HANKS' CASE OF E.D. - Economic "Dysfunction"

Opinion Editorial By Joseph Wiszowaty

SAUK VILLAGE |  You heard a collective gasp at last week’s Village Board meeting when Mayor David Hanks said “this year was one of the best for Sauk Village’s economic development in five or six years…”.  ME... ME... ME... I... I... I... syndrome!  Listening to this was worse than Lewis Towers saying "I brought WinPak in..."  There was no meeting this week, won’t be next week or the week after because there are so many forward motions going on and this Administration is dealing with all of the issues!  There is nothing that this administration or the bobblehead board need to talk about!  There is no crime in Sauk Village!  The Audits are completed!  The Village is flush with money!  Rainbows and unicorns are showing up on every corner!  REALLY--- Come on now who you kidding?

Rewind to September 8, 2011, just two short years ago, not five or six years as Hanks said.  “This year was one of the best for Sauk Village’s economic development in five or six years…” Hanks said!  Internationally known multi-million dollar corporation Winpak, the maker of the “K-Cups” one might use in your Keurig, breaks ground (***CLICK HERE TO VIEW LINK***).

How quickly we forget!  Did Hanks also forget that WinPak brought with them $435,000 to help pay for the bonds which were used to build the Village Hall?  Also gave the village over $100,000 cash money to help cover the village’s expenses in bringing their deal to a conclusion. Did he also forget that the company spent $30 million on this project was given a $1.6 million incentive package from the State of Illinois?  But this happened during Lewis Towers’ administration and was a “hanger on” from the Peckham Administration so let’s not give them any credit, in fact at the time former Mayor Roger Peckham was quick to give credit to the Village's negotiating team of Louis Vitullo.  Hanks didn't even give credit to anyone, in fact, last week Hanks didn't even acknowledge Winpak!  Didn't even acknowledge the prior Economic Development Committees or their Chairpersons of James Slawnikowski and Derrick Burgess, nor the previous Village Boards for the work done from 2009 to 2012 in bringing Winpak to fruition!

Hanks last week Tuesday night named a few of the businesses successes under his administration that brought this huge economic boon to Sauk Village under his leadership skill (used singularly not plural).  “Titlemax, Just Phones, Boost Mobile and H&R Block”.   I would argue that collectively these don’t total $30 million in startup cost and haven’t given up $435,000 in revenue before opening their doors to Sauk Village and aren’t likely to do so over the next 20 years!  I’m not saying that new business is bad for Sauk Village, certainly it needs some!  I'd ask your illustrious mayor where he buys is groceries, where he buys his gas, where he and his family go out to eat!  Bet it's Indiana, the very state he talks so eloquently about when he and his friend attack me!  Don't like Indiana Joe, don't come here!  I'd challenge Hanks and his supporters to be a bubble, stay in Sauk Village for all your needs don't go to Indiana to shop, buy gas or eat!    

Now on to the real issue!  The Hanks Economic Development Problem:  Since 2012, Mayor David Hanks has been spearheading the Village's Economic Development and has had 14 years on the Village Board to contribute.  He brought in the hired guns of the Village’s legal team, engineering, financial consultants and even some volunteers.  They penned a piece for marketing which looked like a grade school child put it together and had some of the worst grammar I’d ever seen!  You won't see much about Hanks’ problem on his political hatchet peoples’ various pages on Facebook.  Not sure why so many bitter attack people continue their diatribe for David Hanks… is he that incompetent he can’t speak for himself?  Maybe it’s because they are trying to cover-up Hanks'  E.D. failure. 

Just look at Sauk Plaza and Surreybrook Plaza the Village's two main shopping centers.   Four decades, Sauk Village had around 100 storefront businesses.   Now that number is around 30. Yes, the economy has been rough, but as Hanks’ supporters pointed out so well “other nearby South suburbs and Northwest Indiana still are able to attract some new businesses and retain existing ones.”  Dawn Foods was just one example of the loss Sauk Village suffered under the Hanks Administration moving to Merrillville, Indiana.  

Hanks hasn't been able to rise to the challenge those competing towns present to Sauk Village.   Hanks’ 

failure is there for everyone to see,  no matter how much his loyal band of lemming tries to pump Hanks up from his E.D. failure!    Sales tax revenue projections point downward!   Jobs are lost!  Now the burden of Hanks’ failure falls on residents, whose property taxes get raised to make up for lost business revenue.

As some said during the election “It's all very demoralizing and spiritually deflating  (I couldn’t agree more)  Sauk Village needs a mayor who'll be able to fight and win what is, in these times, serious and stiff competition for new businesses.”  Hanks, thus far, has been a failure in E.D. and has had 14 years to make something happen but is not getting the job done!