Letters to the Editor: Holzhauer's positive actions stand out on divisive council; Mendrick wrong on almost every point in gubernatorial bid

Chicago Tribune

07-03-2025

Holzhauer's positive actions stand out on divisive council
'Public debate,' 'fight' and 'heated' are some of the words used in the last two years to describe Naperville City Council meetings. They have become openly partisan and divisive in the last two years, lacking the cooperation and good governance goals of previous councils that resulted in many accolades being bestowed upon Naperville.
Council member Ian Holzhauer has been the target of some of the partisan attacks, yet he has managed to rise above the political fray and even defend fellow council members also singled out on the dais.
Holzhauer has deep connections to Naperville, as a resident and public servant, and it shows in his consistent efforts to support such things as housing for disabled adults, increased funding for mental health for our police and firefighters, and the planned extension of the Riverwalk to Edward Hospital.
And who can forget his support of the LGBTQ+ community when members of this same council singled out NaperPride and wanted to eliminate their SECA funding? His pushback resulted in their regaining funding for their event at Naper Settlement.
He also recently used his knowledge as a contract lawyer in the discussion regarding the early contract renewal requested by the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, offering some cogent reasons as to why the city should be wary of their request.
Local bodies of government are likely to feel the effects of the turmoil in Washington, D.C., in the coming years before the next election, and Naperville will benefit from having council members like Ian Holzhauer dedicated to serving Naperville and working with his colleagues towards a common goal.
We also recommend fellow incumbent Councilman Benny White and newcomers Mary Gibson and Ashfaq Syed to voters as candidates who believe in cooperation, instead of the sniping and partisan stunts we have seen from the present council.
Steve and Nancy Turner, Naperville
Mendrick wrong on almost every point in gubernatorial bid
I read with skepticism the March 2 article regarding DuPage County Sheriff James Mendrick's run for governor.
His first problem is the city of Chicago, which he says, based on everyone he's asked, should be run more like DuPage County. Obviously he didn't get outside of his own circle with that question.
Next he disparages the state's SAFE-T Act, which eliminates cash bail for nonviolent offenders. His jail would be pretty full and taxpayers would be paying a lot more money if criminals like shoplifters were kept in jail just because they couldn't make bail.
Then he moves on to the sanctuary laws barring local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. This is clearly a stab at people of color. They don't look like you so you don't want them here.
Next, he was among several county sheriffs who said they would not enforce provisions of the state's ban on certain high-powered, semiautomatic weapons while also saying he will make our state safe again. How are we supposed to be safe when anyone can own a high-powered, semiautomatic weapon?
Next he's on to taking away freedoms. 'Your entire way of life is changing,' he says. Does he mean my freedom to go to a movie or the mall without fear of being mowed down because he doesn't want to enforce the state's gun laws? Or does he mean the freedom of white men to run the show and no one else counts?
And then there was the zinger I knew was coming: God. Democrats have taken God out of society. 'I'm a strong believer in God. I believe that's how I get to where I go,' he said. No arrogance there. Democrats, who want equal rights and freedoms for all, safety for all and the ability to live without the fear of being shot? Who want to protect the freedom to love who you want, have a family when you want, live where you want?
Democrats took God out of society? Democrats are the party that wants all people treated as human beings.
Yes, our entire way of life is changing and under Republican ideology, not for the better. The citizens of this county and this country need to work toward leaving a better world for our children and grandchildren. That picture should include welcoming everyone to our society, banning weapons that eliminate dozens of people in seconds and not electing arrogant men who think God has called them to do exactly the opposite of what God has told everyone to do.
Brenda​​​​ McDowell, Naperville
Council candidates need to say how they'll achieve change
The several candidates for Naperville City Council all sound alike. They seem to want what they perceive we the voters want. How do we tell the difference? They need to tell us how they plan on achieving these goals. That would be something of substance to help us decide.
Dave Parta, Naperville
Proposed massive EPA cuts endanger environment, health
President Trump and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin announced at the recent cabinet meeting that they plan to cut EPA staffing and budget up to 65%. Hundreds of EPA staff have already been terminated.
The EPA has a permanent staff of about 15,000. A cut of 65% would reduce the staffing to the level the agency had when it was created in 1970 — about 5,000. That would in effect almost eliminate what EPA is all about, protecting the environment and public health.
In an op-ed in The New York Times, three former EPA administrators reported that 'between 1970 and 2019 EPA cut emissions of common air pollutants by 77 percent while private sector jobs grew 223 percent and our gross domestic product grew almost 300 percent.' In addition, thousands of toxic contaminated sites have been cleaned up; water pollution has been greatly reduced, making most streams 'fishable and swimmable' throughout the country; and safe drinking water was achieved throughout the country.
Multiple studies have shown that the health benefits of work done by EPA outweigh the costs by more than 30 to 1. Such large spending and staffing cuts as being proposed would eliminate such things as monitoring air and water quality, responding to natural disasters and lead abatement in our water supply, among many other agency functions.
Critical to Naperville citizens, there have been truly major actions taken by EPA to protect the waters of the Great Lakes, the source of our drinking water. Naperville has received millions of dollars in grant money from EPA to improve our wastewater treatment plant and to improve our infrastructure for water supply.
The draconian and reckless cuts to EPA, an effective agency with a record of huge successes, are unwise and extremely shortsighted.
It is up to Congress to ensure the EPA has the resources to do its job. Weakening environmental protections isn't just bad policy, it's a direct threat to public health and future generations. Every citizen should protest these planned cuts by contacting their elected representatives to stop this insanity.
Dale Bryson, Naperville
McBroom's revisionist history bolsters Gibson's candidacy
Regarding Naperville City Councilman Josh McBroom's recent column about city council candidates (Naperville Sun, Feb. 24), anyone who follows the council and park board knows his revisionist history regarding the ethics inquiry against him stems from his violation of Naperville Park Board policy by condemning a board action, undermining the executive director and staff's ability to do their job, and from posting a smiley emoji in response to a Facebook comment body-shaming women.
Although park district counsel found that he violated board policy, counsel felt it didn't warrant censure since Mr. McBroom 'learned his lesson.' He apologized to then-park district Executive Director Ray McGury and staff. Why is he now playing the victim?
Perhaps remembering this brush with censure, he voted to revoke city council's ethics ordinance. He also caused Naperville to be negatively portrayed nationally by exploiting the difficulties of undocumented people finding shelter. Why? To 'show the hypocrisy of progressives.'
Do we want council members who persist in creating controversy and sowing conflict among fellow council members, or are we better served by council and park district members who are committed to working collaboratively and constructively for Naperville residents?
A candidate for city council who will do that is Mary Gibson. Her tenure on the park board has been exemplary. She developed and implemented the current three-year strategic plan, stretching the budget while championing inclusive and accessible park and facility designs, and expanding programs and partnerships to reflect the rich diversity of our community.
These successes led to her being awarded master board member status from the Illinois Association of Park Districts. Elected unanimously as board president three times by her fellow commissioners, even Mr. McBroom voted for her when he was on the board.
She is running a grassroots campaign, unlike Derek McDaniel and Meghna Bansal, who have both received $20,000 from a business PAC. Mary will represent Naperville residents and will bring her effective collaborative style to Naperville City Council. I'm looking forward to it.