Lincolnwood Issues - A Different Perspective

Re: Lincolnwood Mayor and Trustees Forum

I listened to the above.  This is what I got from listening.

New Business- I heard that in the last eight years Lincolnwood had fifty some businesses open. What I did not hear was how many of them had already closed. Nor did I hear how many real businesses the Village had lost, and particularly the size and tax impact of those businesses. For instance, Smart Jewelers must have been a significant source of sales tax revenue.

1.TIF Districts(Lowes)-I heard how good the TIFs had been for Lincolnwood from Larry Elster, with no particular facts behind that statement, and he then specifically mentioned Lowes. What he didn’t say was that Wal-Mart (yes the same store that is now apparently going to locate a store across from Lowes) was interested in the Lowes property about two years prior to the Lowes opening, and probably would have built their store on that site if the trustees had not been so difficult. They instead opened a store further west in Skokie. I am guessing that the sales tax revenue from Wal-Mart would have been much greater than that from Lowes.

2.TIF(Purple Hotel)- I heard how good the Purple Hotel would be, although I was confused about the short time frame the trustees were willing to give the developer before they wanted to tear the building down for a different, as yet to be determined, development. I did not hear anything from the current trustees about the developer that had presented a plan for a mixed use development which apparently didn’t meet the trustees’ approval.

3.TIF(Lincoln Avenue)- I heard absolutely nothing about any business development. What I did hear was something akin to if you build it they will come. It seems that the idea someone had to redo all of Lincoln Avenue is alive and well with big tax dollar expenditures attached to it and a pie-in-the-sky revenue raiser as the topping. Not, however to neglect the comments from mayoral candidate Talaganis that we should beautify with flowers and other landscaping to attract business. It really seems like more of the same “this is what I say is good for Lincolnwood” mentality with no real thought for who pays the bills.

4.To the TIFs in general, it really seems to me that as a result of neglect on the part of past mayors and trustees that the industrial tax base Lincolnwood was built upon has seriously deteriorated and that there really is no concrete plan to bring it back and little hope of developing one. This means lower industrial assessments, a smaller part of the tax bill paid for by business, apparently lower sales tax revenue even with a rate increase, and continuously higher taxes on the homeowners.

5.Shore Galleries- I didn’t understand much of the commentary on this topic. I don’t know why if the trustees felt that a shooting range was not appropriate, no matter what Shore did to the new facility, they just didn’t vote no.

6.Infrastructure-What really disturbs me is a topic I didn’t hear anything about-serious infrastructure problems. In the time from 1986 when I bought my house, the Village has experienced numerous flooding incidents. These have brought serious devastation to a number of homes in the Village. In all those years, the mayors and trustees have avoided this issue, choosing to rebuild the swimming pool into a lavish facility, or pursue a bike path at a yet to be determined cost to the residents, or, what seems to be Mayor Turry’s favorite, the outdoor theater being built on the Village’s east side. This is a small Village. We don’t have a need for any of these projects (unless of course someone can prove on paper that they make money after taking into account the direct and indirect costs of building, maintaining, and policing them .) We do definitely need sewers as anyone who has weathered the more recent storms can attest. We won’t be getting that anytime soon, but fear not, the trustees have a plan to flood our streets to contain the back-up (that is until the streets deteriorate from all the standing water.) I can’t wait to hear what new found project will come next.

7.My own personal favorite is Turry’s assertion that he has worked with residents about their issues. I must not have been home that day.

I have owned my house for 27 years. There is not a year I haven’t asked for something to be done to slow the traffic on both Central and Sauganash Avenues. The police have not written a speeding ticket by my house in the entire time I’ve owned it. There have been terrible accidents at my corner. When it comes to Central, the big concern has always been is it Chicago’s side of the street or Lincolnwood’s.

When it comes to Sauganash, a number of years ago, a Lincolnwood school class did a traffic study of their own and presented their findings to Mayor Turry and the trustees at an open meeting. Their findings included significant speeding and regular failure to stop at the stop signs. I believe their recommendations included traffic calming devices. After a howl from the crowd which obviously included the Mayor’s friends he dismissed the classes findings. The politics of it is a tough lesson for the kids to learn. The following week, one of the howling residents failed to stop at a stop sign and almost ran into me. Others living in the Towers also ignore these signs and I have almost been hit on numerous occasions in the years since. And as for speeding, I can barely get out of my driveway at times because of traffic rushing down the street.

I have appeared before the Mayor and Trustees where I have brought this matter up. It has always been ignored. And Mayor Turry, for all his assertions, has done nothing.

I am a Purple Heart Veteran of the Vietnam War. I don’t have any children. I pay my taxes, as ridiculous as they have become. I also pay all the fees that are levied without any value being added for the fee. I try to maintain my property and be a good neighbor.  I have never asked for any special treatment, but I feel I have earned the right to the same services that others freely enjoy. And I am offended by Mayor Turry.

 I appreciate the chance to sound off.

John Gordon, 6741 N. Sauganash  Ave.