Thank you, Representative Giles, Representative Yarbrough, Representative Durkin, and Representative Saviano. And especially, the condolences of the people of Oak Park to Representative Saviano, who has been such a good friend to our Village, and his family. Oak Park's present situation with regard to representation is intolerable and must be changed, with your help, in this remap process. Not only is Oak Park represented by four representatives, but also three senators, two Cook County Commissioners, and three congressmen. The people of the Village of Oak Park who elected me do not think so.
Oak Park is an unusually cohesive and compact village.
People move to Oak Park and stay in Oak Park because it is a place where it is a given that the entire community share the values of diversity, tolerance, and an appreciation for the differences among us. It is truly unfortunate that at the present time, the people who give voice to these values are diluted and divided and pulled by districts moving north, south, east, and west. That Oak Park does not have even one state legislator whose district entirely encompasses the boundaries of the Village cannot be rationally explained to the average citizen. During my service as a village trustee and, just recently as village president, I have discovered first-hand how difficult it is to watch our interests in Springfield when we are a part of so many districts which are so different from each other. The office of village trustee is a part-time job, and it takes an extraodinary amount of time to coordinate schedules to educate seven individual legislators regarding matters of importance to Oak Park.