Tough week for LarryBoy , huh?
"ROCKFORD — It was a night of civil discord at the City Council meeting today, with residents protesting proposed cuts in the library budget and others supporting fire Lt. Brian K. Watkins...."
AND there were signs about the Church School foreclosure, the RVC football team show...
Followed by...

Fatal shooting at day care

And the newspaper really helps muddy the water...
FIRST...
they tell what bad gut the victim was..."From 2005 to 2009, he had been charged with a number of crimes ranging from aggravated assault and battery of a peace officer, residential burglary, retail theft and obstructing justice. Many of the charges were dismissed, some because of plea dealings. He pleaded guilty to punching a Rockford police officer in the face while being arrested in May 2005. He was sentenced to two years probation.

Barmore also pleaded guilty to robbing a man’s home in August 2005 and was sentenced to four years in prison. He pleaded guilty to stealing clothes and miscellaneous items from Wal-Mart in 2007, receiving probation again. His 2009 case for obstructing justice, property damage and disorderly conduct was pending. ..."
THEN...
they paint they officers as trigger-happy loose cannons..."The two officers involved in the shooting death of a 23-year-old man this week inside a downtown church-based day care center have used deadly force before...."
THEN...
Chief Inept-erson is allowed to speak at the press conference..." “The information, in closing, that I have given you are primarily facts,”..."(THIS is why LarryBoy occasionally muzzles him...)
THEN...
" Today, the chief clarified his comments and called the events leading up to the shooting “the initial reports.” "
See,it's an interesting development....
"... The Rev. Kenneth Edward Copeland of New Zion Baptist Church said the meeting was sought by the Rockford Ministers Fellowship..."
Now,I'm quite certain this fellowship had a mayoral candidate forum before the election,and I remember finding it so ironic that the day BEFORE the forum,they endorsed LarryBoy...
Oh,and...

MAYOR'S MINORITY ADVISORY COUNCIL

MEMBERS:

Rev. K.E. Copeland
(seems to me he was in ads for LarryBoy's campaign,too)

So quite a swirling mess in LarryLand....
With all the rain these last couple days,he probably would almost be RELIEVED to have ANOTHER 100-Year Flood
to change the focus...

" “As mayor, I have one primary obligation: To deliver the best possible services at the best possible price, and the library shares that same challenge,” Morrissey said. “In a tough financial time, if we have to make cuts, the responsibility is to make cuts that will result in us being able to sustain the best services at the best price.” "

Can you believe his AUDACITY??
This guy is so arrogant when he's claiming to care about the YOUTH and, as THIS story relates, "All but one librarian assistant would be gone.... the assistants do the lion’s share of programming...." Yup, YOUTH SERVICES PROGRAMMING...
Storytimes
Early literacy has been identified as a critical factor in your child’s ability to read and write later in life. It’s never too early to start! Join RPL for a variety of storytimes for infants to toddlers and enjoy stories, finger play, crafts, treats and more.

Summer Reading Club

One Book, One Rockford
A community that reads together, stays together. Every year, Rockford Public Library selects a title for our One Book, One Rockford community-wide reading program. The selected title is read by book groups, neighborhood associations and families all over Rockford.

Computer Classes

RPL offers free classes on Microsoft Word, Excel, Power Point and Basic Internet for the computer novice in both English and Spanish. Check out our computer class schedule by picking up a program guide or searching our online calendar for dates and times. Registration is not required for computer classes, but space is limited.

What's LarryBoy's RATIONALE?
"...much like the city is having to look for ways to save money in the delivery of public safety and public works services...."

SOOOoooo....
IF finances are so dire,how in the bloodclot can ANYONE justify THIS....

That's right CUSTOM manhole covers!!!!

Now we'll hear about ' it's a separate fund',or 'they were ordered BEFORE we knew times would be tight' blah,blah,yada,yada....
but BULLCRAP!!
This administration has a penchant for spending top dollar on useless,"imaging" and "branding" and "trademarking" and really has no concern for "... us being able to sustain the best services at the best price.” "

Remember this post....

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

....Mon. nite,LarryBoy announces a grant to hire more cops and tells about ANOTHER mayor that DIDN'T get a grant and so he tells him it's because ROCKFORD'S CRIME RATE IS SO HIGH!!!!!!

Well in a single DRAMATIC act, Chief Chet took it upon himself to end a CRIME WAVE!!!!

"

ROCKFORD (WREX) -- You see them on the street all the time, door-to-door vendors selling everything from candy bars to vinyl siding. Most people just say no thanks, but Rockford Police Chief Chet Epperson took it one step farther - and ended up in a physical confrontation...

the chief called the non-emergency line of the 911 center, then followed the man outside.

"I pressed the issue about what he was doing in the neighborhood," Epperson said. "At that point the person attempted to leave."

That's when things turned physical. Epperson wouldn't go into details, except to say he physically restrained the vendor until backups arrived...."

Thank God the streets are safe again....

You really ARE Batman!!!!

Interesting Council meeting last night....LarryBoy's Police & Fire Commissioner LoRayne Logan's re-nomination SHOULD have been read in....and it WASN'T.....
(HHHHHHMMMMMM)

But it revealed his"City Budget and Finance Advisory Group "

"...advice on how to cut expenses, increase revenue, maximize the city’s collective bargaining and help make inroads toward pension reform.....(Oh,good,THERE she is....
LoRayne Logan, The Workplace, president...also HERE...

Workplace	P.O. Box 4323 Rockford, IL 61110	$500.00 3/6/2008	Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey
Workplace	P.O. Box 4323 Rockford, IL 61110	$1,500.00 6/16/2008	Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey

Phyllis Ginestra, Draftfcb, director of finance

Ginestra, Phyllis

2187 Carrington Chase Rockford, IL 61114

$500.00 6/12/2009

Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey

Ted Ross, Sundstrand, retired vice president of finance

Ross, Ted Occupation: Owner Employer: Ted Ross & Associates	4815 Birch Ave. Rockford, IL 61114	$80.00 2/23/2009	Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey
Ross, Ted Occupation: Owner Employer: Ted Ross & Associates	4815 Birch Ave. Rockford, IL 61114	$500.00 2/27/2009	Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey
Ross, Ted Occupation: Owner Employer: Ted Ross & Associates	4815 Birch Ave. Rockford, IL 61114	$415.00 2/28/2009	Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey
Ross, Ted Occupation: Owner Employer: Ted Ross & Associates	4815 Birch Ave. Rockford, IL 61114	$7,000.00 4/6/2009	Individual Contribution Citizens for Morrissey

(HOLY BALLS!!)

Then we got this bunch...

Scott Bowers, Rockford Register Star, president and publisher

Janyce Fadden, Rockford Area Economic Development Council, CEO

They seem to have conflicts of interests in my opinion(shouldn't the paper stay OBJECTIVE? and RAEDC,seems they receive alot of city money...can't cut that,huh?)
And THIS guy.... Ryan Brauns, Rockford Consulting & Brokerage, senior consultant and city’s health insurance consultant

He's making money off EMPLOYEE Insurance Premiums!
(hard to tell where his take is hidden in the budget..CONTRACTUAL?OTHER EXPENSE?
Bet HE'LL suggest an increase in employees' contributions,)
Teamed with Jim Ryan, city administrator; Andres Sammul, city finance director; Patrick Hayes, city legal director

Reminds me a little of the S.S. Minnow..........
GILLIGAN!!!!





hhhhmmm

So I see that LarryBoy's "Break the Unions" campaign is officially ON....

"

As of 12:34 p.m., Thursday, the battle is engaged.

It’s framed very simply: Cut expenses (including but not limited to people, pensions, payroll, benefits) to match revenue; re-allocate existing resources to critical issues like education and infrastructure; and, hope tax revenue declines slow down so there’s no need for a tax increase.

Just after the chicken and mashed potatoes at the annual “mayor’s business speech” before the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Larry Morrissey laid out a no-holds-barred action plan for investing in the city’s priorities and critical needs — and for paying for it out of the current and future pockets of city employees, with an emphasis on union contracts.

Our community can no longer afford us, the mayor told about 500 of the region’s corporate, business and governmental decision makers. The “us” is clearly the police and fire unions, whose contracts are open and whose position continues to be: nope, we’re not budging very much..."

So then Linda LarryBot engages readers in comments, wherein she claims, NO,it's not about the unions....

Then, LarryBoy kicks in HIGH GEAR....

using the city website to continue the attack on city employees....a colorful charts and graphs statistical romp through time....useless predictions and meaningless comparisons....

YUP, I'm sold....get rid of the cops and firefighters....statistically speaking,there probably won't be any more crime,fires,or emergency medical needs in Rockford now that the downtown mall is gone and the MetroCentre is funded.....

Kind of an interesting week in LarryBoy's Empire....
FIRST...he paints the gloom and doom....
"Mayor Larry Morrissey hammered home his call for concessions in pay and operating costs from public safety unions Thursday as he painted a grim picture of Rockford’s finances during his “Mayor’s Business Luncheon.” "
But EVERYWHERE you turn,the "Savior of the City",(we've heard for the past decade) is the revitalization of downtown Rockford...
And who's the driving this effort??? None other than big-time LarryBoy contributors/influences the Provenzano's
yup,"...Joseph James Partners, a business entity established by brothers Peter and Matthew Provenzano to redevelop the building that houses the family’s logistics and procurement firm, failed to pay the note when it came due June 30, according to a lawsuit filed in Winnebago County Circuit Court last week....."(now I have it on VERY GOOD authority, ACTUAL establishing partners are JOSEPH(Morrissey)and JAMES(Provenzano) the patriarchs of these movin'/shakin'/land developin'/asset leveragin'/downtowncheerleadin' families)....
and see,they also own other downtown properties and they (ALONG WITH TAXPAYERS FOOTING TIF "DEVELOPMENT"FINANCING) are left with the proverbial "upside-down" mortgages typical in the real estate bubble-bursting aftermath.
Ya think THIS is tied up over the Provanzano loan-default????
"Mayor Larry Morrissey is working to put together a committee of aldermen and business leaders to study city finances, but he wasn’t ready to announce the committee members during tonight’s Rockford City Council meeting...The budget advisory group he is attempting to organize would offer advice to the city during the economic crisis...."
Do we NEED advice from THESE types of business leaders???

But see this buncha pinheads just cannot get it through their narrow minds that GOVERNMENT is NOT a business....taxes are paid under the assumption that government provides basic services to benefit the GREATER GOOD....all the well-intentioned fluff LarryBoy has introduced and continues to fund(riverwalk,hockey team,mall tearout,downtown loft-living, TIF after TIF after TIF) may be all well and good under other financial conditions,but THIS CRAP should be the first to go, not demanding public safety cuts as violent crime escalates,fires increase,etc.

Dijya catch the doublespeak this week....Mon. nite,LarryBoy announces a grant to hire more cops and tells about ANOTHER mayor that DIDN'T get a grant and so he tells him it's because ROCKFORD'S CRIME RATE IS SO HIGH!!!!!!
And then last evening,good old ChetHead is interviewed at the "National Night Out" gathering lying to the camera how his crime-fighting strategies are WORKING!!!!!!!!!!
And TODAY????

http://www.rrstar.com/news/publicsafety/x1558726848/Red-Chevy-Tahoe-sought-in-drive-by-shooting-investigation

and,a different story,
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1331797480/Rockford-police-on-scene-of-shooting
and know WHAT???
THAT'S WEED&FEED AREA!!!!!!!!!!!

keep up the great job, Chief LarryChet....

Gee,I think it's time for ChiefChet to give another of his statistically meaningless presentations reassuring the citizens crime is down....
I happened HERE ...check it out...
Man attempts to rob Credit Union 1 in
RockfordMan arrested for multiple counts of sexual assault
Police identify suspect arrested in Rockford homicide
Unrelated Rockford shootings leave one dead, one wounded
Men on bikes rob man of wallet at gunpointNorth Alpine Mobil station robbed at gunpoint

Great job...then there was THIS...
"People who live and work near Broadway and Ninth Street are angry. They just found out for the first time that three women were raped in their neighborhood, over the past few weeks...."
see THAT'S the kinda thing we have reverse 911 available for...

of course,if you don't ACKNOWLEDGE crime,there's no problem,right?