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Re: Franks at the bat

Truthful James — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 09:40:22 -0000

So what we are getting so far is not Open Road Tolling but rather Open Toad Rolling -- take the 83 interchange, please.

Somebody tell me why a Blago son or daughter should not be the next governor so we can save money on changing the signs. That's a great reason.

Re: Franks at the bat

HMMMM? — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:55:56 -0000

why was Frank's thrown under the bus?
O'yea I remember he used his position as a legislator to threaten the Health facilities Planning Board on behalf of his client. Shouldn't he ask the Attorney General to investigate himself?

Re: Franks at the bat

KenoMan — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 15:48:55 -0000

So, how much did the "reformed" Tollway spend on the Open Road Tolling (ORT) signs (which by the way the current tollway adminstration DID NOT invent)with Blago's name on them...........can you say $250,000?.......how many tolls is that?

How about asking Tollway Chairman Mitola about their toll increase proposal.......which he said "was just a new bow on the previous administration's proposal".....

What's next? Taking credit for the Oases redevelopment? Sorry, that contract was signed in 2002.....

Alos, somebody ought to check into the HUGE rise in consultant costs over at the tollway.........

Re: Franks at the bat

Timbuktu — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:40:36 -0000

TO: U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald
If you and your staff read this blog, please INVESTIGATE the Illinois Tollway!
Do Not Trust and I emphasize Do Not Trust Mr. Brian McPartlin or any of his mouthpieces!

Re: Franks at the bat

Anon — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 09:18:43 -0000

How funny that Franks is suddenly so concerned about corruption about the same time his wife heads up Democrats for Topinka.

Franks had better worry about cleaning up his own act. Talk about the pot lecturing the kettle...

Re: Franks at the bat

Benny — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 22:22:20 -0000

ThePiper..get serious!IDFPR is a wreck..licensees can never, never, talk to a human. Boards now hold meeting via conference call to limit outside input. They sweep funds that have a surplus because they do not let the boards or units do their job.

Re: Franks at the bat

chinman — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 21:27:47 -0000

I've seen rich pull alot of posts that are right on the money. He doesn't like to many names. He also pulls stuff that he wants to use for the rag, uh, oh, I mean fax.

Re: Franks at the bat

??? — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 21:20:57 -0000

I ordered an Illinois hunting and fishing license at the DNR website and it came in the mail from a company in ..... Kentucky?????

Re: Franks at the bat

Justice — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 20:38:36 -0000

Chinman, I notice they deleted my blog. Too close to the truth regarding those soon to be in jail.

Re: Franks at the bat

angry and outraged — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 20:03:28 -0000

State Worker we at the Tollway can related our consultants HNTB, who I might add contributed quit a bit to Blago, have to have cubicles, computers, telephones etc. We never provided consultants with all the bells & whistles, because we pay a fee for their main facilities. CTE who has been with us since the 1950s,they represent the bond holder's interest, under one name or another had office spaces equivalent to a closet, they had to bring in their own office furniture or use what the Authority did not want, etc. With HNTB Toll Authority employees work days have been disrupted to accommodate them-they are actually in charge of Authority employees? Again I know of one consultant? that makes copies all day is that consulting??? I hope Franks and others continue to pursue! The public should be aware of this, BUT they are not interested!

Re: Franks at the bat

Minion — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:36:53 -0000

another great move by those savvy strategists who work for Blago. Now it will come back to get them. East coast advisors said, "who the heck is Jack Franks? Woodstock? Gee, didn't your dad go to that, Brad?" So they underestimated him and now look. Franks is going to kick their rears.

Re: Franks at the bat

state worker — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:08:38 -0000

To Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe PiperÃ¢â‚¬â„¢, you stated that Ã¢â‚¬Å“Real reforms and changes have also been made at IDOTÃ¢â‚¬Â. What exactly are you referring to? We are in the midst of a Ã¢â‚¬ËœreorganizationÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ that was never fully thought out and has been going on for 3 years. There is no organizational chart to show how this plays out. With the exception of District 1, all the other Districts were merged (D2 & D3; D4 & D5; etc). The Department of External Affairs was created and disassembled all within 2-3 years, however at our District we still have the office sign up outside of their office where the former liaisons sit. We have no idea what they do, they come and go as they please (one has a state car assigned to him). Management has had their vacation policy changed to where it is no longer family friendly. We never received a logical explanation Ã¢â‚¬â€œ not that there is one considering for years the State had encouraged employees to saved their vacation days and now we can only carry over 5 days. We have seen positions that required a Professional Engineering license switched over to Technical Manager positions and political people with high school diplomas or GEDÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s (no lie) were placed in that position. Our copy rooms were removed to make new offices for political people who insisted that they have an office even though they had no real duties. (I could go on, but this should get the point across).

Re: Franks at the bat

angry and outraged — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 19:00:33 -0000

Thepiper-What did you have for lunch? I don't know where you got that load of malarky??? I speak for the Tollway and Open Road Tolling was on the design tables long before Blago took office! I am surprised you didn't throw the North/South Extension in there as well-before you get any ideas those plans were on the table 10 years before he took office. Our consultants from CTE did the ORT presentation when Art Phillips and Tom Cuculich,who were in charge of the Tollway at the time, were proposing a ten cent toll increase for all vehicles.

I don't know what changes to the Authority you think were good, the no bid contracts?; total disregard for state legislation regarding purchasing?;creative bookeeping in budget?;bringing in more consultants (HNTB) than GOD needs and even GOD probably doesn't know what they do-I do know one gal that makes copies-is that consulting?;bringing in more chiefs than Rome had Gods?;releasing Rutan employees under the illusion that it was to cut the fat and then turning around and creating jobs and bringing more of their hacks than what they released?;screwing up every inch of our roads to have ORT in place before the election?;putting his name on every ORT plaza and construction site at the Authority's expense?;placing a wage freeze on employees for a better part of 3 years-correction the majority of employees that includes no cost of living increase-FOIA it is a beautiful thing some employees (theirs) got up to 24% increases?. I could go on forever. To the Thepiper stay away from whatever you had for lunch!

Re: Franks at the bat

Downstater — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:50:50 -0000

As the old saying goes, "what goes around comes around". You create enough enemies and sooner or later it will come back to haunt you. Blago has done a good job of painting himself into a corner.

Re: Franks at the bat

Downstater — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:50:20 -0000

YDD is right on in his post. Most everyone should know by now that Blago isn't very bright. I have thought all along that he is just the puppet with Tusk pulling the strings.

Re: Franks at the bat

Anon — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 17:14:48 -0000

Timbuktu 3:33 is correct about salaries for Blago hacks. Compare salary data for merit comp employees by name at several points in time with their date of hire.

Salaries are public information. Agencies, CMS, and the comptroller's office would have salary data.

It it clearly unethical. Making salary raise decisions based on politics is also illegal. Hard to prove, but welcome to Blago world.

Re: Franks at the bat

Timbuktu — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 16:33:34 -0000

Now there's a great subject, their inordinate pay increases over the last 3-1/2 years. Unless you were connected you got zilch not even a cost of living or merit raise. If the Governor has nothing to hide let's publish all the raises he and his administration have doled out to all the state agencies under investigation.
Oh ! I forgot, that's none of our business.

Re: Franks at the bat

chinman — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 16:10:58 -0000

thank you justice

Re: Franks at the bat

One Man Can Make A Difference — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 15:44:17 -0000

The piper, I disagree and the proof is in the puddin.

As always there are always good people everyone. Both those running this Office of the Governor are not "really talented and smart people".

Re: Franks at the bat

One Man Can Make A Difference — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 15:38:33 -0000

It is apparent that people need to be reminded that U.S Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald's June 20, 2006 letter to Attorney General Lisa Madigan basically informed her that she has conflicts of interest in investigating the Office of the Governor.

If she was asked to forward her investigation regarding alleged improprieties in hiring in Illinois Government, this latest investigation should also be conducted by the federal government.

In fact, any lastest allegations of improprieties in the Office of the Governor should be forwarded to the U.S Attorney's office.

Lisa Madigan should also forward her probe of the Governor's offices' alleged attempts to allow politics to interfere with the closing of a land fill.

My opinion is: at this point the Illinois Attorney General has too many conflicts of interest in investigating the Office of the Governor and a Special Attorney General should be appointed by the Circuit Court of Cook County to take on any and all investigation involving the Attorney General's Office and the Office of the Illinois Governor.

Re: Franks at the bat

Yellow Dog Democrat — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:43:34 -0000

P.S. Going after Jack Franks was indeed a dumb move. He's the chair of the State Government Administration Committee, with just about the broadest oversight authority of any Committee Chairman in the legislature. And he never forgets a friend or an enemy.

Re: Franks at the bat

Yellow Dog Democrat — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:41:16 -0000

A. Powers -- That was hilarious.

Will the stories about this administration looting and pillaging never end? Is it possible that the folks Blagojevich has surrounding him never intended for him to win a second term, but just wanted to get as much for themselves and their family and friends in four years as they could?

Re: Franks at the bat

DOWNSTATE — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:18:06 -0000

PIPER all those things you mentioned just like the flu shots went boom with very little results.Sorry but that doesn't much talent to come up with a plan that does not work.Now if you want to talk working the press for a few headlines that they have talent for.Franks isn't the only legislator that doesn't like the Gov. I heard one from up north speak last fall{off the record} and his words were"he hasn't done that much for Illinois as governor.'

Re: Franks at the bat

ron — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 14:02:30 -0000

debbie franks will be heading up the democrats of topinka. looks like two democrats will not be voting for blagojevich.

Re: Franks at the bat

FORMER STATE EMPLOYEE — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 13:59:36 -0000

The Piper....how about naming some of those "real reforms" and other (good) changes at DHS and IDOT - none come to my mind.