If we look at recent history of the politics involving Trustees Sigwalt and Humpfer, it has always seemed something of a crusade against groups that they felt were a burden on the Village of Carpentersville. Their campaign in 2006 focused on immigrants — in reaction to Carpentersville’s large Latino community. They latched on to the talking-point of the day, illegal immigration, to make their plans more palatable, hoping they could obtain votes in the process.
Fox Valley Citizens for Legal Immigration was born to legitimize those efforts. And soon, they fielded their own slate of candidates, dubbed the “All-American Team”. (Of course, even the name seemed intended as a slap in the face to immigrants in the community.) Sigwalt and Humpfer were clearly at the helm, steering the ship in ways that would benefit them politically.
Once the election was over, however, the group name basically faded away into the recesses from which it was born.
Over the next few years, there were glimpses of the a small core of the group that appeared here and there, mostly when Sigwalt and Humpfer needed them to do some “dirty work”, like block some piece of Village business that they didn’t want to get done.
Enter 2009. With the election fast approaching, we see members of that core group once again jumping into action to target another segment of the community.
Again fielding a slate of candidates — Ed Ritter, Kay Teeter, Patricia (Pat) Schultz, and Brad McFeggan — they have found a new name — “Carpentersville Cares”; legitimized their group under the Carpentersville Improvement Committee banner, and gone after their next victims: low-income and disabled residents.
This could be considered some good news for the Latino community, as they shift the focus of their ire.
Low-income, disabled and senior citizens, who use services like Ride-In-Kane/Dial-A-Ride, are now the new “burden” to the Village, just as in 2006 when Humpfer cited unpaid ambulance bills as proof of immigrants draining vital dollars from Village coffers.
When asked to explain why they voted against funding Ride-In-Kane they answer that it is a burden on taxpayers:
Humpfer … argues Carpentersville residents are being taxed under three different governments for the program: the village, the township and the Dundee Township Park District.
“That is not fair to the taxpayers of Carpentersville, especially during these hard economic times,” according to Trustee Judy Sigwalt, who also voted against the funding, along with Humpfer and Trustees Kay Teeter and Ed Ritter. [Kane bus program facing funding troubles, Courier-News, Mar 12, 2009]
The idea that it is “not fair to the taxpayers of Carpentersville” to pay for programs that help low-income and disabled residents — and also some seniors — is made more problematic by something contained in Humpfer’s email to the Courier-News that didn’t get published (but which was posted on another blog site run by members in the Sigwalt/Humpfer camp):
Why does Dundee Township have a line item for the Salvation Army, FISH and other not for profits? Could the township not use this money to be more efficient in its fiduciary responsibility?
So, not only is the “Carpentersville Cares” team critical of funding programs like “Ride-In-Kane”, but also of other services, such as “the Salvation Army and FISH Food Pantry…”, that low-income residents often rely on to get a leg-up in hard times.
Remember that in late 2007, Humpfer and Sigwalt were also against providing funding to the Boys and Girls Club of Carpentersville. Teeter also voted against the funding. (They said then it was because it wasn’t a line item in the budget.)
“Cares” needs to be exposed for the frauds they appear to be; since it seems that they “Care” about no one but themselves and those they consider acceptable.
Keep in mind that Judy Sigwalt and Paul Humpfer are still leading this group … as Sigwalt kicked off their campaign in January with two Letters to the Editor, endorsing Ed Ritter, Kay Teeter, Pat Schultz and Brad McFeggan. And, they continue to act as a group, using another gimmick intended to get your vote.
Just as they used public reaction to illegal immigration in 2006/07 to prey on a so-called “burdensome” sector of the Village, they are now using the economic situation in the world to prey on another segment they consider to be undesirable.
Don’t be fooled again.
They are the same group, doing the same things. They’ve just slapped a new name and catchy little slogan on it.
Carpentersville Action Network 
3 comments
Mar 16, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Bill Sarto
It’s unfortunate that politics too often is used as a “wedge” in Carpentersville to divide our community.
False information is given out to mislead the public. You’re right this is a very important transportation service that Humpfer, Sigwalt, Ritter and Teeter voted not to fund. Many of our seniors depend on this service. Those who use this service are those who do need help. To cut off this funding at this time is unconscionable.
Some in government do not understand why they were elected. It is to provide service to the public. We are in the business of “Public Service.”
Mar 16, 2009 at 1:04 pm
Chrysippus
Politics is politics, everywhere. Our governments are filled with politicians, so that’s no surprise. But, we judge those politicians on what they do in office.
Looking closer at what this “Carpentersville Cares” team has done, the question must be asked, “What do they believe should be done with the taxes that are collected, if not serve the People?”
Trustee Humpfer talks about line items in the Village, Township and Park District budgets. But, in order to accomplish what he is suggesting, a tax increase would be required.
He talks about a surplus of $178,000 in the program; but that can easily be attributed to falling gas prices. Had prices remained at the levels they did (and if they rise to such levels again), that money would have been easily eaten up. One would think that anyone on the Finance Commission would understand that. But Humpfer and Ritter apparently don’t, which raises questions about their fitness to sit in such a position.
Interesting, too, is the fact that Humpfer doesn’t practice what he (and Sigwalt and Ritter) preaches. They have been deriding President Sarto about giving greater consideration to the Board (although with decisions like these guys make, it’s not difficult to see the problems that would arise from doing that 100% of the time), but when it comes down to it, they ignore other counsel.
According to the Daily Herald column today, Humpfer didn’t listen to the majority of the Commission who recommended approval of the funding. Ritter sits on the Commission too, so he was well aware.
In other words, Ritter, Teeter, Humpfer and Sigwalt denied this funding against the recommendation of the Audit & Finance Commission. If they are going to do whatever they want any way, then why have this Commission at all?!!
Ultimately, distributing the financial responsibility to multiple entities lowers (not increases) the strain on any individual entity, while still allowing the the program to serve the greatest number of citizens by administering it at a higher level. Ride-In-Kane certainly gives the People of Carpentersville back much more than the $13,412 that was requested from the Village.
It’s unfortunate that the Audit & Finance Commission Chairman, and the rest of the “Carpentersville Cares” team, does not understand that, which serves as a good enough reason NOT to vote them [back] into office.
Mar 16, 2009 at 2:04 pm
At a Glance
Thanks Chrysippus. I was wondering what was going on and that answered my question. Seems like others in the community believe in helping the people but those that go by the slogan “Carperntersville Cares” don’t really care about the PEOPLE of our Village.
Obviously the Finance Committee didn’t have a problem with the expenditure for a worthwile program and felt that the money for the program was reasonable. Humpfer, supposedly an accountant, however seems to have problems because he seems to want to make us believe it is some crazy accounting trick played on the Village. How stupid does he think we are. Your explanation was great. A more encompassing tax base helps mitigate the costs not the other way around! But maybe he has trouble when he has to add line items to his balance sheet – usually a simple thing in accounting. Poor Paulie…let’s not make it too tough for him. Maybe its too taxing for his brain but he wants us to believe it is too taxing for the Village to pay for seniors and the disabled!!!
Now, the question is… Why do they feel that the seniors, handicapped and others in need are a waste of Village funds? If the Audit and Finance Committee believe that there is adequate money to help people – the main reason that govenrment exists, why don’t the Trustees? What better use of Village funds is there than to help the community? And, as our property values decline how do we attrack new people and businesses to the community when it is showing it’s lack of “care for Carpentersville”? More people will leave the community as services continue to be lost and with it will be the loss of businesses – a source of revenue that the Village needs. Surely, a community in distress will not bring in new business since they will see the decline in the community as a reason to avoid doing business here.
I guess we know what these guys have been doing to destroy our community – and with their support for Ritter, they want to have absolute power to keep destroying it. Let’s tell them we want better from our leaders. We want them to take care of the citizens that they are elected to represent!!! Let’s keep Sarto and Sliwinski as our anchors on this Board and start to replace the idiots that only think about themselves as they vote against the best interests of the People!!!