To the editor:
I must respectfully disagree with Mr. Wilton's letter (March 11, Page 4A) regarding possibly selling Illinois Department of Natural Resources property in Hamilton County. Personally, I think that would be a very dumb thing to do.
People in Hamilton County are very fortunate to have TWO state of Illinois sites, Hamilton County Conservation Area and the Ten Mile Creek Fish and Wildlife Area, open to the public, within Hamilton County, to all, without discrimination.
Yes, the 3,000-plus acres would bring perhaps $9 million into the state coffers if said land was sold at $3,000 per acre. Gee ... big deal. The numbskulls — no, pardon me, the elected officials — of both political parties in Springfield would (fritter) that away in a heartbeat. Hamilton County wouldn’t see any of it.
Nine million bucks wouldn’t do a thing to help solve the state’s budget mess; plus, once the land is sold, it is gone forever.
Most people can’t afford to buy their own 20- or 40-acre piece of land. People need places to go to fish, camp, hunt, picnic, look for mushrooms or just walk around with the family doing nothing — and not worry about being “run off” or having the law called on them.
Perhaps folks in Hamilton County do not realize how fortunate they are. White County has maybe 100 acres of state land, mostly along Interstate 64. Look how ruined White County is: Leased hunting has virtually shut out the public from access to private lands. That’s why so many people go to Dolan Lake and Ten Mile Creek.
I am NOT an advocate of big government. I am a conservative. I believe that the interests of the average working family far outweigh the interests of a few monied individuals who would in all likelihood use their “friends in government” connections to obtain a sweetheart land deal.
This IS Illinois, remember?
Richard Gurka
Enfield
