Elk Grove Library residents victims of taxation without representation

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The summer Elk Grove Village Public Library newsletter article acknowledged a library board vote to permit free library services for nontaxpaying residents west of Rohlwing Road in order to avoid potential legal challenges.

Yet the board had no concern about legal challenges from the residents east of Rohlwing Road who are taxed by the library trustees to pay for the free services. Who is watching out for the taxpayer? It certainly isn't our elected officials. They totally ignored their fiduciary responsibilities to the taxpayers.

By a 6-1 vote, the trustees voted to skirt their responsibility to represent the taxpayers that support the library in order to provide free services to over 10,000 non-taxpayers. Even more insulting to the taxpayer is that the two library trustees who live west of Rohlwing Road voted to grant themselves free library services. The same two trustees also voted to have the taxpayers that support the Library incur the costs for their airfare, room and board, registration and other costs to attend a California conference.

The two nontaxpaying trustees on the Elk Grove Village Library Board can raise our taxes, issue bonds, create costly new services or programs, but never are financially impacted by their decisions.

The library trustees would better serve taxpayers by acting responsibly to correct this unfair and undemocratic situation. Non-taxpayers should not receive free library services and nontaxpaying trustees should not continue to make decisions affecting the taxpaying residents east of Rohlwing Road.

The trustees should retain special counsel to prepare a legal strategy to correct this situation. They should approach our state senator and representatives to assist in the resolution of this problem. The two nontaxpaying library trustees should refrain from exercising any influence or voting on this issue since their past votes have demonstrated their interest in preserving free services and free trips. It is inappropriate that they represent the Elk Grove Village Library or its taxpayers.

We do not need nontaxpaying library trustees in public office with the rights to govern and tax others, yet do not govern or tax themselves. That, simply put, is taxation without representation.

Gary Parrin

Elk Grove Village