McLaughlin says 95 percent of retail space is filled but I don't believe it

I don't believe it ... I don't believe that 95 percent of the retail space in Orland Park is filled.

McLaughlin is quoted in the TribuneLocal as saying 95 percent of Orland Park retail space is occupied, giving it the lowest vacancy rate in the south suburbs.

Do I have to go out and count every retail vacancy that exists? They are everywhere. An eyesore. A sign of a terrible economy. How do we assess it otherwise? Just by taking Mayor McLaughlin's word. I like him but I don't always agree with him. That's what Democracy is all about. It's not personal except in this sense. I live in Orland Park and I am concerned about Orland Park and I don't think all of the members of the Village Board have acted responsibly when it comes to Orland Park.

There is no doubt in my mind that the village is playing with the numbers. Manipulating statistics and data to make themselves look good. The Ninety7Fifty project stinks. It's just not smart government. Worse for the mayor, it's not smart politics.

Oh, don't tell me politics is not a part of all this. That's why the village is moving to hire its fourth communications person. Four. Two employed with the village, and one already contracted with the village and now they want another one. Didn't thew village do this when Pat Maher (name from the past) was running as the Village of Orland Park's dynasty representative in the last two elections? The voters rejected Maher because the voters rejected what he stood for and what he represented. And the elected officials who backed him stand to lose in the next election, too.

-- Ray Hanania