money(supposedly 'set aside') was spent elsewhere...well,Duh-Doug,I know LarryBoy wants the Mall gone,and you OWE him your cushy Metro job,but IF you really CARE ABOUT ROCKFORD, fixing decrepit old roads SHOULD come before overspending on a "Road to MetroWorld".... "sigh"

So there was this story again today....http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x711735112/Times-tough-for-taxing-bodies reinforcing the gloom and doom scenario facing local governments,but we have yet to be informed by the RRStar of THIS "moneypit" project of LarryBoy.... http://www.wifr.com/news/headlines/42784137.html
Quote:City leaders found out that they're over budget on this project by hundreds of thousands of dollars, based on construction bids opened on Thursday.... The project entails tearing down the existing Main Street Mall and extending Main Street through that area with sidewalks. The city was targeting a May 1st start date to get rolling on the work. But now project leaders expect to start at least a few weeks later, after learning the low bid came in $700,000 over budget.... See the newspaper is LarryBoy's biggest mall removal cheerleader.....none of the folks involved in this decision really care WHAT the cost....this one bold move will singlehandedly save Rockford from mediocrity...raising it to it's rightful place among hip,urban,eco-friendly,21st Century,job-attracting mecca for all that is good in the world.... KEEP MOVING FORWARD!!!! EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE!!!“we’ve got to throw every dollar we can at redeveloping downtown.”

back to my talk with Doug...
See,he was so disappointed with LarryBoy's major campaign distraction whining about campaign tactics...Doug was subjected to numerous shady tricks...SOMEONE started a whisper campaign(Jim"Rove"Thacker??)among the black community Doug was racist....code enforcers hassled him on signs while ignoring Morrissey-stooge candidates(think Weaver,Bonne) guilty of the same violations....
Doug's supporters WANTED a more mud-slinger type campaign,but he didn't want to go there...
Think about it...Coppergate,Jim("DUI" in a CITY VEHICLE)Ryan....there was plenty more....think about it...the police officers are aware of many sleazy goings-ons that have been hushed by the media and administration
Despite the IMAGE of Doug painted by LarryBoy and dutifully copied/pasted by The RegisterStar, the guy has HONESTY and INTEGRITY that really would have brought true change to Rockford government...well,it's the city's loss...

(so on a note related to "dirty tricks",now I have no complete understanding of text message tracking,but LarryBoy showed that offensive text being FORWARDED to and by Doug's son,so is it not logical that they know WHO originated it? How come THAT wasn't publicized?Could some LarryBot have started the whole thing hoping for this outcome???)

Well,kinda obvious the"Get out and Vote" exclamation I and many others preached Mon./Tues. fell on deaf ears...LarryBoy's "landslide" consisted of oh,about winning 12% of the registered voters.....pretty pitiful turnout. So that's outta the way... I don't want to start off some "sour grapes" rant so I'm gonna go a bit personal...I confess I was more Anti-LarryBoy than Pro-Block....I felt,though a longshot,he represented the best chance for dethroning King Lar.... I wish I had found time to get more involved in Doug Block's campaign...(supplementing a disability check with bagging groceries and putting smiley-face stickers on snot-faced kids doesn't leave a lotta free time....) Anyway,talking to those circles of citizens I found such disappointment with so many LarryBoy antics,I really expected a potential upset brewing... So election nite,I throw the blue vest in the trunk after work and head over to Cliffbreakers. So here's the deal...when I introduced myself to Doug,he actually took time to sit down and talk with me...this was a GENUINE,CARING PERSON....not a glamorous candidate perhaps,but definitely not a phony. He spent 15-20 minutes talking from his heart and I was truly impressed. See,Doug,(along with MANY other cops,firefighters,and AFSCME workers...you know,those evil,greedy UNIONS LarryBoy spent THIS campaign railing against) was a big supporter of LarryBoy last time around....LarryBoy really cultivated all kinds of union support,promising a new openness in labor relations,"a seat at the table"... And,once LarryBoy took up residence on the 8th floor, all the union workers that worked so hard at the grassroots level to put him there,suddenly found their phonecalls unanswered,never returned,not even acknowledged. And see,as labor relations are now at the most toxic level ever,Doug felt a personal responsibility for his misguided support of LarryBoy and saw a DUTY to oppose his re-election... And you know,with a primary contest that shorten his campaign,his message really never came across.... Doug wanted the common man,Joe Rockford to have a collaborative role in government....LarryBoy preaches participation,but it's pretty much limited to Chamber of Commerce,RAEDC,RVACB,NextRockford,etc,etc.....all organized boards,often with strong supporters....dissent is not appreciated....

more to come....

Kinda funny,they let Chief Chet back for Council last nite...he's been MIA,sure LarryBoy couldn't take the chance of him opening his mouth,saying something stupid that didn't "stay on message"...
Keep Rockford moving FORWARD!!!
Right....

Well,it's here....ELECTION DAY....
And trying to talk with a cross-section of voters, I am faced with the very real possibility this thread might be nearing the end. The Reign of LarryBoy the First might very well be done in 24 hours.
Sure, there's still a LarryBot Army that ignores the budget realities of his fiscal irresponsibility.... but I sense a larger movement that's fed up with statistical mumbo-jumbo,excuses for the road conditions,and the past week of LarryBoy's incessant WHINING about being picked on,victimized,and still blaming the mess HE created on all those past administrations....
See,if you remember,the 9/11 attacks caused a bit of an economic downturn...things got a little bleak for the city finances,but Doug Scott never looked to cut BASIC CITY SERVICES....remember the windstorm???He INCREASED city services,cleaning up the hundreds of downed trees....a temporary bump in the garbage bill,judicious use of the "rainy-day fund"( NO ONE but Larry and Sammuls seem to know what's in there NOW) and despite the challenges,regardless of any other feelings you had about Scott as a mayor,he left the city's finances in better shape than when he took office....that will never be said about LarryBoy....

But they say you can't overestimate the intelligence of voters....maybe there lurks those that ignore the BOND BOND BOND SPEND SPEND SPEND actions of LarryBoy and still cling to "The Vision"....
man,that's one powerful hallucinogenic....

So tommorrow's Election Day...it is finally here...a little reflection on the "Reign of LarryBoy" is inevitable....Random ramblings to follow...

The Chuckster ....
http://www.rrstar.com/opinions/columnists/x180626273/Low-key-mayoral-race-has-been-a-disappointment
gives his typical kudos to LarryBoy for "accomplishments" and hopes he changes his "style" a bit...." Morrissey(he) needs to expand his tight-knit inner circle to reflect Rockford’s diversity...."
See,that's just not gonna happen. LarryBoy grew up insolated,insulated,...I just can't see him changing now.
Look at this past week....a virtual WhineFest...sign placement,text messages,pictures with Blago,the firefighter campaign for PUBLIC SAFETY...
(there's another point,Chuck excuses LarryBoy...."Maybe Morrissey is sobered by what’s on his plate. His first four years featured back-to-back floods....." Well,see I've always been convinced that LarryBoy,with his "VISION" of..." city government by using statistical models...."
Determined after the FIRST flood,STATISTICALLY, it wouldn't happen again,he IGNORED the need to address the Keith Creek clean-up...that crapshoot didn't fall his way...NOW he's willing to risk Rockford citizens SAFETY by reducing manning on the fire trucks....


WHAT ARE THE ODDS....

Another thought on Chuck's comments "... disappointed in Morrissey’s campaign. I haven’t seen the vigor that characterized his prior efforts. I’m not quite sure what he wants to do that’s new in a second term. Maybe Morrissey is sobered by what’s on his plate. His first four years featured back-to-back floods. In a second term, he’ll have to have a sandbagging operation against a flood of recession-related woes...."
Pure speculation,but I just can't help but wonder if somewhere along the line,LarryBoy has committed TOO MANY TAX$$$ to "redevelopment" and realizes THOSE bets won't cover his IOU's...and it's only a matter of time before the public finds out...maybe the "vigor" isn't there because he REALLY DOESN'T WANT TO BE IN OFFICE when the stuff finds the fan...

I heard several opinions that Block's campaign is starting to unravel over LarryBoy's press conference "charges" but sems to ME it's LarryBoy on the ropes....
He called WNTA TWICE yesterday with more lawyer-speak defending his STATS...
then he gets tangled up in MORE LIES....
Residency seems to really be a "talking point" for him...and someone brought up his Director of Public Works AND his raise last year of 38%...
First off,receiving mail and having holiday parties at an address is a poor excuse for residency...
Secondly,Larry's accepted LIE about a 'promotion' to defend the raise is easy enough to DISPROVE...
http://www.rrstar.com/archive/x1681065942
'Posted Sep 14, 2007 @ 11:47 PM
ROCKFORD
The former head of the city's Department of Public Works is no longer working for the city.
Bill Bittner, who was replaced as public works director in June...'
So JUNE 2007 ....there was NO PROMOTION in 2008 as the LIE claims

And,if residency is SO important to Larry...
http://ims.wingis.org/
Would one of his staunch defenders SHOW ME WHERE LARRY PAYS PROPERTY TAXES?
According to WINGIS he doesn't.....

Now he's WHINING about the firefighters' "Four 4 Life" campaign....
http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x1931058903/Morrissey-files-complaint-over-ads-from-firefighters-union

Geez,LarryBoy...grow up...let's talk about YOUR SPENDING...

I just am STILL amazed at the LACK of news coverage of Mon nite's Silly Council....those that watched were treated to a glimpse of the newly developing rift between LarryBoy and many of the aldermen...sure, he's still got Sosnowski and Curran carrying water,but some of his other toadies(Beck,Mark)were surprisingly QUIET as the Council has taken more control of the city spending,much to the objections of "Money"Sammuls ....
Anyway,after the "Budget Battles" have taken mainstage on every local media platform for the past many weeks,it really took searching Tues afternoon to find that story....It's comforting to know,after months of gloom and doom budget projections,faulty truancy data,and increased DAYTIME armed robberies(dry cleaners,etc) LarryBoy has nothing better to do than....hold an officialLarryBoypressconferencewhinefest....
http://www.rrstar.com/rockford/x180619009/Morrissey-scolds-mayoral-opponent

Quote:

Morrissey scolds mayoral opponent

Weds. morning,the "story" still rages...

Quote:

Morrissey blasts 'despicable' tactics

seems what's important to LarryBoy's leadership of Rockford in these tough times??? HIS FEELINGS got hurt.....
DaddyMorrissey calling WNTA....oooh,Jim"Hacking"Thacker getting 'tough'...
gimme a break,fellas...