Arlington Heights residents need to attend meeting on budget for flooding, August 1

Arlington Heights Village Board meeting, July 5, 2016

Before the Arlington Heights Village Board unanimously passed their Capital Improvement Plan, C.I.P., for 2017-2021, I questioned their priority of infrastructure spending proposed in that Plan. 

Following is the transcript of my address from that meeting. Or you can hear it by visiting Public Hearing Item B, Report of the Committee of the Whole Review of Proposed 2017-2021 Capital Improvement Plan on the Village website for the meeting archive of July 5, 2016.  

To the Village Board on infrastructure spending:

Before you approve the Capital Improvement Plan as outlined, you should consider that in order to benefit the majority of taxpaying residents every dime possible should be directed or redirected toward infrastructure. That is the replacement or new construction of roads, water, storm sewer, sidewalks and curbs.

Flooding. This is a problem that affects all residents, whether they personally take on water or not. For example, on June 22 we flooded downtown and ironically at the Metropolis Theater, it made Chicago news. Arlington Heights is getting a reputation as a Village that floods, this hurts all property values aside from the health hazard to those who do take on flood water. 'It could have been worse' is not a good improvement plan.

Cancel the new police station, and redirect the bond rollover to fix local flooding. The Board has the authority to do this, as it is widely known that the new police station is not needed, instead of fixing flooding.

Roads, sidewalks, curbs, storm sewers all need a lot more funding or consistent sources of funding, than what is in the C.I.P budget so far. Many sidewalks and streets in town are a mess.

Infrastructure is really the heart of a local environment that attracts new residents and then new businesses.

But what generally benefits the majority of residents, does not usually get the proper attention from the Board.

For example, when a corporation stands up here, there is no 3 minute clock. Starbucks can stand up here for 20 minutes while you banter back and forth how to change the liquor code for their benefit. Or change a Cook County ordinance to keep a puppy mill in business. Or give even more than nearly $7M to the Metropolis, since we bailed out Mark Anderson. Or try to please Ms. Karolina Skrodozik of the Courtyard Inn when she says over and over again that trips downtown 'seem too long'.

But fix flooding for the residents, not so much.

So let's put residents first, for once. Cancel the new police station, redirect the funds to projects that benefit the majority.

Following my address Mr. Recklaus, Village Manager, said that a Village meeting is scheduled for Monday, August 1 and will address flooding in the 2018 C.I.P. Some of the question to be discussed at that meeting are:

1.) How does the Village prioritize infrastructure funding?

2.) Cost effectiveness of flood control spending, present system seems to be working well since 2011.

3.) How to pay for flood control, there is no revenue source, thus we have to be careful not to waste money on flood control if it is working reasonably well now?

4.)Update studies on flood control before spending on improvements.

Many residents need be at this meeting on August 1. Your voices need to be heard regarding this vital residential issue. Please plan to attend this very important meeting, as this is when the budget process begins and residents must make their views heard NOW!