Trustee Hayes is Against Gambling at the Racetrack

The Ethical One, Trustee Thomas Hayes, is against slots at Arlington Park racetrack. He was elected in 1991, even before Mrs. Mulder in 1993. Since then Mr. Hayes has endorsed 14 of 20 forecast budget deficits. Not counting forecast budget deficits expected out to 2014/2015.

Mr. Hayes has approved systematic Village revenue reduction through Tax Incremental Finance districts (TIF’s). These districts have likely enriched politically connected parties throughout the years (see previous post ‘Pay to Play Park’). At the same time he has approved expenses that on average rise 3% per year faster than revenues. The consequence is a budget deficit that is largely met by increasing homeowner property taxes.

Arlington Heights has an opportunity for much needed revenue by endorsing slots at the racetrack. But the Ethical One is against it, because of ‘Village Image’, whatever that is? Negative budget forecasts will be damned.

As Mr. Hayes told the Daily Herald, “the last thing I want my legacy to be is: Come to Arlington Heights for the loosest slots in the Midwest”. Perhaps the Ethical One is more concerned about a legacy than endorsing something fiscally responsible.

For 20 years Mr. Hayes, part of a cabal, has stubbornly relied on the single ideology of ‘build at all costs’. As a result homeowners will be subsidizing local vacancies with higher property taxes long after the Great Recession/Depression. The excess commercial and residential capacity in Arlington Heights is already his legacy.