Well, folks, it’s almost that time of year again: time for the “Taste of Park Ridge,” that annual street festival that started as a joint effort of the Park Ridge Chamber of Commerce and the City of Park Ridge before it was taken over a few years ago by the private “Taste of Park Ridge, NFP” corporation (“Taste, Inc.”).

Almost a year ago (in “Time For A Transparent ‘Taste’,” 07.07.08, and “Time For A Transparent ‘Taste’ – Part II,” 07.09.08),  we expressed our opinion that the Taste is a fine community event, but that we wondered about Taste, Inc.’s penchant for secrecy concerning its operations and finances – especially because Taste, Inc. enjoys a de facto monopoly of Taste, the event; and because it appears to utilize substantial City resources, for which we cannot determine the level of reimbursement it provides to the City, if any. 

Now, a year later, we continue to wonder why, if everything’s on the up and up, Taste, Inc. remains so secretive. 

How about a public statement from Taste, Inc. president Dave Iglow (Pines Mens Wear) and vice president Albert Galus (Academic Tutoring Centers) detailing Taste, Inc.’s operations over the past few years?  And how about Taste, Inc. treasurer Jim Bruno (Chase Bank) reporting publicly on Taste, Inc.’s finances?  For that matter, why aren’t Taste, Inc.’s finances posted on its nifty website, or on Guidestar?

And while they’re at it, maybe those gentlement could explain why Taste, Inc. – with Mr. Iglow as its registered agent – was “voluntarily dissolved” on February 20, 2009, only to be incorporated again on March 4, 2009, with new registered agent Leo G. Aubel of the Loop law firm of Deutsch, Levy & Engel.  What was that all about?

If Taste, Inc. remains close-mouthed, however, how about Taste (the event) committee member Kim Uhlig stepping up and giving the taxpayers a peak behind the Taste, Inc. curtain?  After all, she’s also the City’s Economic Development Director, so she owes a duty of truth-telling to the taxpayers who pay her salary.  She has to know something more about Taste, Inc. than the rest of us do, since the rest of us know virtually nothing.  How about it, Ms. Uhlig?

In addition to Taste, Inc.’s secrecy, we are positively bumfuzzled by the news that Rainbow Hospice as one of Taste (the event’s) “sponsors,”  According to Taste, Inc.’s website, even the lowest level sponsorship runs $1,500 – and can run up to $10,000 for an “event partner.” 

As you might recall, Rainbow Hospice is one of those private local organizations getting those over-budget handouts of tax dollars from the City.  It’s scheduled to receive $5,000 this budget year, which causes us to wonder whether those City tax dollars are just being shuffled over to Taste, Inc. in sponsorship fees?  We also wonder just how much labor from City employees (like Ms. Uhlig) on the taxpayers’ dime goes to Taste activities, and whether – and how much – Taste, Inc. reimburses the City for that labor.

We would have expected that, by now, the Taste, Inc. operators would have done the right thing and made all of their operations and finances totally transparent to the taxpayers who make Taste (the event) a success each year.  But the deafening silence that continues from Taste, Inc. suggests that transparency and accountability aren’t much of a priority to those folks.