Term Limits? Yes, And How About Limits To Arrogance?

The following letter to the editor expresses the views of the author. Patch merely serves as a forum allow writers to state their opinions. 

A Bugle article (11-1-12) quotes Trustee Andrew Przybylo on his deep thoughts about the impact of the term limit issue following in the wake of concerned citizen Joe Makula’s petition efforts. Przybylo’s comments have raised the eyebrows of many of us in Niles in utter disbelief at Andrew’s so-called thoughts.

First, he claims that term limits could cause “GIFTED INCUMBENTS” to be replaced! Imagine his GIFTED politicians who may have “served” for a possible twenty-eight years might be replaced! This is a real horror to Andrew, maybe it even keeps him awake at night. Second, he claims that newly elected officials might be “MEDIOCRE” people! Holy Cow! Gifted people (presumably like Andrew) might be replaced with people like you and me, people who aren’t as gifted as Andrew and the other Niles politicians who were silent, sparkling and dangling ornaments on Nick Blase’s political Christmas Tree.

After reading Andrew’s silly remarks I started going through old local newspapers trying to find what gifted contributions Andrew has made in his twenty plus years as a village trustee. I have not found anything, but I’m still looking. Hope springs eternal. Some years ago Blase made Andrew the Democratic Committeeman of Maine Township and surprisingly Andrew endorsed and campaigned for party candidates who had no experience in government. Mr. Przybylo didn’t complain that any of them were mediocre, quite the contrary. His candidates for the state legislature and township office had no experience in government yet were highly praised and supported. Eventually Andrew resigned as committeeman not long after having criticized the reelection of his Maine township opponents: “It's just going to be more of the same over at town hall”; words he never said about Blase and other dutiful “gifted” ones.

Maybe Mr. Przybylo is actually gifted. He can do several things at the same time. He is an owner of a large catering hall in Niles, and has a high-paying job in county government, acting on behalf of some of Chicago’s gifted politicians. Mr. Przybylo is so lucky to be living and working every day in the presence of these Gifted Ones.

Mr. Przybylo is not only “gifted,” he is extremely lucky. For years and years gifted legislators like casino promoter Lou Lang and John D’Amico, a relative of countless gifted politicians, tried to change state law just for him. His gifted friends succeeded in ensuring Andrew could be mayor without having to abandon his liquor license. Andrew wants to continue the already fifty-two year reign of a political cult which gave special gifts of hundreds of thousands of dollars, cars and village property for the “gifted” friends of the former mayor. These were the same “gifted” Niles leaders who underfunded our employee pensions and placed these pensions in peril. Maybe these politicians think that low level mediocrities like us should feel privileged just to serve such gifted luminaries.

Term limits- YES, WE NEED THEM NOW AS NEVER BEFORE. But we also need limits to the arrogance of politicians who think that their own shelf life is somewhere between here and eternity. We need limits to an arrogance which claims that any citizen trying to seek public office without the approval of Andrew and his “gifted incumbents” is considered mediocre.

Mr. Przybylo, stand up and apologize to the voters of Niles and to the many citizens who run for office in Niles because they do care about their town, their family and their future. They are civic heroes, not mediocrities. Man up!

Chris Hanusiak

Village of Niles Trustee