The Problems Facing Granite City
I believe government should represent We the people.
When the Waste Water Treatment Plant was sold to pay for the pensions of a few hundred people, doubling and tripling sewer and water bills, we paid the price. Fox 2 News. Sale of Granite City Treatment Plant has Residents Paying Double in Bills
When the city continues an electrical aggregate program, auto enrolling its citizens into a program that costs them more money, we pay the price. *
When the city continues to invest millions of dollars on downtown investments that do not produce revenue, it is at our expense.
When they continue to raise their wages and benefits, $16,317,835 in total compensation packages for just the top 159 employees in 2024, we pay the price once again. Granite City Illinois Government employees with over $75,000 in total compensation packages in 2024
When crime continues to define this city, and residents would rather drive several miles to go to a store instead of walking a few blocks, our businesses suffer.
When it is unsafe to even cross a street or let your children play in your front yard, our community suffers and once again we pay the price.
And in 2025 when the general revenue for the city drops $8,107,089 to $31,306,525, the lowest in six years, we will all pay the price again.
Instead of representing the few at the expense of the many, our government must transform. The focus of our government must change for Granite City to turn the page and begin to prosper. Even with the focus on revitalizing downtown, businesses there continue to struggle. Many this year alone have closed: Lascelles Restaurant, August Garden, Leve1Up Arcade and Jerry’s Cafeteria. And the majority of those still operating are only open a few nights of the week. And one business just a block from the Cinema is only open one month of the year, October.
Only with a thriving population can a city have prospering businesses and a busy downtown. Our city needs to start investing in our struggling communities. Only 16% of eligible voters participated in the last mayoral race in Granite City because civic pride is low. People do not believe in the local government. But this can change if the government begins to represent we the people and our needs.
The people of Granite City must become the priority.
This means renovating and rebuilding our struggling communities and fixing our crumbling infrastructure. We need to fix our roads and sidewalks so people can drive around without fear of damaging their vehicles and walk around safely without worrying about being injured.
We need creative solutions to the urban blight that will turn abandoned buildings from liabilities to assets. We can create affordable housing, get people off the streets and invest in our history by renovating instead of demolishing viable homes.
We need better outlets for the youth and future of our city. By having a community center we can help keep children out of trouble and foster stronger neighborhood ties.
These are just a few of the first steps I will take to help re-establish the bond of the people with the government, restore civic pride and ultimately decrease the biggest concern for the city, crime.
There are four issues that need to be addressed for Granite City to prosper.
1. Image
2. Crime
3. Special interests
4. Transparency accountability
Addressing Crime & The City's Answer: the Crime Free Housing Ordinance
The Crime Free Housing Ordinance in Granite City has been controversial since being adopted by the city. There are many organizations and a federal department against Crime Free Housing Ordinances: the American Civil Liberties Union, the NAACP, the U.S. Justice Department, Illinois Realtors, Metro East Real Estate Investors Association, Illinois Rental Property Association and even Madison County Illinois**. The idea with the ordinance is to reduce crime by labeling renters, which make up 30% of the Granite City population, as criminals. Under the Granite City's web page for Crime Free Multi Housing Ordnance there are 9 parts to the New Landlord Training Course. In section 3 Crime in Rental Property, page 9 and 10, the city compares criminals to weeds that will "CHOKE OUT the good plants!" Page 10 states that "To understand crime...You need to understand the 'criminal mindset.' Criminals are PREDATORS! They look for the easy prey, and then stalk their victims, waiting for the perfect time to strike."
"..The city compares criminals to weeds that will 'CHOKE OUT the good plants!'"
"To understand crime...You need to understand the 'criminal mindset.' Criminals are PREDATORS! They look for the easy prey, and then stalk their victims, waiting for the perfect time to strike."
Granite City New Landlord Training Course [Pages 9 and 10]
2023 Crime Rates and Comparison to U.S. National Average
[In the interest of transparency we suggest looking at the UCR and Crime Data Explorer website from the FBI. FBI Crime Data Explorer Just click the link, then on Illinois and under agency search Granite City Police Department.]
Granite City is unfortunately seen as a crime city. The newest statistics released continue this trend.
Twenty one categories of crime are compiled below. ***
From highest to lowest the percentage higher than the U.S. average rate per 100,000 for Granite City in 2023 :
- Wire fraud 863% Higher
- Animal cruelty 827% Higher
- Arson 736% Higher
- Sodomy 537% Higher
- Weapon law violation 466% Higher
- Rape - 416% Higher
- Pornography / Obscene material - 204% Higher
- Identity Theft - 192% Higher
- Drug Narcotic Violation - 186% Higher
- Counterfeiting / Forgery 158% Higher
- Kidnapping - 158% Higher
- Burglary 156% Higher
- Fondling - 149% Higher
- Simple Assault - 143% Higher
- Shoplifting - 137% Higher
- Motor vehicle theft - 133% Higher
- All other larceny - 133% Higher
- Violent Crime 131% Higher
- Destruction Damage Vandalism of Property - 118% Higher
- Property Crime - 115% Higher
- Larceny Theft - 2% Lower
- Robbery - 8% Lower
Unfortunately, even after a decade of the Crime Free Housing Ordinance, the crime narrative continues to dominate Granite City’s image in 2024. These statistics, Granite City compared to the rest of America, are what potential businesses and families look at.
Granite City’s Image
Many reputable sites have graded Granite City as an unsafe place to live. The fact is that these websites use the FBI's Crime Data Explorer as their source of crime statistics.
Neighborhood Scout labeled Granite City as one of the most dangerous cities in the U.S. to live in. Neighborhood Scout Granite City Crime
Niche.com gave Granite City a C- in crime and safety. Niche Granite City Crime and Safety
Areavibes graded Granite City with an F in crime. Areavibes Granite City Crime Grade
Crimegrade.org graded Granite City with a D+ in overall crime. Crime Grade Granite City Crime Grade
SmartAsset.com "analyzed safety data for 370 suburbs of the 100 largest cities," in 2023 to find the safest suburbs. Granite City ranked 365th out of the 370. Smartasset.com Safest Suburbs in the U.S. Fox 2 News Illinois suburb of St. Louis ranked among least safe in US
More sites could be listed but the point is clear. Granite City is seen nationally as a crime city because that is what the facts and statistics show. Recently metal detectors were placed in our schools and our hospital. Granite City's solution to this has been the Crime Free Housing Ordinance. But it has not drastically decreased overall crime and has only made the situation for those less fortunate and struggling in the city worse.
Poverty and crime go hand in hand. From 2014 to 2022, the poverty rate rose from 18.3% to 18.6%. The U.S. average for poverty was 11.5% in 2022. U.S. Census Data Granite City Poverty
For more information on the Crime Free Housing, click on the tab on the top. Learn how it was amended in 2020 because it denied basic civil liberties, or how despite being amended, now forces landlords to evict or not rent to, at the landlord’s expense for evictions, anyone who is convicted of even a minor offense, for the last three years in Granite City.
Research
* Out of the 450 municipalities in the electrical aggregate program, Granite City is at the top in electricity per kilowatt-hour, Kwh, at 12.1 with 12 other municipalities. Only 17 municipalities are paying more, at 12.2 (kWA) in the program for Illinois.
Illinois.gov Municipal Aggregation List and Rates
**Every year the county releases the Madison County, Illinois 2024 Annual Action Report. Madison County Illinois 2024 Annual Action Plan The purpose for the report is to remove barriers for affordable housing because “as the recipient of federal dollars…[municipalities] [are] required to take steps to affirmatively further fair housing as part of obligations assumed when accepting these funds.” [Page 56] Each year the plan lists “actions it planned to remove or ameliorate the negative effects of public policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing are listed jeopardizing federal funds.” [Page 57] And for the last four years the county has “advocate[ed] to repeal crime-free rental housing ordinances in…Granite City.” The reasoning is that Granite City’s Crime Free Housing Ordinance “is a contributing factor to segregation and disproportionate housing needs for persons with disabilities.” Madison County Illinois 2024 Annual Action Plan [Page 196]
*** Crime is organized into two main categories on the website, violent crimes and property crimes. The violent crime totals are four categories combined: murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault. The property crime totals are three categories combined: burglary, larceny-theft and motor vehicle theft.
The rates are at 100,000 people per, with Granite City’s numbers first per 100,000 people first, followed by the U.S. average rate per 100,000 people and a percentage difference between the two.
2023 Crime Rates per 100,000 People
There are also several categories with zero cleared cases and extremely low clearance rates.
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Sodomy
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There were 0 cases cleared by Granite City police for the year.
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U.S. average clearance percentage per 100,000 was 23%.
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Granite City has never cleared a Sodomy case in its history. Was added as a category in 2021. There have been 25 reported cases of sodomy since 2021.
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Fondling
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0 cleared in Granite City for the city
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U.S. average clearance percentage per 100,000 people was 23%.
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Granite City has never cleared a Fondling case in its history. Was added as a category in 2021. There have been 23 reported cases of fondling since 2021.
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Arson
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Granite City clearance percentage rate per 100,000 people was 8.6%.
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U.S. average clearance percentage rate per 100,000 people was 27%.
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Granite City Arson numbers have continued to rise and have not been this high since a peak in 1993, 31 years ago.
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Rape
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Granite City clearance percentage in 2023 was 8%.
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U.S. average clearance percentage in 2023 was 27%.
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From January 2021 to January 2024, Granite City reported 245 rape cases, clearing 12, 4.8% of cases.
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