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Schaumburg rejects utility tax to bury overhead lines

For the second time in seven months, Schaumburg residents and businesses have dodged a new utility tax on their electricity bills to pay the cost of burying overhead lines along the northern stretch of Plum Grove Road.

Even though ComEd's cost estimate to bury their lines between Higgins and Wiley roads dropped from $9.1 million in August to $7.5 million this month, Schaumburg trustees voted 5-1 Tuesday not to impose such a tax.

Village staff calculated a utility tax lasting three and a half years would be one way to generate the money ComEd is asking for the line burial, with two-thirds of the cost being borne by businesses.

Staff recommended such a tax with a monthly increase of $3 for single-family homes, $5.34 for small businesses and $24.19 for large businesses.

But Trustee Tom Dailly suggested instead that a $2 monthly increase for single-family homes and a proportional amount for businesses spread out over nearly five and a half years would be more palatable.

He was the only one to vote in favor of it.

"I think it's worth it to improve the service," Dailly said. "It makes the village look better."

Schaumburg village officials have expressed a preference in the past for burying overhead utilities when possible. This particular stretch of Plum Grove Road was recognized as an opportunity to do so as the road itself will be reconstructed over a nine-month period beginning in May 2018.

As ComEd is legally required to deliver service by the most cost-effective means - usually overhead lines - it falls to municipalities to find the funding for burial themselves if they want it.

While some other trustees brought up benefits of buried lines in their comments, they ultimately decided they were not worth the tax.

"For this small stretch, we're asking a lot of our residents," Trustee Frank Kozak said.

Trustee Mark Madej said burying the lines didn't seem to him a way of improving reliability.

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