Schaumburg residents want more public transportation
Though a recent residents survey revealed that 95 percent of respondents rated Schaumburg either a good or excellent place to live, village officials are taking equally seriously those areas cited as ripe for improvement.
These include fixing the village's streets, raising awareness of public transit opportunities and fostering stronger community engagement.
Village Manager Brian Townsend said he was most surprised by how many respondents wanted more public transportation but were unaware of how much exists. He saw this as a need to better market what Schaumburg is already doing.
“We've made this tremendous investment in transit,” he said.
On the survey's only open-ended question — identifying one thing people would change about the village — 26 percent said the taxes.
At Monday's meeting, Trustee George Dunham said he doesn't know anyone who doesn't believe taxes are too high. But he wondered if the respondents were specifically criticizing property taxes paid to the village, as opposed to the county or school districts.
“But if you're thinking of moving here or moving a business here and the taxes are X, why it's X doesn't matter,” Trustee Marge Connelly responded.
Townsend said that result also made him wonder if residents knew of efforts to keep lowering the tax levy, and how little Schaumburg's share is compared to that in Hoffman Estates or Roselle.
Twenty-one percent of respondents said roads and transportation were the thing they'd most like to change, and street repairs have now been made a higher priority.
While board members understood the perceived need for some hardware stores in town, they were incredulous about the desire for more grocery stores and fitness centers.
“We have so many around here!” Mayor Al Larson said.