Orland Park Mayoral candidate Gerald Maher said growing dissatisfaction with increases in village fees and property taxes expose his rival, Mayor Dan McLaughlin, to a possible defeat in the village's elections in April 2009.Maher, discussing the tax issue on "Mornings with Ray Hanania," said that he suspects the increases in property taxes may be tied to the wasted spending tied to the village's attempts to rebuild the land northwest of 143rd and LaGrange Road.
More than $35 million has been spent but much of the money has gone to fight legal fights and to underwrite failed land development at the Main Street Triangle site, Maher said during the radio interview on WJJG AM 1530 Monday, Jan. 12, 2009. Maher called it the "McLaughlin Bermuda Triangle."
Property taxes have increased 17 percent over last year. But taxpayers in Orland Park face a double whammy with the decision by McLaughlin to gut the popular property tax rebate program McLaughlin implemented in 2002 to off-set his decision to raise the sales tax in the Southwest suburb .75 percent.
In past years, all of the property taxes were rebated to residents to off-set the sales tax hike. This year, though, only about 25 percent of the property tax is being rebated and Maher charged that McLaughlin is misleading residents falsely claiming that the rebate has been "saved."
"It's not only a big issue. It is a huge issue," Maher said noting local media polling showing as much as 74 percent of the population is upset over the real estate property tax increases.
Maher also faulted the mayor for his "poor planning" by tying the village's economic future to the retail industry. With the economy tanking, the sales tax revenues have dropped significantly with little option for the village except to raise the property tax, fees and to cut back on promised tax rebates.
Click HERE to listen to the full interview.
Maher's web site is www.CCOP.us.
-- Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com
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Is Gerald Maher, related to any of the other Mayher(s) working for the village of Orland Park and Orland Township? What is Gerald Maher 143rd Lagrange plan? What political party is he in? We spent all this money on Metra stations, but the Southwest line sill does not run on weekends. Also, what is your plan for the old empty police station? I applied for several part times, minimum wage jobs with the parks and recreation department and was denied employment. I have experience, live in Orland Park, a College Degree, and in the IL Army National Guard. What else they want? Also, why can't buy package liquor after 11 in Orland Park? I myself was thinking of running for local office but not sure were to begin can you please help? I have contacted the current village board and mayor on this with no response! In the last primary I voted straight Green Party, but had to do it by paper, Green Party was not on the computer ballot, I could have contacted the election board but did not.
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