Educating public on Anvil Club plan

Educating public on Anvil Club plan

For 57 years the Anvil Club of East Dundee has been a private club allowing only members to access amenities. Dwindling membership and unpredictable food quality and staff have made the once thriving supper club obsolete.

In a desperate attempt to turn around a failing business model, the Anvil Club has requested taxpayers subsidize an effort to remodel the dilapidated building. In an attempt to secure public money for this historically private club, Anvil Club has decided to “open” its doors to the public.

The Anvil Club has requested $300,000 from the village taxpayers to remodel the aging building. This amount is the entire estimated cost of the remodel — the club is not investing or risking any of its own profits into their remodel. The club has requested $150,000 from the village facade program — in cash and up front, and has also requested the remaining $150,000 be paid through a sales tax rebate over the next five years.

In a letter to the village, Anvil Club President Craig Zachrich wrote the club collected approximately $500,000 in sales tax over the last five years and paid $30,000 in property taxes in 2012. However, these numbers are misleading — the village only receives a very small portion of those amounts. Of the $30,000 in property taxes paid by the club in 2012, approximately $450 goes to the village. The discrepancy between tax revenue received by the village and the amount of taxpayer subsidies requested by the club is absurd.

The Fox Valley Libertarian Party intends to patronize the Anvil Club from noon to 2 p.m. every Saturday in October while the club is “open” to the public. We encourage any interested parties to join us.

The FVLP intends to educate residents about this proposal. We look forward to a polite and neighborly discussion.

Kelly Liebmann

Wonder Lake