Saving ash trees now will save money later

The recent Daily Herald front-page article is another example of the shortsightedness of government in general and Arlington Heights government in particular.

One of the most attractive aspects of living in the village are the tree-lined streets. That beauty is currently under attack by the Emerald Ash Borer.

Instead of facing this attack head-on, village officials do not want to spend the money to treat all of the parkway trees at a cost of $1.6 million. But if they let them die, it will cost $6.4 million to remove the trees and another $5.1 million to replant new ones.

To me the choice seems like a “no-brainer”; spend $1.6 million to fix the problem or to spend $11.5 million later. It looks like Arlington Heights will follow the lead of the federal government and will just “kick the can down the road” instead of confronting the problem.

I guess we have $50 million plus to spend on a new village municipal building that is less than two-thirds occupied but do not have less than $2 million to spend on the aesthetics of the village.

Philip Pick

Arlington Heights