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Why Was Przybylo 'Entitled' to Special Treatment?
Illinois law forbade Przybylo, a liquor license holder, from serving as a trustee and mayor--so he arranged for pols to change the law, but not before violating it for years. A Letter to the Editor from Chris Hanusiak.
The Patch.com article and interview of Andrew Przybylo about his liquor license illustrates once again the arrogance and “entitlements” which the Responsible Leadership for Niles Team members have been fighting against for over three years. The liquor control questions about what is happening in Niles are many and are mostly unanswered.
Readers can go to the State of Illinois web site which publishes information about all such licenses issued for Niles which lists 101 such licenses. The licenses are rightly and lawfully issued to lounges, restaurants and catering venues, big box stores, liquor stores, grocers and even drug stores. Nothing wrong about any of that. But the problems arise about enforcement and who does the enforcing.
Back in 1934 after Prohibition ended in America, the Illinois legislature passed laws which prohibited a village president (mayor) or trustees from holding office if any had a liquor license. Why? Because of the kinds of corrupt practices and illegal behaviors of politicians who used liquor and bars as special inducements for voting and paybacks. We have all seen the movies about the Roaring Twenties and the mobsters of that era. Enough was enough, and the public demanded action.
For trustees, the law was in effect until 2001. The father of Andrew Przybylo started the White Eagle catering hall in Niles and ran it until his death in 1992. According to Illinois law, Andrew could no longer be a trustee AND hold a liquor license. He told a local journalist, "The Company took on a different tone," he said. "That's when it became clear I had to have the law changed.” Then he added "My responsibilities and ownership was changing. I had to change the law or resign."
Did he obey the law? NO. Did he resign? NO. Was the law changed? YES. When Mayor Nick Blase had to resign from office after a conviction for mail and tax fraud because of insurance scams pulled on Niles’ businesses, the village board voted Robert Callero into the spot. Andrew was foiled again because the law about mayors was still on the books. Callero played the role of caretaker. But hope springs eternal with Andrew. He merely had local legislators Lou Lang and John D’Amico introduce legislation which would allow Andrew to achieve “his turn.” End of story? Nope.
If Andrew is Mayor, Niles has to hire a lawyer to do the job of liquor commissioner! We don’t think we will find a lawyer to take on the job at the current hourly minimum wage.
So Andrew held office, it appears, in acknowledged defiance of Illinois law for years while the family business was, in his words, “in transition.” Here now is another of the interesting stories about Niles politicians. There are many, many more but this one really goes to the heart of the matter- “Niles leaders” are special people who need special treatment and special courtesies about which us peons can only watch and wonder.
Krzystof "Chris" Hanusiak
Niles Village Trustee
Note: Hanusiak is running for Village of Niles Mayor in the April 9 election.
Thanks. We'll email you the next time we update this story.
John P.
7:56 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Was wondering how a family could be in transition for 11 years
CK
6:08 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
The same kind of superior planning he has for Niles?
Niles Concerned Citizen
8:33 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Oh Chris, the arrogance lies in the letters and constant badgering of all. You, Louella and Hynes think you are better than ALL, you talk down to people including our Mayor, who by the way was elected by the people and is a Senior as well. If you did that in the Navy, like you say you were, you would have been tossed over the side of the ship or court martial ed. funny how you and your slate do nothing except stale mate the meetings, waste our time and money. Maybe its time you take a better look at yourselves instead of constantly pointing your finger at others. The people will speak, they see through the lies, check your facts before you rant!
CK
2:36 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
If Hanusiak would be thrown overboard because he TELLS THE TRUTH, imagine what would happen to Niles Concerned Citizen. Yuk!
Doug B
10:03 am on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Niles Concerned Citizen, what facts are wrong? What lies are they telling? The Responsible Leadership Party seems to be backing up their statements. Please explain explain how they are wasting money when they are trying to do what is right, others are trying to do whatever they want?
Mr .Tom
3:17 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
C'mon Chris. There is nothing special about Andrew Przybylo. Doesn't everyone have a part time job with the County of Cook for $104,064 a a year? Big pension pay day after he decides to leave this cream puff job too. This town still has a stench and I can smell it from here......
CK
7:16 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
And dont forget he is an owner of the biggest eating place in Niles. I watched him on the televised meetings and hes always playing with a blackberry or something, not paying attention to what is going on. He doesn't seem to look at those packets I just learned about which are sent to the trustees because hes always tearing some envelope open. At a recent meeting he couldnt even read properly from a document he was supposed to read. A leader. LOL
John P.
3:39 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
i am tired of the "Chicago" style politics in our village. Let's get some leadership that is not tied in any way to the past corruption.
CK
7:17 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Good thing you didnt live in the old 39th Ward. Its really deja vu.
Jac Charlier
10:14 pm on Tuesday, March 19, 2013
CK - "Old 39th Ward" different than the "New 39th Ward"?
Better Government Association came out with this today...related type of story: "Mayors and booze licenses a bad mix" - http://www.bettergov.org/mayors_and_booze_licenses_a_bad_mix_/
CK
2:39 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Difference between old 39 and new 39? Z E R O. The same family owns it. New wine in old bottles.
KC
1:04 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Niles citizens this is a once in a life time opportunity to really CHANGE our future. Let's exercise our own term limits; get Przybylo & Preston out on April 9th. They both have been on to long, over 50 years between them. BOTH served during the Blase era, BOTH ran on a slate with Blase , BOTH were Trustees during the buyouts and corruption, BOTH violated the voters trust. BOTH need to go. Let's give some new blood a turn. Hanusiak for Mayor and take your pick for trustees. Przybylo walks around like its owed to him and Preston doesn't know the word we. Let's take a CHANCE on real CHANGE. I believe now is the time to send the message that we are all tired of career politicians.
Dave Tresbin
4:53 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Anyone notice how Hanusiak's running mates are putting up their own campaign signs without Hanusiak's name on them? Seems like his boat has leaks in it and his running mates are abandoning ship.
Doug B
5:18 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Really? Which signs are those? All of the signs I have seen and the one in my yard has Chris on the front and the trustees on the back.
CK
6:03 pm on Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Poor Tresbin, he's not doing tres bien. The Hanusiak name is on one side and the trustee names are on the other side. Tresbin's Rocket Science in action! Why someone would worry about imaginary leaks in a boat when they might be more worried about leaks in their........
Dave Tresbin
6:01 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
CK's rocket science in action. I ask you, why would you make a sign with two different sides and then face it so people can only see one side? That's just poor planning. Probably the same poor judgement Hanusiak would use if elected, one sided!
Doug B
11:08 am on Monday, March 25, 2013
Dave, 2 of the trustees running, John Jekot, and Dannette Matyas, have published their own flyers. The bottom briefly mentions Andy and George.
CK
6:26 pm on Thursday, March 21, 2013
Tresbin Rocket Science 101 returns! And so does CK's practical wisdom.
Better their two sides of a sign than another's two sides of the mouth.
Dave Tresbin
2:47 pm on Friday, March 22, 2013
Nice comeback. Do you really have anything worth saying? Please enlighten us with more of your wisdom Chris. We know it's you.
We Love Niles
2:39 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Chris, do you enjoy history that much that you seem only to live for the past and not think about the future? You bring dates of 1934, 1992 and 2001 to the table? The past is the past - nothing can be done to change the past. Has anyone given Andrew Przybylo, his family and the White Eagle any credit for being an honest and well respected FAMILY business here in Niles for as far back as probably most can remember. Have you given Przybylo any credit for being a hard working, well respected business man in here in Niles? You feel the need to bring up Nick Blase - this man has been out of office for how many years now? May I remind you that one of your slate mates, Louella Preston, was also around throughout those years. Again Chris, you are just spending too much time in the past. The year is now 2013 just in case you got lost playing somewhere in your past world where you seem to be enjoying yourself most. Do you have any sense of business at all and what business brings to our Village? (Tax Dollars for anyone who cares.) If hopefully you are NOT elected Mayor, would this be what we, the citizens of Niles, have to look forward to - constantly reliving the wrongs of the years gone by? One can only imagine what the next four years would be like, I say no thanks. It is time to think about our future, Andrew Przybylo, a long time resident, trustee and respected business man here in Niles, has got what it takes to make our Niles the BEST place that it can be for years to come.
Doug B
10:44 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Being an honest and well respected businessman has nothing to do with how he will run the village. Pryzbylo never opens the meeting packet until right before the meeting. He plays with his phone instead of paying attention. How else can you judge someone than by their past actions? Unless you a a psychic, there is no way you can know what they are going to do in the future. Do you know why Pryzbylo wants to create a "Vice Mayor" position? It because he has stated that he does not want to attend all of the board meetings. Is that a quality you want in a mayor? I guess he doesn't love Niles enough to put in a full effort to be mayor. He feels he is entitled to it. Callero was quoted as saying it is "his (Pryzbylo's) turn." Really, his turn? When is my turn? Do we all get turns to be mayor because we live here? My wife has lived in Niles for 35 years. I guess that makes her qualified to be mayor, also. Pryzbylo also voted against removing a convicted felon's name from a sign, and supported a convicted felon in an election knowing full well that convicted felons cannot serve as trustee. Pryzbylo could not get to his Sprigfield cronies fast enough to try and change another law. Please, the "New" party is just as bad as the "Old" party.
CK
10:58 am on Friday, March 22, 2013
Another absurd dose of boorish drivel from "We Love Niles." Claiming that Mr. Hanusiak lives in the past is completely silly as the man was just putting things in perspective in this article. The “We Love Niles” entity apparently ignores the Przybylo campaign we got in the mail this week about how wonderful the 1960s and 70s were, an era of peaceful bliss and happiness in Niles never experienced before in human history. Ah! If it were only the 60s under Nick when people obeyed and kept their mouths shut.
The Przybylo mailing ad has two people staring at pictures on a wall yearning for the old days when independent trustees like Mrs. Palicki, Hanusiak and others weren’t poisoning the waters by asking questions and demanding answers. Ah! Przybylo’s “past” is wonderful and Hanusiak’s “past” is evil.
My compliments go to Hanusiak whose biography shows he STARTED his own business more than to Przybylo who INHERITED one.
If “We Love Niles” continues with this kind of logic, I can only imagine what his future is like.
This is how I spend my one day off from work.