Invest in future

Mount Prospect must invest in its long-term future and the $85 million referendum by School District 57 represents that investment.

In the last five years, the village of Mount Prospect has spent taxpayer money to revitalize the downtown area. While some growth was certainly needed, the results of this have been at least four new alcohol-focused establishments (in addition to the two that we already had). This includes a new wine bar, a tequila bar, a brewery and a reopened tavern. This raises the total number of establishments of this type in our downtown area to six. I struggle to think of another suburb without a college that is expending so much of its resources to be a college town.

Mount Prospect has always been and will always be a village of families. During the annual July 4 parade, the streets of the beautiful downtown area are lined with children who are celebrating our history and demonstrating civic pride. That is something that is in short supply these days. That sense of childhood joy is only possible because the adults in the community make sound decisions that focus on the well-being of those children.

We have a duty to the children who live here now and to the children who will come after to ensure that focus remains. This referendum by School District 57 is the manifestation of that duty.

Since the village has decided to spend our community resources on college students that we do not have, the community must step up to support the middle school students that we do have.

Michael D. Kill

Mount Prospect