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Controversial Lakeview Christmas Trees Being Given Away Monday

By Josh McGhee | December 18, 2014 5:27am
 The trees will be given away at the Houndstooth Saloon from 4-6 p.m. Monday.
The trees will be given away at the Houndstooth Saloon from 4-6 p.m. Monday.
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DNAinfo/Serena Dai

CHICAGO — The controversial Christmas trees scattered around Lakeview by the Central Lakeview Merchants Association will once again be given away to anyone in need of some holiday cheer.

The association will distribute the trees from 4-6 p.m. Monday at the Houndstooth Saloon, 3369 N. Clark St.

Lakeview residents have been divided on the hundreds of undecorated trees that have popped up during the holiday season for the last two years, with some calling them festive and others labeling them "a waste of money."

Jennifer King, a 22-year resident of Lakeview, said there's nothing festive about the trees, and she's mostly concerned with how much it cost to put them up around the neighborhood. She said the association bought about 644 trees at $45 each last year, which comes out to more than $28,000.

"I'm almost certain those were paid with taxpayer dollars under Special Service Area No. 17. If this is how my tax dollars are being spent, I'm not happy," King said.

The Central Lakeview Merchants Association refuses to tell where the money for the trees came from, but the group does fund some projects with property tax money from the Special Service Area.

Last year, the group gave away just 51 of the 644 trees, but officials said they were still satisfied with the results.

"We had families come from all over," said Jeff Briggs, who handles business relations for the group. "It was just a successful day. That's the best way to sum it up."

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