Arlington Hts. chamber, restaurants back tax hike for Metropolis
While Arlington Heights tries to find a new path forward for Metropolis Performing Arts Centre, some downtown restaurant owners and the local chamber board say they would support raising taxes rather than see the theater go dark.
The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce board and a number of downtown restaurants have suggested increasing the village's food and beverage tax from 1.25 percent to 1.5 percent to help funnel more money to Metropolis.
Money from the food and beverage tax, which is levied on residents and nonresidents alike, goes into the Arts & Entertainment fund, which provides Metropolis with an annual operating subsidy.
With the village board's decision on Thursday to give Metropolis an additional $450,000 to pay past-due debts and keep the theater open through the end of the fiscal year in April 2015, the Arts and Entertainment fund will take a big hit.
“The Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce recognizes the Metropolis Performing Arts Centre as a vital part of the brand of Arlington Heights,” reads a statement from the chamber board.
“The Centre provides a cultural arts experience for all generations. To sustain a thriving business community, a community must also sustain a thriving cultural experience through diverse offerings, events, and opportunities,” it continues.
A majority of the 22 members on the chamber board voted in favor of supporting Metropolis and an increase to the food and beverage tax, said Jim Bertucci, chamber board president.
“Metropolis is part of the brand of Arlington Heights,” Bertucci said.
He said many restaurant owners would rather see a tax increase than deal with the financial loss that Metropolis closing its doors would cause.
Trustee Joe Farwell said the village board also received a letter signed by the owners of several downtown restaurants including Peggy Kinnane's, Berry Yo, Salsa 17, La Tasca and Armand's Pizzeria, offering their support for a tax increase to bridge the gap in Metropolis funding.
However, not all business owners are in favor of a tax increase. Chamber members opposed to the tax increase released a statement of their own, saying they could not support the increase, “due to the past failure of a successful plan to help the Metropolis Theater become sustainable with previous funding levels.”
The village board on Thursday did not discuss in depth, or vote on, the idea of raising the food and beverage tax to help Metropolis.
“I don't know whether a 0.25 percent additional tax is warranted at this time,” said Trustee Tom Glasgow. “I take into account that this was not a unanimous decision from the chamber.”
The entire village board has said it wants increased transparency from Metropolis and an overhauled business plan before they will give any more money to the theater.
Mayor Tom Hayes was the only board member who said he would consider an increase if Metropolis had a changed business plan going forward.
“Whatever money we offer up for Metropolis, it is a tax. A tax is a tax is a tax, and people are paying for it,” said Trustee Carol Blackwood, one of two trustees who voted against giving Metropolis additional funding.