Friends, we have got to change the culture of City Hall.

I’ve talked to hundreds people in West Chicago and discovered a fairly consistent pattern: people feel like they’re being treated as enemies of city hall.  

It’s hard to get any help, whether it’s trying to file the paperwork correctly for a permit or correcting a mistake in billing.  It’s not easy to ask questions, with limited time for public input at city council meetings and hard-to-reach aldermen who don’t respond to concerns or questions.

Residents have received citations for everything from having a birdhouse to dandelion height.

The city government’s job should be to help people find solutions – guiding them through paperwork for permits, assisting people in starting their small businesses, and aiding in solutions for problems that arise, rather than obstructing, creating roadblocks, and levying fines.

If you think West Chicago needs a change, please share this video. Or if you have your own story to share about a frivolous citation, drop me a note!