April 6, 2009
A Letter from Sally Porter
In its final pre-election YOU CHOOSE 2009 issue, the Hinsdale Monitor--the self-proclaimed "Residents' Perspective on Village News"--gives the last word on tomorrow's election to two Hinsdale residents: Sally Porter and Eddie Opler, who share their choices for Village President and the Board of Trustees. Unswayed by 11th-hour glossy mailers and campaign maneuvers, they rely on candidates' voting records and credentials for their selections.
Fellow Citizens,
I am writing to you about the vitally important Village election coming up tomorrow, Tuesday, April 7, 2009. In this letter I’d like to set out the factual reasons that Jim and I are supporting the Caucus endorsed candidates. Having lived in Hinsdale for over 25 years and having served on Village committees/commissions, Jim and I care deeply about the future of this special community. We are convinced that the Caucus endorsed candidates are the best candidates for the Village Board. That means Tom Cauley for President, and Doug Geoga, Laura LaPlaca and Bob Saigh for Village Trustees. Please take a few minutes to read the following and to understand why we support these candidates and why we hope you will too.
While I prefer to present positive thoughts, I will start with some of the reasons why we do not support the opposition candidates: Cindy Williams says on her campaign website that she is “endorsed by (current or past) trustees Jean Follet, Vic Orler and Bob Schultz”. 
These four trustees voted in May, 2007 to uphold Village president Woerner’s decision to sue – with our tax dollars – the 60 Hinsdale residents who dared appeal the Hinsdale Club development agreement to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). (The ZBA never claimed or denied jurisdiction, waiting instead for a ruling from the circuit court in Wheaton, which eventually ruled that the ZBA did not in fact have jurisdiction to hear the appeal.) Ironically, the developer of the proposed Hinsdale Club scrapped his plans when the economy began to slide in the fall of 2008, but the message of the Village trustees had been made: They were willing to use the financial resources of the Village – our own tax dollars – to sue those who stood against them.
On October 2, 2007, for the first time in Hinsdale AND Illinois history, Cindy Williams voted along with trustees Follett, Orler and Schultz to hold a public trial to remove a citizen volunteer, Tom Nelson as chair of the ZBA. This trial cost the Village over $300,000! Was that a necessary expense when Nelson had only a few months left in his term as chairman? Perhaps that money could have been dedicated toward repairing our crumbling streets or infrastructure.
In January and February, 2008, Ms. Williams, again with trustees Follet, Orler and Schultz backed restrictions on public speech – for the first time in Hinsdale history – at Village Board Meetings. Along with pat downs of citizens by Village police, rules were presented regarding both the time and content of what could be said at Village Board meetings. Tom Cauley was one of only two trustees who objected to Hinsdale having its own speech code.
Most recently Trustees Williams, Schultz, Follet and Kevin Connor (Orler’s replacement), have rejected two UNANIMOUS recommendations from the Plan Commission. What’s the point in having volunteer citizen commissions if the majority of the current trustees flatly ignore their unanimous recommendations?
At the Village presidential debate on March 15th held at the Hinsdale Middle School, Ms. Williams stated that she is in favor of passing the sales tax referendum – don’t take my word, see the replays of the debate on Village Channel 6 – but on her web site she states: “There is no need to go to the citizens and ask for more tax dollars.” Regardless of the merits or demerits of raising the sales tax, which is it? And let us remember that the citizens of Hinsdale voted down the increased sales tax the last time it was presented.
During her campaign Cindy Williams claimed on her web site – and sent a flier saying – that Tom Cauley wants to raise property taxes. This is totally false; Tom has never brought up property taxes. See Tom’s letter to the editor in the March 26, 2009 Hinsdalean, or at: www.foranewdirection.com. Even if this claim were true – and it is not – the Village Board is prohibited by law from materially increasing property taxes.
I prefer to support candidates who are firm in their beliefs, who are open and honest and who will represent all of us fairly. I won’t always agree with every decision they make but I will know that they listened to all the voices and made a choice which they thought was in the best interest of Hinsdale and its citizens both now and in the future. I refer you to one more article in Suburban Life, March 27, 2009, p.5, re Ms. Williams campaign; also available at: www.mysuburanlife.com/Hinsdale/homepage.
In regards to the Village Trustee candidates there are some things you should know. Unlike the candidates endorsed by the Caucus and by Hinsdale First, neither Bill Seith nor Craig Chapello have served on voting Village boards or commissions, so there is no voting record. Mr. Seith currently has a contract with the Village to consult on the Veeck Park "Wet Weather Facility" and has been paid over $130,000 to date for his services. Could his candidacy be a conflict of interest?
Craig Chapello served on the Electrical Task Force which Cindy Williams chaired promoting an $80 million Hinsdale Electric company. A majority of Village residents defeated the Electrical bond referendum in February 2008. Mr. Chapello has claimed that Hinsdale residents made the wrong choice on the issue, an issue which has cost the Village $66,000 already. And he thinks we should revisit the Electrical Referendum. Is that listening to the constituency and accepting the voice of the people?
I know I have spent a good deal of time discussing the candidates we do not support. You need to know why Jim and I support Cauley, Geoga, LaPlaca and Saigh. I will begin with Tom Cauley, and then move on to discuss the trustee candidates, Geoga, LaPlaca and Saigh.
Tom Cauley’s excellent credentials as a lawyer and a Certified Public Accountant, coupled with his demonstrated good common sense and fiscal restraint during his two years as a Village trustee, make him an ideal candidate for Village president. He stood for common sense and for our parks when he rejected the suggestion (by Vic Orler) to sell the Hinsdale Middle School land to developers and use the proceeds to build a new school in the middle of Veeck Park. Tom also stood for fiscal common sense when he voted against spending the money on trying Tom Nelson. He also voted against suing the residents who filed a no-cost appeal to the ZBA re the Hinsdale Club. He decried the imposition of free speech restriction at board meetings. He has been honest in stating that the $70 million infrastructure plan for the Village cannot be implemented without raising revenues; the math isn’t even close. Instead, Cauley has called for a roads plan that can be achieved with current revenues. But don’t take my word, watch the debate rerun on Channel 6.
Tom Cauley is not “anti development”, but he does not want the Village to allow developers to build anything they want. Tom has repeatedly stated in public that he will support code compliant developments in our Village. He recognizes that appropriate developments honoring Hinsdale’s historic heritage are both desirable and necessary. In this economy it is important to understand that we have the potential of many months of reduced income and therefore reduced spending. Therefore, being fiscally responsible and getting back to basics are crucial to our Village.
As for the endorsed trustee candidates, Doug Geoga and Laura LaPlaca both bring solid experience from their years on the Plan Commission, Laura as chair since 2003. Laura approaches her responsibilities with a solid legal background. She has volunteered in many Hinsdale organizations, is active at Union Church and involved with her children’s activities. 
Doug Geoga has been on the Plan Commission and prior to that on the ZBA in LaGrange. He is a highly successful lawyer and businessman. Bob Saigh brings a substantial background in professional communications. He has been on the ZBA for the past four years, and prior to that served for five years on the Hinsdale Historic Preservation Commission. He also served on the Hinsdale 
Historical Society board for over ten years, and was responsible for obtaining Immanuel Hall’s landmark designation – Hinsdale’s first – on the National Register of Historic Places.
There is much more to say in recommending these four candidates but you can hear their own words at: www.foranewdirection.com. I know these four candidates will bring their best to all situations and work in the best interests of Hinsdale and its citizens, and they will respect the processes of Village government. These Caucus endorsed candidates are solid, experienced and open. Please join Jim and me and Vote for CAULEY, GEOGA, LAPLACA and SAIGH!
This is a vitally important election for Hinsdale. Working together we can elect a Village president and trustees worthy of these titles and get our Village back on track. There is much to be done. Thank you for your consideration, and please vote.
Sally Porter
To read about Tom Cauley, Doug Geoga, Laura LaPlaca and Bob Saigh,
the Hinsdale Monitor candidates endorsed for Village government, click here>