‘Business as usual’ not good enough
After reading the endorsement for mayor of Arlington Heights, I found the reasons to support business as usual to be debatable. In particular, the comment on few empty stores caught my eye and seems to be far from the truth. Just drive through downtown and head south on Arlington Heights Road and you will see many “Available Space Signs” in storefront windows.
Rand Road is also littered with empty storefronts that have been empty for quite some time. Yes, some large facilities have been filled but not with new business. Stores have simply relocated. On a positive note, there is a plan to reopen the Arlington Theater but with fewer available seats. Is this our new model for the future?
There are people in our village who have been working with Village Hall for nearly a year to open a new business. Some continue to jump through the hoops in the hopes that they will open soon. Others give up and set up shop in the friendlier environments of Mount Prospect and Palatine.
We have had good and friendly people in office for many years but the time has come to change the prescription of our vision glasses. As we move forward in our local government change is not something we should fear. Rather, we should welcome and vote for it.
Rita King
Arlington Heights