THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2008

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State Cost Us: Arredia

Mayor Tony Arredia joined three other area mayors in expressing concern about state financial matters and offering suggestions.

Several area state representatives hosted the regional state budget meeting at Northbrook Village Hall. An overflow crowd attended the three-hour gathering in which people were given two minutes each to express their input. Also speaking was Naomi Shepherd, Des Plaines Elementary School Dist. 62 union president. She spoke about a proposed state House bill that would raise the state income tax and rebate the school districts for the local property tax bill.

While the three other mayors focused primarily on capital programs such as road improvements, Arredia raised the issue of communities having to wait up to six months for property tax money from the state. That forced Des Plaines to borrow more than $5 million in late 2007 that cost the city $32,000 in interest payments. Arredia asked that the state reimburse the city for that interest payment.

"I don't think it hurt," said Arredia assessing what the mayors' input may have accomplished. "Whether they do something about it would be the proof of the pudding."