Villa Park officials split on reviving vehicle stickers

How the revenue gets earmarked could determine whether Villa Park residents will have to get vehicle stickers in the spring.

With suggestions to use revenue to repair streets or replace vehicles, Villa Park trustees are split on whether to reinstitute vehicle stickers.

Village President Joyce Stupegia and Trustees John Davis and Richard Illian oppose the fee, while Trustees Al Bulthuis and Dave Hegland favor reviving a program.

Trustee Jeff Blankensop says the timing is wrong, but he could be swayed to vote for stickers if revenue is earmarked to fix village streets.

"We really need to take a step back and look at our priorities," Blankensop said. "We have roads that are in desperate need of repair."

As proposed, Villa Park would collect $25 per passenger vehicle or motorcycle, $35 for recreational vehicles and $24 to $45 for trucks. Seniors would pay $10 per vehicles. The program would start in March, with fees increasing by $15 after May 1.

"It's an incentive to get your vehicle sticker promptly," Village Manager Robert Niemann said.

It is expected to generate $300,000 annually for the village at 65 percent compliance, with about $25,000 of that amount going to an outside firm that would manage the program.

Staff recommended the money go toward replacing village vehicles.

If approved, Villa Park would join several area communities that require vehicle stickers, including Elmhurst, Addison, Lombard, Bensenville, Glendale Heights and Carol Stream, Niemann said. Vehicle sticker fees range from $12 to $75, averaging $23 in nearby communities, he said.

"It's a straightforward, honest fee for a straightforward, honest need," Hegland said. "I think it's a good idea."

Hegland and Trustee Tom Cullerton noted that the stickers could serve as another tool to clean up the village, getting rid of abandoned vehicles.

But Cullerton said he would prefer to find another revenue source.

"This is going past what's reasonable," Stupegia said.

Illian added, "The police are going to have a lot of extra work. Do you think they have time to enforce this correctly? the police are very busy with other problems."

Trustees still must revisit the issue at a committee-of-the-whole meeting before taking an official vote.