Use passion for mask issue to do good on real issues
I livestreamed the Naperville District 203 School Board meeting Monday night. We have some very passionate people in our town. There was a lot of name-calling and shouting, and the board president had to recess the meeting at least four times.
Out of the 38 speakers, the crowd heckled the four who thanked the board. For what? Wearing masks during a pandemic.
Where is this passion when it comes to other issues affecting our children? Imagine the good we could do together if we reacted with the same energy to keep our kids safe from school shootings and climate breakdown. Let’s go to Springfield to urge our legislators to support bills that require safe gun storage and background checks. Let’s bring our kids to Naperville City Council meetings to support an IMEA transition from coal to renewable energy sources.
It would be ironic if in a few years, this generation had to wear masks to protect themselves from poor air quality. Let’s get our priorities straight.
Allison Longenbaugh, Naperville
Yang Rohr wants to know top issues in 41st District
Households in the 41st District, encompassing parts of Naperville and Warrenville, should have recently received my office’s 2022 legislative survey in the mail. Thank you to the many who have already responded and shared your thoughts on what’s important to you and how you believe we should act to move Illinois forward.
As your representative in Springfield, I want to make sure I’m delivering the results on the issues you care about most; your feedback directly impacts how I and my office focus our time and resources. Based on survey responses so far, these are the top five areas our community would like to prioritize: Budget and taxes, crime and public safety, government reform, education and reducing health care costs.
I will hold myself accountable to our community in delivering progress in these areas and making sure you have the data and transparency to evaluate that work.
Sometimes that progress will come in the form of legislation, such as via my role on the House Personnel and Pensions Committee and my support of the pension early buyout program, which reduces pension liabilities by $1.4 billion.
At other times, you’ll see that work in our state’s budget. I’ve made our community’s voice clear in budget negotiations, where I am a member of the Appropriations-General Services Committee and have brought millions of dollars in additional capital and operating funding to our school districts.
It’s an honor to work on our community’s behalf and make sure we have a strong voice in Illinois. Please help ensure I’m representing your voice by taking our district’s legislative survey: RepYangRohr.com/legislative-survey.
State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, D-Naperville
41st District
Share your views
Submit letters to the editor via email to suburbanletters@tribpub.com. Please include your name and town of residence for publication. Please include phone number and email address for confirmation. Letters should be no more than 250 to 300 words.
