Don't believe the misleading interpretations of the numbers being offered by the Village of Orland Park. The village is are playing a shell game and it is very importan tto them because Mayor Dan McLaughlin and three trustees, Brad O'Halloran, Kathy Fenton and Jim Dodge are running for re-election. And they are being challenged forcefully by Gerald Maher and his slate of candidates. Click HERE for a story on that.
For example, the village officials point out that the property tax increase of $17 million over last year is in fact higher because the taxing year has been extended from 12 to 15 months. That's true, but the fact is that property taxes are going up significantly, after the village claimed that they would not!
Why are they going up? To pay off pension debt and pay raises for its employees.
The village claims "most" of the property taxes will be rebated to taxpayers.
That is CLEARLY NOT true.
The village is rebating ONLY $4.5 million in property taxes this year. That is out of a property tax levy that is more than three times that number!
Click HERE for the story I wrote when the data was published by the Village in the Orland Park Prairie Newspaper December 4, 2008. Check the data out for yourself before you believe the misleading information and spin from the village.
Here is the story in this week's Orland Park Prairie, in which village officials were forced to address the issue when I wrote about it back then. (I've received more than 100 emails from shocked residents on thsi topic alone).
Make sure to read the part in my story about how the village has broken its promise to rebate the property tax levy, an issue Mayor McLaughlin WILL NOT DISCUSS with me. (He emailed me responding two weeks ago to the FACT that his street was one of the first to be plowed during the snow storm we had.)
By the way, if you haven't noticed, the SouthtownStar and the Orland Park Prairie are in a newspaper war in Orland Park. The SouthtownStar has suddenly taken a deep interest in Orland Park showcasing not only the local politics but also spotlighting local businesses. We need competition out here to get the facts out and the newspaper war is welcomed!
-- Ray Hanania
http://www.orlandparker.com/
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Thanks. I think the people in orland Park deserve some reporting that challenges the government instead of constantly sugar coating everything they do. Our officials won't feel the need to be accountable if they break promises and no one challenges them. It's not personal, but Mayor McLaughlin and the trustees work for us, not them. We shouldn't be thanking them for their work. They should be thanking us. And, doing a better job at their jobs.
ReplyDeleteThanks for writing
Ray Hanania
www.RadioChicagoland.com