Letter: Stick with Chicago water

Typewritter, letter to the editor

To the Editor:

The decision on whether to get our Lake Michigan water from the City of Chicago or from Hammond, Ind., is clear cut.

By going with Chicago, Joliet will be keeping its revenues in the Chicago region and in the State of Illinois. The overall welfare of the citizens of Joliet and the City of Joliet is far more aligned with the entire Chicago metro region, the City of Chicago and the state of Illinois than it ever will be with Hammond and the State of Indiana.

If Joliet decides to purchase raw water from Hammond, in a state where Joliet has no legislative representation or influence, in order to provide a few local jobs at a filtering plant, this would be a wrong-headed, short-sighted decision. Hammond can use the revenues to put up more billboards encouraging Illinois citizens to move out of our state and employers to move jobs to Indiana.

If Joliet does the smart thing and buys water from Chicago, the City of Joliet will be in a far better bargaining position within the state of Illinois and the Chicago region to advocate for policies and decisions which aid Joliet in mass transit, highways, casinos, taxation, air and water quality, etc.

Does Joliet think that it can filter water more efficiently than Chicago already does with its far more massive scale and centuries of experience? With this decision, Joliet can be a booster of our metro region and our state, and exemplify pride in Illinois, in Joliet, and in Chicago.

For Joliet, our loyalties must remain with the City of Chicago, the Chicago metropolitan region and the state of Illinois. My strong input to the honorable members of the Joliet City Council is to purchase our future needed Lake Michigan water from Chicago.

Thomas Winke

Joliet