$1.1 Million Lost: Why Arlington Heights Needs Change Now

By now, many of you have probably heard the news that Arlington Heights lost its case to recover $1.1 million in tax revenue from Cooper’s Hawk. For an entire decade, that money was sent to Rolling Meadows by mistake, and no one in our village noticed until it was too late. Ten years. $1.1 million.

When I first read about this, I was stunned. How does a mistake this big go undetected for so long? Why didn’t anyone catch it sooner?

What Happened?

For those who haven’t dug into the details, here’s the gist: Cooper’s Hawk, a business within Arlington Heights, generated tax revenue that should have come to our village. Instead, due to an error, the Illinois Department of Revenue miscoded the restaurant, and that money went to Rolling Meadows for 10 years—despite both villages being required to review these reports and having chances to catch the mistake earlier. Our village fought to get it back, but the courts ruled against us. That’s $1.1 million that could have gone toward our schools, our roads, our community—lost because no one was paying close enough attention.

The Bigger Picture

This isn’t just about one mistake—it’s about trust. If our current leadership can miss something this significant for a decade, what else might be slipping by? Arlington Heights deserves a village manager and mayor who understand the nuts and bolts of municipal finance, who know how to protect our revenue, and who won’t let oversights like this become our norm. We deserve leaders who treat every tax dollar like it matters—because it does.

I’ve talked to folks around the village about this, and I hear the same thing: people want accountability. They want to know the people in charge are looking out for them.

A Path Forward

Here’s where I see hope: we can change this. We don’t have to accept a system where $1.1 million can vanish without a trace. If I’m elected as your mayor, I’ll make it my mission to bring competence and transparency back to Village Hall. I’ll dig into the details, ask the tough questions, and ensure we have the right people in place to catch mistakes before they cost us. I’ll fight for you—the taxpayers—and work to rebuild the trust that’s been shaken.

Imagine an Arlington Heights where our leadership is proactive, not reactive. Where we catch errors in months, not decades. Where every dollar of your tax money is accounted for and put to work for our community. That’s the future I’m committed to building, and I can’t do it without you.

Let’s Make It Happen

This $1.1 million loss is a lesson—one we can’t afford to ignore. On election day, you have the chance to choose a new direction. On election day, vote for me, Jon Ridler, as your mayor. Together, we’ll make sure Arlington Heights never loses another $1.1 million—or our trust—again.

What do you think? I’d love to hear from you—shoot me a message through the contact page!