Letters to the Editor: Residents Supporting Wass, Barocio, White for Park Board

Park Board incumbents 'just dont' get it'

The incumbents on the Oswegoland Park District Board just don't get it.  Leonard Wass and Salvador Barocio have done us all a great public service by exposing the Park District's reckless spending-yet the Park District continues on its fiscally irresponsible path. 

OPD's expected revenues this year are down $843,000 from original estimates. At the same time, it increased proposed spending by over $625,000. It plans to make up this $1.5 million difference by tapping into the $3.5 million reserve fund, which could be used to lower fees and taxes.

Massive foreclosures, plummeting home values, high unemployment, and seniors unable to pay tax bills have hit our community hard.  The Park District Board is oblivious to all this.  They just go on taxing and spending. We need a change.

I have known Leonard Wass for 15 years.  He is an affable man of high integrity, great compassion, wisdom, and energy.  He was a very successful businessman and management consultant who has steered Fortune 500  Boards and CEOs to increasingly effective management for 35 years.

He served honorably in the Vietnam War with submarine special operations, and retired as a Navy Captain after 25 years active and reserve service. He holds an Annapolis (Naval Academy) BS in Engineering, and University of Chicago MBA in Finance & International Business.  He is uniquely qualified to address the Park District issues. 

I will vote for the challengers, Barocio, Wass, and White come April 5.

William Gade, Oswego

Time to 'reign in the terror of excessive governmental spending abuses'

The incredible spending by the Oswego Park District is beyond belief.  Thanks to the candidacies of Leonard Wass, and Salvador Barocio, the Park District Board is being exposed as perhaps one of the most abusive governmental spending units in the state, if not the country.

After a friend told me what he thought were spending issues, at the OPD, I got the Park District’s salary and benefit data under a FOIA request.  It was sickening to see these astronomical salaries, and benefit levels.  They averaged about $64,000 for full time and $47,000 for part time including the big benefit package they enjoy. 

The property taxes that OPD levies do not even cover these employee related expenses.  I even showed this to an acquaintance, who works for the Chicago Park District, and he said that it’s not just the salary levels that are the issue for the OPD.  He attended an OPD event, and observed the lavishness of that particular event.

Why should we continue to have such a spendthrift public body in our area?  Times are tough for many.  As in rest of our country, we must reign in the terror of excessive governmental spending abuses.  My solution is to vote the incumbent trustees out, and vote for the three challengers: Leonard Wass, Salvador Barocio, and Roy White, on April 5th.

Stephen Youhanaie, Oswego

Park District enjoys 'bragging about their costly programs each week in the local media'

For quite some time I thought the Oswegoland Park District was a fine organization, but I have changed my mind. It’s easy to be a fine organization if it disregards the taxpayers’ interests with runaway spending. Spending $456 per resident as compared with $269 for the next highest in line is outrageous. It also spends more than 3 times the Fox Valley Park District and more than 4 times the average of 78 towns across the USA.

The Oswegoland Park District recently raises taxes on us once again, and they are close to a taxing level that would bring about voter protests. They also charge huge fees, which are really taxes. We senior citizens are being taxed beyond our means, and the Park District could care less about us or any other citizen.

They have reached their goal of being the biggest spender per resident in the nation, and seem to celebrate this by bragging about their costly programs each week in the local media.

Taxpayers want fiscal responsibility, but I guess the Park District hasn’t gotten the message. I intend to give them the message on April 5 by voting for three challengers Salvador Barocio, Len Wass and Roy Whtie.

Hazel Smith, Oswego

Does Oswego need 59 parks?

This week’s paper announced home values dropped 11.5 percent and home sales are down once again. We seniors have trouble paying our tax bills. Many people here in Kendall County are out of work. Yet, some local politicians don’t even listen to us. I know, because I attended Oswego Park District meetings to petition them, and they were uninterested in our needs and wants.

I didn’t appreciate how bad the Park District was until I started reading the ads taken out by Leonard Wass and Salvador Barocio, where they provided the facts (with sources) on what is going on. How can we tolerate a Park District that is No. 1 in the country in spending per resident?

Park District staffing is also way too high, and their salaries and benefits are out of sight. It seems they are running a great show of taking care of themselves, but with our money.

I’ve spoken to some people who say they like the Park District services. I’ll admit that some, if not many, of the programs are fine and needed. But where does one draw the line? Do we need 59 parks? Or 1500 acres of recreational land?

It is clear to me that the Park District spends more than any other in the nation per resident is guilty of wasteful and reckless spending of our money.

We need a new Board that will manage properly, and pay attention to the needs of its citizens. I understand there are three challengers who will get my vote—Leonard Wass, Salvador Barocio and Roy White.

Sherill Jackson, Oswego