Letter to the Editor: Action Plan

Alton has been awarded $400,000 to address rundown and burned-out homes. DRUM ROLL PLEASE! Alton has over 200 vacant lots that they cannot maintain! While we are tearing down houses and creating more vacant lots, what is Greg Caffey, director of community development/building and zoning, and the HIGHEST paid city employee, doing to help people seeking home ownership? Safe and decent housing is a basic human need, yet many of our citizens have no place to call home or simply cannot afford safe and decent housing!

Alton public workers cannot keep up with the 200+ lots that need to be maintained, so let's add 40 more empty lots to the list. Solutions include establishing community development corporations, funding sources for housing, financing programs for new homeowners, and considering a tax credit program to help middle-class citizens afford housing. No business as usual in the political process, will be the rallying cry of Alton 2025 mayor election. I will focus on mobilizing the strongest political force to leverage the advancement of the mutual interest of all who choose to stand for the empowerment of Alton, IL communities through the empowerment through our families.

2025 Alton will elect a competent person to appoint capable staff to move us forward instead of those who sit around getting fat off our taxpayer dollars!

Abe Lee Barham

Alton Resident

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