CDH should contribute for roads

In an April 1 letter, a disgruntled candidate criticizes the winning administration in Winfield for suggesting that tax-exempt Central DuPage Hospital be asked to contribute some cash to the village's coffers, citing the hospital's "nonprofit" status.

Central DuPage Hospital is the largest single consumer of Winfield's police and other services. It doubles the daytime population of Winfield, and the traffic it generates is a major factor in the deterioration of our roads. It, and its parent company, own real estate having a market value of over $1 billion, with only around 10 percent of it (mainly physician office space) on the tax rolls, yielding the village of Winfield merely $17,000 per year. If it were not tax-exempt, the property taxes of Winfield residents would be less than half of what we now pay.

CDH is one of the most profitable businesses in DuPage County, and well able to afford donations in lieu of taxes so that it is not a burden on the taxpayers. It is run by savvy businessmen who could not only get blood from a turnip, but also sell the blood and bill the turnip's insurance for diagnosing and treating the wound.

Tax exemptions are granted on the theory that the activities of the organization will be of more benefit to society than any taxes they would have paid, so in upholding its end of the bargain, the hospital should be volunteering its profits for the benefit of the community, including donations in lieu of taxes.

It would be irresponsible for any village administration to not seek to recover the costs that any facility puts upon the community, especially from one so richly able to pay for it. Let us hope the hospital examines its corporate conscience and decides to give back, instead of take more from, the community that houses it.

Stan Zegel

Winfield