Schaumburg mayor addresses business community rattled by tax
Schaumburg's business community will feel an even greater financial impact than residents from the village's new property tax, but gave Mayor Al Larson a more cordial reception Tuesday morning than he's seen for awhile at village board meetings.
Larson delivered his annual state-of-the-village address at the Schaumburg Business Association's January breakfast meeting at Chandler's Banquets.
Though the association declared its opposition to the property tax last month, its membership displayed its usual large numbers and good manners for the annual address.
Larson said he was never tempted to back out of the event, but conceded that he'd anticipated it with a bit more trepidation than in past years.
He particularly expected more questions about the property tax. But after a polite request for an explanation of the village's current finances, only one woman who described herself as both a business owner and resident asked the more pointed question of what the village had given up due to the economy.
Larson called on Village Manager Ken Fritz to spell out the specific ways Schaumburg had tightened its belt in the current economy.
Fritz said declining sales tax revenues are something the village has been experiencing and adapting to for several years. He said Schaumburg's government has been operating with about 100 fewer employees than five years ago, has doubled what employees must pay for their own health insurance and is continuing to struggle with pensions and other nonvoluntary obligations while trying to maintain the same level of services.
Larson added that he believes good services and a strong infrastructure are the reasons why Schaumburg is continuing to attract quality retailers and restaurants during the downturn. He said a major goal of the village is to build its sales taxes back up again with new businesses so that the property tax can be lowered.
Department heads also took turns explaining how the village is keeping up with this year's snowfall as well as making equipment and training improvements in law enforcement and life-safety services.
SBA President Laurie Stone said the usual warm reception of the mayor was exactly what she was expecting even after last month's formal opposition to the new tax.
"It's because they're business people and you need to look beyond the immediate," Stone said. "You can't do that in a spirit of conflict."
Larson said another reason for the better reception he received compared to recent board meetings was that the obligations of government are somewhat less mysterious to business people than to many residents.
"The SBA has more of a history in dealing with elected officials and (businesses) are encountering much of the same aspects of the economy that the village is," Larson said.