The Reality Behind Freeport’s Budget “Process”
By Joshua T. Atkinson, Republican Candidate for State Senate, IL-45
FREEPORT, IL – November 20, 2025
How Much Time Was Spent? Who Showed Up? What Does This Say About Leadership?
On November 17, 2025, the Freeport City Council held the first reading of Ordinance 2025-61 — the City of Freeport’s Fiscal Year 2026 Appropriation Ordinance. This ordinance establishes how City Hall intends to spend over $28 million in taxpayer funds over the next year.
During the meeting, concerns surfaced from some members about being asked to approve a large and complex budget without adequate review or understanding. Others responded by insisting that the budget had been under discussion since September and that the process had been transparent and thorough.
To determine whether those claims aligned with reality, Fighting4Freeport reviewed the official meeting minutes and full recordings from every budget-related Finance Committee meeting.
The findings show a significant disconnect between the message being presented to the public — and the facts.
Four Hours of Total Budget Discussion Over Three Months
Across eight scheduled budget meetings from September through early November, there were only four hours of actual public discussion about the city’s $28 million financial plan.
The shortest meeting, October 14, lasted 1 minute and 46 seconds and included no budget discussion.
The longest, on November 3, lasted 43 minutes and 30 seconds.
Put plainly:
Three months of “budget meetings” = Less time than the average Super Bowl broadcast
For the single most important financial decision of the year, Freeport taxpayers are entitled to expect more scrutiny and engagement.
Attendance: A Breakdown of Who Participated — and Who Didn’t
Showing up matters. It is the foundation of responsible leadership.
Attendance records show a sharp divide in participation among council members. Alderwoman-at-Large Joy Sellers and 1st Ward Alderman Tom Klemm each attended seven of the eight budget meetings, participating in 84% and 86% of the process respectively. 2nd Ward Alderwoman Linda Johnson, 4th Ward Alderman Don Parker, and 6th Ward Alderman Greg Shadle demonstrated perfect attendance, participating in 100% of the meetings. 5th Ward Alderwoman Stacy was present for seven out of eight meetings, an 88% attendance rate, while 3rd Ward Alderwoman Rachel Simmons attended only three meetings, placing her at 42% participation. Most concerning, 7th Ward Alderman Larry Sanders attended just one meeting — a 16% attendance rate — meaning he missed 84% of the city’s budget review process.
Some council members demonstrated reliability and respect for the process — even while disagreeing on priorities.
Others failed to fulfill the most basic responsibility of their office.
The Core Accountability Issue
Seventh Ward Alderman Larry Sanders attended only one of the eight budget planning meetings.
He missed 84% of the discussion and then criticized the process for being insufficient.
A representative cannot meaningfully question decisions they consistently choose not to participate in.
This leaves 7th Ward residents — and the entire city — without strong representation in the most consequential policy decision of the year.
An Honest and Compassionate Evaluation
Fighting4Freeport strives to offer fair and accurate assessments.
Many community members, including us here at Fighting4Freeport, have long sympathized with Sanders:
• He has demonstrated genuine care for people
• He raises concerns others overlook
• He is seen as standing up to City Hall
• Observers recognize he may be experiencing health issues that affect his work
For years, residents have been willing to overlook tension, miscommunication, and personality clashes.
But absentee governance cannot be excused.
Opposition without participation is not leadership — it is abandonment of duty.
Residents deserve someone who shows up before they speak up.
The current situation is:
• Failing taxpayers
• Failing neighborhoods
• Failing Freeport’s future
And while intent matters — outcomes matter more.
What Responsible Governance Requires
A $28 million budget demands:
• Full engagement
• Hard questions
• Accountability for both City Hall and council members
• Presence — not just criticism
We cannot condemn failures inside City Hall while ignoring failures sitting on the dais.
The 7th Ward deserves more than 16% representation.
Freeport deserves a functioning, responsible council.
What Happens Next — and What Residents Can Do
The final vote on the FY2026 budget is scheduled for:
Monday, December 1, 2025
City Council Chambers
6:00 PM
Residents — especially those in the 7th Ward — are encouraged to:
Attend or speak at the December 1 meeting
Contact their alderperson and demand accountability
Request a full explanation for missed meetings and future engagement plans
Silence enables decline.
Participation protects democracy.
Conclusion
We thank Alderman Sanders for stepping forward to serve his community and for the valid issues he has attempted to raise over the years. His intentions are not in question. His commitment, however, must be.
The gap between his role and his performance has become too large to ignore — and too damaging to accept.
This situation must end. With a heavy heart Fighting4Freeport must call for:
Seventh Ward Alderman Larry Sanders to resign immediately.
Freeport deserves a representative who is present, capable, and committed to the responsibilities voters entrusted to them.
