Despite repeated signals from the community, Oak Park trustees voted, with one dissent by Trustee Jim Taglia, to approve a controversial bike plan that many residents simply did not want. The vote has deepened opposition, eroded trust, and left taxpayers wondering: why weren’t we heard?
Yes, Oak Park wanted a bike plan — but not this plan. Residents had hoped for a focused, cost-effective strategy that would enhance livability without disrupting daily life or draining public resources. Instead, what was delivered feels bloated, expensive, and out of touch with the village’s priorities. Trustees attempted to wrap their vote around climate change, but the only real change was loss of community trust.
The outcome raises serious concerns about leadership. Are our trustees not listening, not understanding, or simply not concerned with public input? Even when presented with viable alternatives to gather community feedback and reassess the situation, the decision-makers defaulted to an unwarranted sense of urgency, bypassing opportunities for inclusive dialogue.
So what exactly did the community get? A Divvy program wrapped in promises, served with a side of potential property value declines, potential tax increases, multi-millions in expenses, confusing traffic changes, unvetted code changes, and the warm approval of special interest groups.
Not quite the meal taxpayers ordered.
If this doesn’t sit well with you, there’s something you can do: take the power back. Get informed. Get engaged. Get motivated. Join a commission. Start a neighborhood discussion group. Ask hard questions. Hold village leadership accountable. Vote in local elections. Call for a bike infrastructure referendum.
Talk to your friends and neighbors. Form small community groups to demand a better Oak Park — one committed to transparency, inclusive dialogue, and accountable leadership. Insist on performance reviews for elected officials and community-driven prioritization of public initiatives.
Because if our leaders refuse to govern with the people, the people must lead without them.
Don’t just skim the headlines. Dig deeper.
It’s not complicated: Oak Park residents have made their position clear. The answer is no.
The real question is: Why aren’t the trustees listening?
Kurtis Todd
Oak Park