Airport is key to Elk Grove's success

At a recent Elk Grove Village board meeting it was truly disturbing to here Craig Johnson state that he feels the airline industry will "never recover." It seems this is his last hope to prevent the expansion of the airport.

In the history of aviation, this is the first time that the airline industry has faced such financial hardship and uncertain future but the industry will recover and let's not forget why this industry has struggled the past several years, a terrorist attack on our country and now the cost of fuel.

It seems Craig has forgotten what has made Elk Grove Village what it is today, the airport. Centex Builders realized the benefits of the proximity to the airport and the economic impact it would have on this new Village and they developed a master plan that included the largest contiguous industrial park in the nation. Businesses swarmed to Elk Grove to take advantage of the closeness to the airport, being able to ship their goods throughout the world.

And now Craig wishes that the very industry that has made Elk Grove such a success, fails. This is coming from a person who as Mayor is supposed to promote economic growth no matter what the industry may be. As I drive through the industrial park I see more and more for sale signs and closed businesses. Even though these businesses are closed the village still collects the property taxes on these vacated building. Maybe this is Craig's master plan, hope all these businesses fail so they don't need the airport to ship their goods anymore and O'Hare won't need to expand. Great plan, Craig.

Bill Fischer

Elk Grove Village