Comment EI-22200
Received or sent (printed as 4/22/2016)
Mr. Novecky, I attended the Seneca Scoping meeting on 4/21/2016. It was quite emotional for several , if not all people who attended. I chose not to speak until I verified some information. A lot of things were mentioned, some just not as detailed as they could have been. I am not a farmer. I am just a property owner on a couple rural acres. However, having said that, my property value will directly impacted by this proposed railway being 200 feet from my driveway. Impacted negatively I might add. As was mentioned by Fire departments and schools, travel times and response times are an important factor. But what they didn't discus was Who pays for these operations?" I would like to point out that this railway will not be "Taxed" as our local business's and residences are taxed. It will go to a state fund, to an already financially broke state. Thus, removing this "Cash flow" from our local property tax base. This tax base pays for our Fire Protection, Police Protection, Libraries and schools. I would also like to point out that the majority of school districts impacted by this railway are school systems who regularly have High School graduation class's of LESS than 100 students. These school systems have already had to cut Arts, Sports and many trade programs. This railway is a great disservice to all these students, and the future of our county's, state and nation. As the devaluation of property occurs the base fair market property value goes down. As this number goes down, so does the property taxes collected from the existing properties. Anyone within eyesight or ear shot of this railway will suffer. This money will not be coming back, and this railway makes no provision to offset this loss in any way. Regardless of WHERE this railway is located, this impact will be the same. As one man stated at the Seneca Scoping Meeting "The days of open range have been gone since the 1890's". This railway is nothing more than a death spiral for the local impacted communities "No Matter Where" it would be located. This consideration in conjunction with the adamant opposition by affected residents should be enough to stop this now. As stated over and over, Great Lakes Basin Railway is nothing more than a "Big Kid" with money, that wants to TAKE private property for a private company, so he can play with a life size train set. He does not even have a market for his product, he has no regard for other business's, nor does he have any respect for the land. I hope this will be taken to heart in your consideration. But remember while you assess this, It does not matter the location. Here, there or anywhere in the state of Illinois, the tax impact on the schools, fire and police protection, libraries and any service covered by local property taxes will negatively impact already stressed and suffering communities. Also consider this. These small schools don't just produce farmers, truck drivers and laborers. They produce doctors, lawyers, CPA's, engineers, physicists small business owners.......They are our future."
Submitted by: Roger Milholland
The Board publishes this comment in its environmental-comment table for this proceeding. It is quoted here as printed; nothing is inferred from it, and it states the commenter's own position in their own words, not this record's.
Permanent address docketyard.org/d/FD-35952/comment/EI-22200 · back to the docket sheet