Is car dealer deal bad for St. Charles?

The St. Charles City Council Planning and Development Committee wants the city to buy land that it doesn’t need at above market price for the benefit of a private business.

St. Charles Chrysler/Dodge wants to own land south and east of its showroom. Some of the land is located in a flood plain. Since this land is privately owned, it is the responsibility of the land owner to provide suitable drainage. The committee, however, wants the city to buy one acre of the above mentioned land at a price the city’s director of economic development says is above the market price. The city would then put in drainage improvements and the total city cost for land and improvements has been estimated to be between $500,000 and $850,000.

But there is more. The committee wants the city to forego 0.5 percent of St. Charles Chrysler/Dodge future sales tax above $128,000 so that St. Charles Chrysler/Dodge can recoup up to $1,100,000 that they will invest in the deal.

The full city council still needs to vote on the deal but the mayor and council members know that they are free to do these things because the citizens are too busy to know what is going on.

If you want your voice heard or better yet, want to run for mayor or council member you should email Concerned Coalition for Sensible Spending of St. Charles, Inc. ccforss@gmail.com.

Gene Kalley

St. Charles