Sears doing nothing wrong

For the past several weeks, I have read a few letters from people associated with District 300 schools agonizing over the potential move out of Illinois that Sears is contemplating.

The main complaint it seems is that somehow Sears owes it to District 300 to stay after its 20-year tax exempt deal runs out soon and pay millions of dollars to their district. Amazing.

What I did not read was anything about how Sears would be violating any agreement with local or state officials — because they wouldn’t be. This is what happens when you get public officials negotiating deals with private business. If they wanted Sears to stay beyond the 20-year period, they should have crafted a deal when Sears would at least pay 50 percent of the regular tax rate for another period of years benefiting both sides or should have had an opt-out clause where Sears pays a defined amount of money if they don’t stay.

Twenty years ago, Sears may have taken that deal. Today, District 300 gets nothing because Sears needs to exercise its right to be competitive, stay in business and keep its agreements.

All of this is good business. If you get a reduction in your taxes on your home for a few years, do you promise to stay after that and pay higher taxes? No, because you can exercise your right to move based on your economic conditions — Sears gets the same consideration.

Don Eliasek

Huntley