Vote no on road tax in Long Grove

For a letter that purports to not take a position on the referendum, the village's "educational" piece to Long Grove residents is biased in favor of instituting our first-ever property tax and it used precious tax dollars, in spite of our "looming financial crisis," to send a two-page letter to every homeowner in the village.

In our opinion, Long Grove is fiscally sound with $4.2 million in reserves in the bank.

Trustees refused to use wording that would restrict the tax money for road use. They insisted on "general corporate funds for infrastructure spending." When asked about the vague wording, the audience at the village board meeting was told, "that's our intent, you just have to trust us."

Why haven't the trustees invested all of our resources in a positive way by forming a villagewide ad hoc committee to use the best and brightest minds to solve perceived village issues?

Why hasn't the board provided feedback and guidance to subdivisions whose roads they will attempt to vacate in November 2014?

Do residents know that Lake County recently expressed an interest in maintaining our thoroughfare streets? Why did the board go into closed session to discuss turning these main streets over to the county? This was not a matter for a closed session discussion.

Wouldn't turning over main roadways to the county relieve the financial burden the village faces?

The referendum is an ill-conceived idea that was rushed to a primary election when voter turnout is historically at its lowest. It is my hope that Long Grove residents surprise the village board with a historic high voter turnout, that delivers this message: NO, we do not want a property tax.

Seek better solutions and do not create divisiveness in our town. We are Long Grove united!

Marcia Marshall

Long Grove