Future may bring radical change,
reclaiming of values
By Joe Whelan

   If change in local and global society during the past century is any indication of what is to come during the next 100 years, we can imagine some radical differences in our community - and perhaps some reclaiming of values that were lost.
   I foresee Champaign County as having a county board made up of 27 members with each member representing 127th of the population. This would allow for a more direct responsibility by the county board members to a specific constituency with whom they could maintain more immediate contact.
   It seems very possible that the University of Illinois could become an integral part of the cities of Champaign and Urbana, where all the public services (police, fire, public works and community development) are provided by one entity. This would be more efficient.
   The university would assume the role of full partner with the cities and would contribute its fair share of financial support relative to the services it receives and its property holdings. The consequences could be a lowering of taxes generally in the metropolitan area and relieving the UI of its infrastructure maintenance as well as the protection of its population.
   I can imagine a growing interest in creating a different means of east-west traffic between Champaign and Urbana so that the UI could develop its north-south campus orientation, providing better pedestrian travel. This might involve underground traffic between Lincoln Avenue and Wright Street, and could include east-west traffic on Springfield Avenue and Green Street. It might allow for subsurface parking at various points in that campus area.
   I see Parkland College benefiting from more scholarships to allow for people of limited means to attend. This is an excellent avenue for bringing new talent into the arena of salary-earning, tax-paying citizens. Because of this and an anticipated population growth, I see Parkland growing in size and significance as a provider of education in the fields of applied art and science.
   The continuing development of Champaign County in conjunction with the UI as a major computer and software research center and source of incubator programs is certain.
   I expect that there will be some radical changes in our farming community, new products being grown and new farming methods, all subject to markets, and technology that is available and affordable. It wouldn't surprise me to see more truck farms in the county using hydroponic and greenhouse agriculture with an increase in food processing to supply East Central Illinois.
   An increased effort by the state to emphasize international trade would be a definite help to our agricultural community in marketing their products.
   The possibility of controlling our environment, with regard to the atmosphere, may be on the horizon. This would involve technology that is probably unknown to us today. But I see it as an area that many in science would like to pursue.
   And computers will certainly change our society at exponential speed. I can imagine computers being so small as to be a manageable tool in medical science. They could be used to assist people with damaged nerves, cardiovascular disease and possibly even visual, speech or hearing loss.
   Our television sets will allow us to be interactive on the Internet for accessing and exchanging information, purchasing merchandise and even voting. There will be a chance for more affordable campaigning, more open debate, less control of elections by special interests and, consequently, more democratic elections.
   Money, it's my guess, will become obsolete and electronic transfers of funds will be activated by some personal trigger (fingerprints or eye-prints, possibly).
   Our downtowns will become once again more important because of their geographic location, being central to all the community. It may even happen that public transportation in the form of smaller electric vehicles will be used in the downtowns with cars being parked on the periphery.
   A four-day work week will be a natural result of the increase in population, resulting in greater demands for entertainment and further education needs. More people will work from their homes using computers (a cyber-revolution to reverse the Industrial Revolution where the means of production was taken from people's homes).
   I think the values of society will change too. The need for order in our lives and respect for each other will create a more fertile atmosphere for tolerance. Religious expression may be accepted as a normal part of our lives and even once again be taught in schools in a way that is allowed by our Constitution. It may be accepted as a legitimate expression of good will in public places once again.
   The family in our society could regain its stature as people realize that free love and recreational sex are destructive to a stable family, a marriage bond and successful child-raising.
   I see the strong potential for simultaneous improvement in the heart and soul of our society. It all depends on the decisions we make today, tomorrow and each day as we move into the future with all its wonders and opportunities.
   The eventuality of such a noble and adventurous century presumes that our society will come to realize the inalienable value of life as it pursues happiness within the framework of liberty.

   Joe Whelan has been on the Urbana City Council since 1979. For most of those years, he has been part of a Republican minority on the traditionally Democratic city council.

   The News-Gazette welcomes comments from readers on the issues raised in this article. Please send your comments to: Editor, The News-Gazette, 15 Main St., P.O. Box 677, Champaign, IL 61824-0677. Send comments by e-mail to news@news-gazette.com.