Larson won, but that’s no mandate

I am going to make this letter specific to the Schaumburg election because that’s where I live. But, I think the same could be said to any re-elected incumbent. Don’t even think this is a mandate for more of the same.

Al Larson won over Brian Costin 57-43 percent. Fairly big margin. But it also means that 43 percent of people who voted thought Mr. Larson was doing a bad job. His statement, as quoted in the Herald, “It was a victory for competency, diversity and teamwork” couldn’t be farther from the truth.

Mr. Larson and the three trustees, running as a unit, is the same group that gave us the Convention Center. How much revenue has it lost since it opened? The same group that voted for half ownership of Alexian Field, the occupants of which, the Flyers, owe a million dollars, give or take. And it is this same group that has imposed Schaumburg’s first property tax. And yet this group was re-elected by a 14 percent margin. How can this be?

It can’t be because of competency. It is the group that built the buildings and hired the management that has cost the village millions.

It can’t be because of diversity. All the village trustees and the mayor belong to the same political party, and have voted as a bloc forever.

It must be the teamwork. See the above sentence.

Now Mr. Larson could have won with a 51-49 percent margin, and the result would have been the same. But I have one other side issue. Mr. Larson spent a great deal of time schmoozing with the residents of Friendship Village. I know that because my father lives there. Friendship Village also happens to have its own voting center.

I am waiting to see the precinct-by-precinct breakdown.

Granted, I am one of the 43 percent who wanted all four of them out of office. I am stunned by the result of this election.

Tim Rooney

Schaumburg