Endorsement: Yes on Arlington Heights parks proposal

We thought Arlington Heights residents shouldn’t pass up the opportunity last spring to leverage low borrowing and construction costs to make needed renovation work at several parks in town. But voters disagreed, so the park district has returned with a proposal scaled back by nearly 19 percent. Again, we urge district residents to express their support. The new $39 million proposal would fund an enhanced walking path at Lake Arlington and major improvements at Camelot, Frontier, Heritage, Olympic and Recreation parks. The funding scheme is a bit complicated, but taking advantage of bond issues that will expire in coming years, the proposal allows for a minimal increase immediately of $26 a year for the owner of a $300,000 home, moving to $76 a year in 2016 and $88 around 2033. The Arlington Heights Park District has shown with its renovation of Pioneer Park that it can turn a once-controversial project into an amenity that helps define the community. These new, needed improvements will help complete the process for the parks system. We recommend a YES vote.