Have you ever connected the dots between Sam & Harry’s Restaurant and the Schaumburg Village Board? We have.

From the September 21st, 2005 Daily Herald article entitled “D.C. steakhouse chosen for new hotel Schaumburg wanted restaurant that would attract residents, not just visitors.” we found out this information.

Because a government entity is building and financing the construction project, the village has to provide Sam & Harry’s with some fixed compensation to maintain the tax-exempt status of its bonds.

The village will pay 2 1/2 percent of marketing costs for the restaurant during its first five years. This will be about $60,000 for the first year and grow to about $75,000 by the fifth, Townsend said.

Schaumburg also will pay $85,000 to cover pre-opening and design costs and a $150 per day fee to all non-salaried employees of the Washington, D.C., location brought in temporarily to train the new staff. 

To add insult to injury not only did the Schaumburg Taxpayers build the restaurant & pay the mortgage for this 5-Star  Steakhouse,  the taxpayers are soaked again to pay for marketing & training.

Tustees Marge Connelly, Jack Sullivan, George Dunham, Mark Madej, Tom Dailly, and Hank Curcio voted unanimously in favor of corporate welfare and higher taxes.  Mayor Larson who does not vote voiced no opposition to this proposal.

The Schaumburg Freedom Coalition is opposed to this irresponsible corporate welfare.  While numerous other restaurants are closing because of high taxes and a downturn in the economy, other Schaumburg businesses are forced to give their tax dollars to their competition. 

Corporate welfare and the resulting high taxes on everyone else weakens the Schaumburg economy. The village board and Mayor Larson shouldn’t be picking the winners and losers in our community.

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