Arlington Hts. can’t afford referendum

I want to inform everyone that this is the wrong time to pass an expensive and elaborate referendum costing $48 million.

What the park district wants to do is to tear down some buildings and build new buildings costing $10 million apiece in four parks and the balance of money to be used for other improvements.

The park district passed a referendum 10 years ago (2001) to build new swimming pools and have till 2015 to pay this loan.

The park district has $25 million in their budget to help pay for these things. They also can use $11 million in tax free municipal bonds that they can use for these improvements. But they don’t want to touch this money. They want this $48 million referendum to be paid by the taxpayers.

This is a bad time to come up with this referendum when people are losing their jobs and their homes and can’t afford to pay higher taxes.

It would be nice to have a meeting with the park district to see if we can work out a compromise and not spend $48 million which would be a burden to the homeowners.

Stephen Scholten, executive director of the Arlington Heights Park District has been telling everyone that the taxpayers would be paying only $36 a year (more) on a house that would sell for $300,000.

Roland Ley’s investigation found out the cost would really be $88. If a house is assessed higher the price would be even higher.

Pat Pontrelli

Arlington Heights