Barrington needs to overhaul its economic thinking

I have been a homeowner in Barrington going on 25 years. My wife, Cindy, and I have raised two children who have received an outstanding education. Just like everyone else we have seen our property taxes go up to help pay for our great schools and teachers.

We know that our property values are driven first by the great schools and second by the village's charm. The once thriving Barrington has seen too many businesses close or move to neighboring towns. How much village tax base has been lost? There are currently 78 business vacancies in Barrington with more to come once the new retail center at Hough and Main opens. The current village president and her hand-picked board has spent over $15 million of our taxes to get into the retail development business. By buying up business properties over the past 10-plus years they have taken over $400,000 per year in just property taxes off the books. That's several million dollars in taxes we have all had to make up to support our schools.

The new retail development at Hough and Main is forecast to generate only $200,000 in taxes annually. That means we are still losing money. If a private developer first purchased the land and then developed it, property taxes would not have been taken off the books.

We have a chance to "right the ship" and have our trustees ask the hard questions instead of just saying "yes" all the time to a village president's blurred economic vision. That's why I urge you to vote for Mike Kozel, JoAnn Fletcher and Maureen Yates for trustee. They will listen to us taxpayers and offer some needed economic sense to the village board. As trustees Kozel, Fletcher and Yates will be a much-needed breath of fresh air.

Ed Fitzharris

Barrington