ELMHURST, IL – An Elmhurst alderman on Monday called for ending the Elmhurst Trolley for at least a year, saying the money could be better spent elsewhere. The mayor disagreed.
Another alderman, meanwhile, said he supported the 9-year-old program, but wanted to include all residents, “not just a few.”
The debate was at Monday’s meeting of the City Council’s Public Affairs and Public Safety Committee.
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For much of the last year, Ward 2 Alderman Jacob Hill has pushed for another stop, particularly on the north side, part of which he represents.
But on Monday, Hill said the city had better uses for its money. With the free service, the city spent about $13 for each round trip last year, he said. The trolley connects the downtown and Spring Road business districts.
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He called the trolley “a nice-to-have program.” But he said the city did not know whether the program benefitted the community. With the trolley gone for a year, the city could determine the effect, he said.
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But Mayor Scott Levin took exception to Hill’s position. He noted Hill’s previous support for expanding the route, but said his new stance against the program was “transparent.”
“If you don’t get everything you want, it doesn’t mean all of a sudden the trolley program became a bad program, unless you really think it did,” the mayor said. “But I can’t understand why it’s one you wanted to expand and now it’s got negative attributes that didn’t exist before.”
Levin said Hill previously wanted to double the program’s costs. Hill countered that he wanted to add a stop, not increase costs. Through the process, he said he gained a new perspective on the program.
“Now I see it as a hallmark of an exclusive area,” Hill said.
He noted the petition signed by 55 residents of Liberty Village, a senior apartment complex across from the fire station on North York Street. They want a trolley stop to access downtown.
“Write all the petitions you want. Nothing’s going to happen in this program,” Hill said.
Northside Ward 3 Alderman Michael Bram said he proposed some type of bus program 15 years ago because of Liberty Village. The residents there ride a public bus that goes on their side of the street to shop in Bensenville, the alderman said.
Elmhurst Alderman Michael Bram voices support Monday for continuing the Elmhurst Trolley, but calls for making it available to all residents, not just a few. (David Giuliani/Patch)
But they would rather do business in Elmhurst, Bram said.
“I hate to see our tax dollars go to another community,” he said. “We’re trying to get our residents, our neighbors to stay in town and spend money.”
In recent months, city criteria for adding trolley stops were used to reject proposed ones on the north side. Bram said he had not seen any criteria in all his years on the City Council.
Southside Ward 7 Alderman Mike Brennan, the committee’s chairman, interjected, “Alderman Bram, you have not been in any of the other discussions either.”
Bram stood his ground.
“Chairman, I have been on the council for many years. Never have these criteria been presented. There is no date on the document presenting a revision,” he said.
Bram said he “respectfully” disagreed with Hill on ending the program. At the same time, he said, “We should make sure it is inclusive to all residents of the city of Elmhurst, not just a few.”
Southside Ward 6 Alderman Guido Nardini also questioned the origins of the criteria. But he indicated general support for the program.
Brennan and Nardini voted to recommend continuing the program. Hill dissented. Bram and Levin are not committee members.
Now, the matter is set to go before the full council, which meets next week.
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