Huntley rejects tax on utilities

Huntley trustees Thursday scuttled a proposal for a new utility tax to cover the cost of burying utility lines on Route 47.

The village board had asked staff to look into the cost of burying ComEd power lines along Route 47 from Kreutzer Road to Reed Road.

The project would cost roughly $7.6 million, according to staff estimates.

The utility tax would have provided the primary funding for the project, and the village would have received a $700,000 credit to help offset the cost.

Mayor Chuck Sass cast the swing vote that defeated the proposal. No formal vote was taken because staff was simply seeking direction from the board, which doesn't require the board to vote.

The mayor said it was not clear residents would benefit from the proposal.

"The only thing it does is aesthetics," Sass said. "Does it give any benefit to the residents of Huntley? No."

Sass also questioned whether the project would endanger the more pressing transportation concern of widening Route 47.

"This could slow down the process of the widening of Route 47," Sass said.

Trustees who opposed the idea said they were uncomfortable with placing an additional tax burden on residents.

"Unfortunately, I don't think we have the money to do this," Trustee John Piwko said. "I hate to put this on the residents."

But supporters of the proposal said the window to bury the lines could pass.

"I think it's something that needs to be done," Trustee Niko Kanakaris said. "If it's not done now, it's never going to be done."

Trustee Harry Leopold, the most vocal supporter of the proposal, said his colleagues' concerns over Route 47 and possible cost overruns were speculative.

"Sometimes, democracies don't do the right thing," Leopold said half-jokingly after the matter was decided.