Friday Letters: Speed bumps with faded paint are hazard to cars

Would somebody please give the city of Chicago some money to buy paint to repaint the chevrons on the speed humps? When the sun is shining brightly, especially on a tree-lined street, without these markings, the humps are nearly impossible to see. At night, they are impossible to see. I have a small low-built car, and I’m working on the third replacement of its oil pan cover. Each replacement costs me $180 dollars. Since my current pan hasn’t gone yet, I’m willing to donate $180 to the cause. So where do I send the money?

Gary Odom, South Shore

Sign voter bill

Time is running out for Gov. Bruce Rauner to sign Automatic Voter Registration, a groundbreaking piece of legislation that will increase the number of participants in our democracy – by up to 2 million citizens – and modernize our state’s administrative processes, all while keeping costs down. This is the kind of

legislation that will help Illinois more fully step into the 21 st century. Because of this, we urge Rauner to sign the bill. In doing so, he will be announcing to the state and the rest of the country that Illinois is taking necessary steps to ensure our elections system is accessible, modern, and efficient for both administrator and voter alike.

Automatic voter registration is a reform that’s sweeping the nation – and Illinois could help lead the way for others. So far, Oregon, California, Vermont, West Virginia, and Connecticut have adopted it. If Gov.Rauner signs SB250 by August 12 th , he will make Illinois the sixth state to join this set. He would also be introducing a law that’s first of its kind.

Whereas the other five states now require departments of motor vehicles to automatically register individuals who are eligible (and don’t choose to opt out of the process), Illinois would offer the same service at DMV offices plus a number of other agencies, including the Departments of Aging, Human Services, Healthcare and Family Services. With this innovation, we’ll be one step ahead of other states and establish ourselves as a leader across the country.

Illinois has already moved in the right direction by beginning to modernize our voter registration system. In 2013, we passed online voter registration, enabling eligible voters to register from the convenience of their computers. A year later, following a pilot program in Chicago, the state extended early voting hours and adopted same day registration, allowing eligible voters to both register and cast ballots on the same day. Both reforms were met with great success. In Champaign County, for example, at this most recent primary we saw turnout increase by 150 percent from the 2008 presidential election. That’s a huge jump!

Imagine what we could see if our government agencies began providing the service to those 2 million still unregistered voters.

We know that Gov.Rauner is worried about the budget, but voter registration modernization – especially in the long run – saves the state money. Some states that have adopted more modern systems have already crunched the numbers. In Maricopa County, Arizona, for example, administrators previously

paid 83 cents for every paper registration processed; now that they’ve switched to an electronic system at their DMVs, they pay 3 cents per form. The more modernized our system, the more cost savings for our state. And the more accessible the process becomes for the voter. We consider that a win-win

situation.

During this election season, we’ve seen a lot of bitter divisiveness in this country. It worries us that this country is as partisan as it is right now. But that doesn’t have to last – and there are steps we can take to move the country – and state – closer together. When legislators and executives here at home unite to pass measures that are good for all citizens – no matter their party – we in Illinois, the Land of Lincoln, come closer to the ideal of a state that works for all. Governor Rauner could be the one to get us there.

Brian Gladstein, executive director,

Common Cause Illinois

Great editorial

Great editorial, Thursday. How many times does Donald Trump get to cross the Rubicon before his army stops following? That’s not meant as a set-up for a punch line. Really, how many more?

Tony Galati, Lemont

Establishment vs. Trump

Citizens should vote for Donald Trump. It’s pretty clear that the establishment is going all out against him. They’re throwing the kitchen sink, and anything else they can throw at him. Attack, discredit and accuse Trump of anything and everything. Magnify any remarks that can be used against him, twist them, and condemn Trump vociferously to the public. They’re purposely trying to turn the public against Trump.

Hillary Clinton cannot run on her record. It’s abysmal. Further, the Democratic Party platform is the most liberal platform in the history of the party. The Democrats and Establishment Republicans have to attack Trump to try and take him out. That way, they place Clinton into the presidency and continue their dismantling of this nation. Trump is not an elitist. He’s not one of them. Trump is for the people. Trump is a patriot.

Michael Imhof, Aurora

The overlooked victims

There has been a tremendous amount of sympathy for car thief Paul O’Neal, who, after ramming a stolen Jaguar into a police vehicle and trying to run away, was fatally shot by police. As usual, the news media have shown photos of a smiling young man and the obligatory graduation photo.

There has been no attempt, however, to interview those whose cars he (and his friends) had stolen, those whose cars they damaged, or those whose credit cards they had fraudulently used. My sympathy is with his victims, but in a larger sense, everyone who has auto insurance is a victim, because car thefts and subsequent damages increase the premiums we must pay. In addition, the terms of credit cards must take into account the money those companies must recoup from fraudulent charges, so that affects other credit card holders.

Larry E. Nazimek, Logan Square

Biased report

The Department of Justice is incapable of rendering an unbiased investigative report on the Baltimore Police Department. The findings of the DOJ report reflect the “opinions” of this administration and its appointees which are held in the lowest esteem in history.

The DOJ attorneys were admonished by a court for presenting tainted evidence in a trial, the former attorney general was cited for congressional contempt, the present attorney general attended a clandestine meeting with a representative of a person under investigation which led to the unsatisfactory resolution of that matter and diminished the opinion of the public on the agency conducting the investigation.

John Culloton, Norwood Park