Causes Local and National

I live in a small suburban town 30 miles west of Chicago. Founded in 1833, Warrenville is one of the oldest of the Chicago suburbs. With a population hovering just shove 13,000, our town has come through the 1800’s and 1900’s just fine. The first 11 years of the second millennium has had its challenges, but again, we are doing just fine.

Today I thought it might be interesting to list the issues we have here in town as an offset to the items on the national agenda.

Education: one of the finest school districts in the state of Illinois; ranks high nationally as well. Wheaton-Warrenville Community Unit School District 200 does well at all grade levels and produces graduates with a sense of future and self reliance. The district does well in feeding well prepared students to the local junior college (largest in the state of Illinois) several trade/vocational schools, and many prestigious colleges and universities throughout the country.

Economy: suffering as most are, our community continues to be home to a stable population who are employed in executive, science-research, technology, technology-research, professions, service industries and light manufacturing. Over 20,000 people work in our little city for: national leader in nuclear power industry, regional power generation, regional natural gas provider, international truck and engine manufacturer, international producer of high tech manufacturing gear, sports medicine, medical specialties for cancer treatment, proton beam cancer treatment center, orthopaedic health center, and many other medical/dental/pharmaceutical specialties. Not big in retail markets, Warrenville does not rely on sales taxes that have slumped greatly in recent years; ours remained mostly the same as we continue to focus on commerce among businesses and service industries. Six hotels and 20 restaurants serve our commercial center of one square mile specifically designed for this purpose.

Location: We are situated on the east-west axis of the Chicago Metro area commonly referred to as the Research Corridor. Sited along Interstate 88 the corridor stretches from Oak Brook on our east to DeKalb on our west. Oak Brook is a major commercial center 18 miles west of Chicago’s Loop while DeKalb is home of Northern Illinois University about 35 west further west. In between are colleges and universities as well as Fermilab (energy physics lab), medical research, telecommunications research and development, international water systems (reclamation, desalinization, clean water delivery systems), as well as major players in finance, manufacturing and education. In sum our area is abuzz in what is forming as America’s new millennium future. We are invested in that future, not the past. Business start-ups are encouraged and nurtured in our environment.

Arts: Many local artists do well in a community which recognizes individualism and independent expression. A community arts organization is alive and well and serves individual as well as groups of artists. Bringing more art programming to the public is a critical element in the social scene. Art education access for all ages is a shared dream under development to replace traditional art education programs fading away. Cooperation with area towns with growing art communities is another feature of our city. 

Transportation: Two metropolitan commuter train lines are nearby for daily commutes to Chicago and all of the suburbs. Regional bus systems serve our community. State highways traverse the community and the critical east-west Interstate 88 runs through the southern edge of town. Two international airports serve our region plus two small regional airports. 

Ecology: A river runs through our community, and we are nearly surrounded by dedicated forest preserves plus Fermilab (over 6800 acres of prairie preserve on its campus). The city consistently pursues ‘green’ technology and practices as a means to purify the river, preserve a healthy aquifer for city wells, scrub air of transportation pollutants, and maintain healthy soil underfoot. The city’s carbon footprint is small and getting smaller. Citizens are active participants in recycling, and clean air/soil/water programs.  

City Finances: The city has no debt and maintains healthy cash reserves throughout its financial structure. All civic buildings and equipment are fairly new and built to long-term standards to reduce maintenance and replacement expense. The city plans and sticks to the plans. The citizens understand this and support prudent civic management. These features of good government are mirrored in the Fire District, and Library and Park districts as well.

Political: A community based on non-partisan issue discussion and decision making, Warrenville is an independent minded community. The county is overwhelmingly Republican and national political sentiments run conservative. The State of Illinois is a mixed bag with political wars creating gridlock in the capital similar to the drama in  Washington DC.  Warrenville, however, continues to do for itself and takes care of business in a practical manner. 

Contrast the above topic areas with the metro region of Chicago or of many communities throughout America and Warrenville comes out very well. Surrounding communities have weathered the down economy rather poorly while the state has been seriously injured by the national economy. This is somewhat strange when one considers that Illinois is primarily an agricultural state providing world markets with corn, soybean and hogs. Additionally the Chicago Board of Trade sets world prices on most agricultural products traded globally. Why then has Chicago fared worse than many metro areas? I suspect the real culprit is loss of focus on our competitive advantages while sinking energy and resources in political power struggles that have consumed the state rather than build a strong future. Gridlock will do that to you! Just ask Detroit, Miami, Philadelphia, Washington DC and Sacramento.  

Nationally we have problems that contrast with Warrenville’s:

• Energy policy continues to be focused on petroleum; that is the past not the future
• Education continues to serve past models not the future: research, development, employability
• Transportation is hampered by failing infrastructure. Same with water, sewer, and energy grids
• Environmental issues continue on the liberal versus conservative track and gain no forward momentum
• Arts is underfunded and a political football among those who don’t understand the developmental values of art education
• Health development and delivery continues to be mired in political gridlock; meanwhile people in the industry are getting things done
• Economics should be focused on transformative developments in cutting edge markets; these will produce the new jobs that will distinguish America from the rest of the global players; but political gridlock ties the hands of Washington DC, and the individual states. For shame!

All of the above suggests the following: if you want to get things done, stick with smaller communities who see the issues up close and personal. They get things done and help others understand the issues more clearly. If only our ‘leaders’ in state capitals and Washington DC would get the message and live by it.

Are we sick of the status quo yet?

February 29, 2012