Long Grove [Illinois] plan may pave way to privatize public roads

Chicago Tribune ^ | 13 January 2014 | Duaa Eldeib, Tribune reporter

[Lorianne]

Many Chicago suburbs are still struggling to bounce back from the Great Recession with as few disruptions to services as possible, leading to the imposition of various new fees and taxes. But in Long Grove, where officials say they no longer can afford that most basic of public services — maintaining roads — an unusual plan to address the shortfall has set off a storm of controversy.

Facing an annual funding gap of more than $1 million, Long Grove trustees have twice in recent months affirmed a plan that could privatize nearly half of the village's public roads — transferring the cost of upkeep and plowing to the residents in the process.

Hoyne opposes any move by the village to vacate public roads and rely on private property owners to maintain them. At the same time, he recognizes that roads need to be kept up and that he and fellow residents of the northwest suburb are likely going to get stuck paying more — whether in the form of a new tax or by taking on the road costs directly.

[AllAmericanGirl44]

There are some very wealthy people living in Long Grove, I can’t begin to imagine how the town got itself in financial trouble. Big and beautiful homes, farms and farmetts all over the place.

[bigbob]

they should find out where Blago hid all the old toll booths

[SeminoleCounty]

Scary is that the dream of every Communist Globalist is to privatize roads...and let private firms put tolls on them....actually a “tax” Nothing more bigger a welfare check to get the government to build your business for free

[abb]

Boiled down to the basics, this is no more than selling hard assets to keep the deadhead payroll alive.

[EVO X]

There are some very wealthy people living in Long Grove, I can’t begin to imagine how the town got itself in financial trouble.

They probably took a beating on the decline in property taxes. Property values have recovered somewhat in the last few years, but not enough to generate a surplus.