If we intend to make Cook County an attractive place to live and do business, then we should be careful not to send conflicting messages.
On the one hand, we create a Joint Economic Development Authority in hopes of attracting new businesses to the area. We invest a boatload of money in a business park that the citizens will be paying for, for years to come, and the state agrees to designate it as a tax-free Job Opportunity Building Zone.
What do we get? A project that’s been plagued by construction problems, storm water violations, legal bills, poor lot sales, and public confidence that’s reached a low watermark, some even expressing doubt as to its value. So we scramble for grant monies to discover what’s wrong.
On the other hand, we take a well-established business, Cascade Lodge, which has contributed to the economy of Cook County for over 80 years, and in the space of four years, quadruple their property taxes, provide negligent advice when they ask for assistance, ignore the strong urging of the state to allow a homestead credit that complies with the intent of the law (only to be met with resistance from the county attorney), and table the owners’ concerns at a county board meeting, telling them: “…don’t see a role for us here…really don’t…we’ll notify you if the board plans to discuss this further at another board meeting.”
Is it any wonder the O’Phelans confess, “It is hard to keep on fighting…when you feel unwanted by the very people who one would think would be most supportive of local business persons who live in Cook County?”
What’s it going to be? Do we want an attractive place to live and do business or not? If so, then we would do well to understand this: What we do on behalf of good people, like the O’Phelans, will do more to attract business than what we promise to businesses we may never see.
Remember, a bird in hand is worth two in the bush.
Garry Gamble
Grand Marais
Leave a Reply