Endorsement: Yes to raise sales tax for Villa Park infrastructure
Villa Park voters are being asked to approve a half-percentage-point sales tax increase to raise money for infrastructure work not included in the village's street improvement plan.
Village Manager Richard Keehner has said that some of the road repairs scheduled also will require underground work not covered by the $23 million, The village doesn't have a funding source for such additional work, so voters will be asked to support an increase to 8 percent from 7.5 percent.
The increase would generate roughly $1.5 million a year in extra revenue, and that additional revenue could be used for much-needed stormwater projects, water main replacement and other road improvements, according to village officials. This proposal allows Villa Park to address issues with aging roads and decrease flooding throughout the village at a reasonable cost. If infrastructure repairs are ignored, they can cause bigger headaches and cost more money in the future. We recommend a "yes" vote.