Rolling Meadows candidate criticizes staff suggestions

Rolling Meadows officials misled residents when they approved an electricity tax back in December, said John D'Astice, who is running for the sixth ward alderman spot.

The 5 percent electricity tax was supposed to start in 2009 and it first showed up on residents' bills in January. However, those bills were for usage in December and even parts of November, D'Astice said.

"It's unacceptable," he said. "The tax increase should've started with the February billing."

The extra tax will bring in $1.3 million annually and it will be used to pay off a $500,000 debt from 2007 and up to a $1 million debt expected from 2008. Rolling Meadows homeowners typically pay electric bills between $60 and $100 per month. The tax will add another $36 to $60 each year.

D'Astice, who represented the ward for 12 years before retiring because of term limits in 2004, blames the city staff, especially those in the finance department, for misleading aldermen who "can't read every single line of information" in their budget packets.

"The staff is supposed to advise them, that's their job," he said. "I don't think pointing fingers will help, but the council does rely on the staff for information."

D'Astice also blamed Rolling Meadows Police Chief Steve Williams for laying off seven crossing guards, who were recently rehired by the council. He said those layoffs weren't part of the original budget but were added by the chief later.

"The city council didn't even know the crossing guards were being laid off," he said. "We've seen some recent staff recommendations that have been very inconsistent. One of the reasons I'm running again is to get some consistency back."

D'Astice' opponent is Kathy Kwandras, who currently represents the sixth ward. She said she agrees that the tax shouldn't have been on electricity used in 2008, but added that the council can't do much about it now.

"The thing is, we have to look at ways to prevent this kind of thing from happening again," she said.

The 2009 budget was put together by former City Manager Tom Melena, who retired in January.

Current City Manager Sarah Philips said that as far as when the electricity tax should have started, it all depends on your interpretation of the ordinance. She also said it would be a paperwork nightmare to issue rebates for the January bill.

"The intent hasn't changed," which is to raise $2.6 million over 24 months, she said.

Philips said the tax increase was approved for two years, so that if the council takes one month back in the beginning, it will have to add another month at the end of the 24-month time period.