Winfield sticker shock
A proposal to resurrect Winfield's long-dead vehicle sticker program to help pay for road repairs could prove to be a hard sell.
Nearly a dozen residents voiced opposition to the plan during a Thursday night public hearing at the village hall. They said town leaders should explore other ways to raise the money needed to maintain the village's roughly 31 miles of roads.
"Anybody that has more than one vehicle would definitely be against what you are going after here," resident Bob Borsodi said to the village board. "Yea, we do need to take care of our roads in this town. We need to figure out ways to (pay for) it.
"Going for the vehicle stickers? No."
The last time Winfield residents had to buy vehicle stickers was in the early 1980s. Now, officials say, the municipality has reached "a crossroads" when it comes to road repairs.
Due to a variety of circumstances - including past under-investment in street infrastructure and a significant increase in the number of streets needing repairs - Winfield must raise an estimated $850,000 annually to resurface all of its roads on a desired 15-year cycle.
Right now, the village only has about $150,000 for annual street repairs. That amount comes from the estimated $240,000 a year in motor fuel sales tax money the town receives from the state.
Meanwhile, officials say, there's simply not enough money in the village's general fund to meet the street maintenance needs. And Winfield is limited in its ability to raise taxes without voter approval because it doesn't have home-rule status.
If trustees were to reinstate the vehicle sticker program, the $30-per-car cost could bring in an estimated $232,000 annually.
Vehicle stickers for motorcycles and cars owned by seniors would cost $20 and $15, respectively. Stickers for trucks and recreational vehicles would cost $40 or more.
Resident Deb Moran says it would be unfair to require annual stickers for all nine of the vehicles her family owns.
"We moved to Winfield because of the types of lots ... and the space we have on our property to store vehicles," she said. "We just have a lot of Jeeps and toys and things like that. I shouldn't be penalized."
Other residents questioned whether the sticker program would generate as much revenue as predicted. For example, they said, the number of people who refuse to buy stickers will be far higher than village officials are estimating.
After Thursday's hearing, village board members said a final decision on the vehicle sticker proposal won't be made until a later date. In the meantime, they plan to consider other funding options and seek additional feedback from the community.