Time for slots at racecourse is now
It is time to put our personal bias aside and think of the citizens that elect our Arlington Heights Officials. It may feel like a conflict to one's personal life but the job of the Arlington Heights government is to take care of ALL of the citizens.
The teen center, library, police, fire and public works services are all feeling financial pain. The Sheraton has closed. Now the Town Center is in trouble. Arlington Heights businesses are closing and others are in dire straits.
Arlington Heights Central Business District needs customers. The village needs more tax dollars. Our citizens need to continue to receive excellent services.
Currently our local government continues to mirror the state and federal plan for governing i.e., "same old business as usual;" the constant refrain of "cut spending and no new taxes."
The result of this "hot air" is the same at all three levels; TRAGIC recession.
Arlington Heights has, and ignores, a FANTASTIC opportunity to lighten our burden: Arlington Park racecourse!
It is time to put slot machines at the track. (Our trustees have said they will allow some consideration for slots at the track.)
It is time to actively pursue and embrace the concept. Every horse racing venue that added slots has bolstered their local economies, created hundreds of jobs and exponentially increased spending in their communities. (Please do the research.)
Those communities have seen zero increase in crime or moral erosion.
Won't it be a shame when slot players at the new Des Plaines casino can be heard to say, "Remember when we used to eat out in Arlington Heights?"
Alan P. Murdoch
Arlington Heights