Villa Park's street plan hitting the road

Villa Park is taking its street improvement campaign on the road.

A series of public hearings on the proposal to borrow $27.5 million and increase the village sales tax by .5 percent will be held at locations throughout the village starting Wednesday, Dec. 2. The first meeting is at 7 p.m. at village hall, 20 S. Ardmore Avenue.

The village is asking voters to approve both a $27.5 million bond issue to repair its notoriously bumpy streets; the sales tax increase would cover ongoing maintenance after the repairs are completed.

Both questions will be on the ballot Feb. 2.

"The key is not only do we have to fix (the streets), but we have to make sure we don't get back to where we are today," said Village President Tom Cullerton.

If approved, the village sales tax would increase from 7.25 percent to 7.75 percent and bring in $1.5 million a year, said Village Manager Robert Niemann.

The street improvement program includes reconstruction, resurfacing or patching of 54 streets throughout the village, curb and gutter improvements, and sewer repairs in areas of the village where rainwater causes the sewers to back up.

The $27.5 million plan is the costliest of several proposals the village board considered. A Villa Park homeowner with a $250,000 house would pay an additional $199 in property taxes each year for the next 20 years if the bond issue is approved.

The board decided to go with the most extensive repairs after hearing from residents at a series of meetings.

"There seems to be a growing number of people in town who are fed up with us taking the cheap way out and putting Band-Aids on things," Cullerton said. "It's time to get this done and get it done right."

The work would bring every street in Villa Park up to at least an 80 on a computerized pavement rating system, which is considered good. Villa Park's current average is 77, but it has many streets in the 40s, Niemann said.

The Villa Park Chamber of Commerce has decided to remain neutral on the sales tax increase, Niemann said. "Having good roads is good for business," he said.

The public meetings on the sales tax will include presentations by the village manager and the Villa Park Road Referendum Committee and a question-and-answer period.

The dates and times for other meetings are:

7 p.m. Dec. 16 at the Iowa Community Center, 338 N. Iowa Ave.

7 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Villa Park Library Annex, 317 S. Ardmore Ave.

9 a.m. Jan. 16 at Sugar Creek Golf Course, 500 E. Van Buren St.

7 p.m. Jan. 21 at the Community Recreation Building, 320 E. Wildwood St.

7 p.m. January 27 in Room C2 at Willowbrook High School, 1250 S. Ardmore Ave.