Open Thread (5/8/2008)

Does anyone have any idea how many tax referenda we're looking at in November?  So far, we have the City of Champaign township, and probably the school sales tax.  Are there others, such as a tax for county nursing home operations, or others that I'm not aware of?

How about any interest in the Hate Crime case here in CU, or the Christian Health center getting the boot?

I just couldn't hold THIS in until tomorrow.

Yes, I was at the public hearing.  It appeared as a 'cut & dried' approval prior to hearing.  Not much can be done except get your frustrations out by making a big fuss to the Champaign City Counsil who approved it.  IEPA has rubber stamped their approval dispite the amount of water to be withdrawn from the aquifer and the impacts on surface water.  Both were well defined at the hearing.  You have to remember the great state of Illinois has no laws regulating aquifer use.  So all the state agencies are helpless, not to mentioned understaff with knowledgable qualified people and overstaffed with wealthy political appointees.  Obviously, the legislature is too busy drawing up laws to increase the revenue instead of protecting its citizens now or in the future.

So like most pubic hearings of late, Andersons met the letter of the law, just like the CU MTD.  They held their hearing, noted what was said, will properly file allowing them to do what they want.  "All is well and documented" so the general public (voter) remains clueless.

One bright point, Andersons said they were not going use the 6 gallons of water per gallon of ethanol purduced method as stated in their permit.  Now the plan is to use only 3-4 gallons of Teays-Mahomet aquifer water per gallon produced.  Of course this was a verbal statement, not recorded in the permit so probably not binding.

The most we can hope for (and pray if it suits you) is the economics of building this plant to not be favorable.  Its the only 'stopper' available.  All of our elected politicians gave them everything they needed with a pre-annexation agreement, of course.  

Its not clear what 'deal' has been made with IL-American water since both will be putting new 'large straws' into our water supply but I am sure these two corporate giants will work it out so it profitable for their stockholders. 

Yes, I sold my ANDE stock the very next day.

You may be a 'new' Anonymous poster so you should know I do not repond to (not verified) posters.