Orland Fire Protection District sweeps out old regime members

Orland Fire Protection District sweeps out old regime members
Voters in the Orland Fire Protection District swept out the last two remaining allies of the former administration, Glenn Michalek and Marty McGill as trustees, electing in their place two reformers who joined the board's new majority in pursuing change and spending restraints.
John Brudnak, who is a member of the Orland Fire Protection District's Commission, and Jayne Schirmacher, were elected in a landslide victory Tuesday, April 9, 2013 to replace Michalek and McGill who was often at odds with the board's new leadership President Jim Hickey and Trustees Blair Rhode and Chris Evoy. Rhode and Evoy were elected in a similar landslide victory in April 2011 following voter protests against rising costs at the Fire District which serves all of Orland Park, Orland Hills and Orland Township.
The Orland Fire Protection District provides fire, emergency medical, and rescue services to the Village of Orland Park and Orland Hills, and unincorporated Orland Township. The Fire District is 33 square miles and resides within Cook County Illinois, serving a population of nearly 80,000. Orland Fire District is located about 20 miles southwest of Chicago.
With only one of 53 precincts still waiting to report final vote totals, Brudnak received 24.04 percent of the vote or 2,263 votes and Schirmacher, a newcomer to the Fire District, received 27.59 percent or 2,597 votes.
McGill, who has previously criticized Hickey and the board majority, received 16.21 percent or only 1,526 votes and Michalek, who often remained neutral in the board's internal politics, received 17.57 percent of the votes or 1,654 votes.
A 5th independent candidate Larry Moran received 14.59 percent of the vote or a total of 1,373 votes.
The Brudnak-Schirmacher election victory is credited in a large part to the alliance with Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman who beat back a challenge from controversy plagued former Fire Board President Pat Maher against her county seat in 2010. Maher then withdrew from a race for re-election to the Fire District in March 2011.
Under Hickey, Rhode and Evoy the Orland Fire Protection District has significantly reduced spending while maintaining the high level of emergency fire service to the residents. In the past two budgets submitted by the Hickey-Rhode-Evoy board leadership, the Fire District has for the first time approved a budget that was under $30 million. In the three prior years, the budget was over $30 million.
Hickey was quoted as stating when presenting the current budget, “This is the 2nd time that our budget would be under $30 million in the past six years now. Previously, our budget was over $30 million and was on its way to hitting $40 million based on prior spending habits. That was unacceptable. But we believe the budget reflects our continued concern for the needs of taxpayers who want great fire service at a better managed cost.”
Hickey noted that last year was the first time the budget was under $30 million in the prior five years.
The new Hickey-Rhode-Evoy leadership team trimmed back nearly $4 million in spending. By holding the line on spending, they also saved taxpayers as much as $3 million more that many believe would have been added to the past administration's $30 million plus budgets based on their current trajectory of spending. (Had the budget cuts not been imposed the budget would have steadily increased in 2011 to $32 million under the former Maher board and to $34 million in 2012.)
Gorman's backing of the Brudnak-Schirmacher slate drew some criticism from lingering allies of controversy plagued former fire chief Bryant Krizik who resigned following a public scandal and criticism of a laptop computer he controlled at the Fire District that was discovered to have had pornography among its files. (Read story.)
McGill drew public ire when he said publicly that had he owned the controversial laptop, he would have thrown it in the Calumet River rather than turn it over to investigators, a comment that his critics used in the election to unseat him. (Read McGill's comments.)
Two of Krizik's allies, both former members of the Senior Advisory board, constantly attacked the new leadership and often personally attacked Rhode. One of the activists is distantly related to Krizik. They are both close allies of McGill. The activists often also attacked Gorman, displaying how at odds they were with the district's voters who demanded change in 2011.
Gorman's backing clearly helped elect Brudnak and Schirmacher. Gorman is recognized as a fighter for taxpayers. She led the charge to repeal the odious sales tax hike imposed by former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger even when many members of the County Board abandoned the fight. Her stubborn refusal to give up the battle resulted in the two-stage repeal of the sales tax increase, reducing the tax burden on Cook County Taxpayers including in the Orland Fire District. 
At the last board meeting, McGill conceded he thought he faced an uphill fight for re-election.
(The writer, Ray Hanania, is a columnist and professional media and political consultant. One of his clients includes the Orland Fire Protection District. Read more.)

Trustee, Orland Fire Protection District, 6yr
Registered Voters: 47,973	Vote For 2
Ballots Cast: 5,964	52 of 53 Precincts Reported
Turnout: 12.43%		%	Votes
John Brudnak (NonPartisan)		24.04%	2,263
Jayne Schirmacher (NonPartisan)		27.59%	2,597
Marty McGill (NonPartisan)		16.21%	1,526
Glenn Michalek (NonPartisan)		17.57%	1,654
Larry Moran (NonPartisan)		14.59%	1,373

end

Brudnak and Schirmacher receive across-the-board endorsements

Brudnak and Schirmacher receive across-the-board endorsements
John Brudnak, the Orland Fire Protection District commissioner, and Jayne Schirmacher are running for two contested seats on the Orland Fire Protection District.
Brudnak is a professional who cares about taxpayers and Schirmacher has much respect in the community. Brudnak's ballot punch number is 271 and Schirmacher's ballot punch number is 272.
Both candidates have received across-the-board endorsements from local elected officials. It's unprecedented when the leaders of the Republican and Democratic parties, and village and township officials all agree on the same thing.
But that's just what has happened.
Brudnak and Schirmacher have been endorsed by Orland Park Mayor Dan McLaughlin, a Democrat, Cook County Commissioner Elizabeth "Liz" Doody Gorman, a Republican, and by Orland Park Trustee Brad O'Halloran who is an independent. But the endorsements also reach past Orland Park to include the Township.
Brudnak and Schirmacher also have the endorsements of Orland Hills Mayor Kyle Hastings and Orland Township Supervisor Paul O'Grady.
You can't get better than that.
Brudnak and Schirmacher want to continue the change that Jim Hickey, Chris Evoy and Blair Rhode. Before Hickey became Board President and Evoy and Blair joined the board two years ago, the Fire District was spending money and increasing taxes like crazy.
Brudnak and Schumacher support the changes brought to the Orland Fire Protection District by Hickey, Evoy and Blair and oppose the excess spending that characterized the old board that was ousted. The new board leadership hired one of the most qualified people to serve as fire chief, Ken Brucki.
The new board removed the disgraced former Fire Chief whose taxpayer funded laptop was discovered to contain pornography. It's amazing that he continues to have supporters, including three former activists who undermined the Senior Advisory Commission and turned it into a political group that ended up collapsing. A new senior group is being formed and it will not be political. The allies of the disgraced former fire chief will no longer be able to undermine the group's true mission to help seniors.
(It might be wise for voters to look up these activists. One moved from Oakbrook Terrace and another is related to the disgraced former fire chief.)
Brudnak and Schirmacher are a part of the move to cleanup the Orland Fire Protection District, make it accountable to the taxpayers (the district for the first time is now transparent and information can be obtained off the district's web site), the budget spending has been brought under control, saving more than $4 million in the past two years alone.
Brudnak and Schirmacher support that mission which is driven by the demands made by taxpayers to bring change.
The taxpayers are not listening to the privileged voices who were tied to the disgraced former fire chief and his political allies, most of whom have been removed from the board.
(Reader's note: I work as a communications contractor for the Orland Fire Protection District receiving a contract salary that is 25 percent less than the person who held the position before me. But I live in Orland Park and I support the mission to hold the line on spending, to focus on essentials, to make services efficient and to remember that our mission is two-fold, protect our residents and manage the taxpayer's money responsibly.)
-- Ray Hanania

O'Halloran is a rare public official on local suburban government

Brad O'Halloran is an unusual kind of suburban government official and public servant. Last September, it would have been so easy for him to have not said anything and gone along with the rest of the Orland Park Village Board and vote to approve the complicated financing for the controversial Ninety 7 Fifty project that is the cornerstone of much of the road development at 143rd Street and LaGrange Road.

But instead, O'Halloran stood up and took the side of taxpayers. Southtown columnist and my former newspaper editor Phil Kadner admitted he forgot that O'Halloran and done that, and so had I until it was just raised this past week in a scurilous political attack against O'Halloran by one of his opponents.

So many issues were at stake including the razing of a popular commercial strip mall and the forced relocation of several very popular retail shops and restaurants. There was a cafe there, The Plaza Cafe, that I really loved. They had a great Steak Skillet, one of the best in the Southwest suburbs. I never accepted the argument that people would pay top dollar to buy luxury condominiums in that area especially next to a renovated METRA station.

O'Halloran was attacked for challenging the development by Trustees Patricia Gira and Ed Schussler. Gira and Schussler were engaged in a very tight re-election context in 2011 in which they won but not with a majority of the vote. Clearly, one of the issues was voter concerns over the enormous funding being plowed into the Ninety 7 Fifty luxury development. Orland Park was loaning the developers $38 million, plus a $23 million tax incentive. Gira and Schussler argued that the development will return as much as $700,000 a year in taxes that will bring relief to taxpayers like you and me.

I thought the Schussler-Gira letter was vicious and unjustified. O'Halloran addressed the issue of the development and the negative impact on the taxpayers, Schussler and Gira attacked O'Halloran. Read the column.

I didn't buy that argument, especially after how we have seen the promise of a property tax rebate in exchange for an increase in the local sales tax get gutted and then reduced. Remember when the Village promised that in exchange for increasing the sales tax in Orland Park on retail sales, residents would get their local property taxes rebated to them. The concept was a great one. Raise the sales tax so outsiders who don't live in Orland Park would pay more so the village gets revenue and reduces our tax burden. AND THEN, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, rebate the local portion of property taxes (what taxpayers pay to Orland Park) to off-set what we would also be paying as a result of the sales tax hike.

It was a trade-off I supported way back in 1999. Here is what I wrote.

It was just reinstated but the rebate is about half of what it was when it was first promised and given. (I got $155.55 this year but years back I received over $225, and that's when the value of a dollar was more valuable. The $155.55 is really like about $85 in 1999 dollars).

But then, like a lot of government promises, the extra sales tax didn't help when the economy tanked and the first thing the village did was to eliminate the rebate program.

So why would we now believe Schussler and Gira that the revenue from the development will go to alleviating the tax burden on taxpayers? Might they not simply spend it on something else?

O'Halloran made a reasoned argument that was sensitive to taxpayers in Orland Park who have been misled, brutalized by the bad economy and confused about what benefits they do get.

It's not surprising that he is backed by Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman who championed taxpayer rights in standing up to former Cook County Board President Todd Stroger Jr., repressive sales tax hike. Thanks to Gorman, the Stroger sales tax increase was repealed.

So when Gorman endorses O'Halloran, that means something to people who care about taxes and taxpayers.

(Forget about the nutjobs who are tied to the disgraced former Orland Fire Chief -- the one with the porno on his laptop -- who attack Gorman and lie at public meetings about the new board. Thanks to the new OFPD board (where I am a media consultant) the board has saved more than $4 million in the past three years. They're attacks against Gorman are politically motivated and they are proven liars, too!)

What counts is that O'Halloran stood up and question the financing deal. He like the development but didn't like the loan.

That's the kind of leader Orland Park needs, someone who is willing to think independently of the board when it is appropriate to challenge the board. Too many boards are rubber-stamps and do whatever is handed to them, regardless of what voters think. That's not to knock Mayor Dan McLaughlin. He has a lot of great ideas for Orland Park. But it doesn't hurt to occasionally have some dissension on a village board, especially when our taxes are at stake.

Brad O'Halloran deserves our vote of confidence for being open and honest about an issue that involves our tax dollars. $38 million is nothing to sneeze at.

-- Ray Hanania

O'Halloran targeted because he fought for taxpayers in Orland Park

O'Halloran targeted because he fought for taxpayers in Orland Park

Orland Park Trustee Brad O'Halloran is being attacked because he spoke out against the expensive Ninety 7 Fifty project which has a lot of taxpayers up in arms. But those taxpayers have no place to go with their anger because the village's incumbents are not being challenged.

Mayor Dan McLaughlin, who defends the project, has built up a great record over the past four years and while we have had differences in the past, I think he's on the right track. O'Halloran, who had the cajones to stand up and publicly speak out against the development, also has been on the right track for a long time. His hiring as Chairman of METRA gives Orland Park an added benefit. He's someone who will actively insure that Orland's transportation interests are protected.

That may offer some insight into why O'Halloran was being viciously attacked in a robocall last week that used false charges against Moraine Valley Community College candidate John Schiera as a basis to personally attack O'Halloran. (Click here to read that post.)

That story got immediately picked up by the Chicago Tribune. Click here for the Chicago Tribune's follow-up to my blog. In the end, the attack against Shiera is unfair because it is anonymous and the accusations are all lies. Schiera has never been convicted of domestic violence. He had an incident with a former girlfriend years ago but nothing came of it, except maybe anger. But doesn't all domestic squabbles end up in anger?

Accusations spit out by anonymous people who are afraid to stand up and identify themselves reflects directly on the accusations. They are false. Completely false. And the people spewing them don't care. Worse, they don't care about Domestic violence. The only reason they raised the issue of Domestic violence and John Schiera was to create a false basis for a political attack against O'Halloran.

Yet, what does any of that have to do with Brad O'Halloran who has been a wonderful father and a great family man who has stood up to champion the taxpayers and has been an independent voice on the Village of Orland Park board?

The village needs an independent voice on the Orland Park Village board but it has to be a responsible one. O'Halloran is that person.

Trying to associate O'Halloran with such a vicious slander was political in its intent.

On Friday night, Cook County Commissioner Liz Gorman put out her own robocall defending O'Halloran. Gorman is probably the most popular elected official in the Southwest Suburbs. Her fight to  oppose the outrageous Cook County Sales Tax increase was unique. So few elected officials really stand up to fight for the taxpayers. But Gorman did. She praised O'Halloran and urged voters to support his re-election and not be swayed by vicious rumors and false charges made by some low-life who was afraid to identify him or herself.

Like Gorman, O'Halloran is a champion of the taxpayers. He has nothing to do with the Schiera issue, although as far as I am concerned, I am going to vote to support Schiera because I don't like anonymous negative attacks from people who are afraid to speak up and defend their charges.

But I definitely am going to vote for O'Halloran. We need an independent voice on the Orland Park Village Board who is responsible and has experience and a proven track record fighting for taxpayer rights.

O'Halloran is a class act who is so different from many other elected officials. O'Halloran handled his opposition to the Ninety 7 Fifty development, representing the widespread views of many concerned taxpayers, with respect and dignity, unlike those who attacked him. (Click here to read the story.)

Everyone keeps throwing out one name in speculation about who is behind the smear campaign. But that doesn't matter. Let the patches of low-lifes who populate online chatboards and  discussion groups can spew all the ignorance they want. They're a small group you don't want to be associated with.

What matters is keeping Orland Park strong. For the first time, we have a real taxpayer advocate on METRA to fight for our transportation needs and holding the line on spending.

-- Ray Hanania

Ugly false robocall makes defamatory attacks against John Schiera and Brad O'Halloran tonight

I hate getting telephone calls from unknown numbers, especially after 8 pm. And that's just when one came to the phone from a number identified on my Caller ID as "000-000-0000."
Right away, I knew it was some kind of scam. With technology today, I figured I can always listen later, but then I figured, why not check it out. So I did.
It was disgusting. 
A woman's voice comes on claiming to be against "Domestic violence." She then identifies herself as "Sharon," no last name at all. Just "Sharon."
That sounds suspicious.
Then in the most disgusting manner possible, she starts off attacking Orland Park Trustee and METRA Chairman Brad O'Halloran, someone with an impeccable background and career in public service, and another person who I don't know named "John Schiera."
Turns out John Schiera is a candidate for the Moraine Valley Community College Board, running in the April 9 election. O'Halloran is running on the same ballot in Orland Park for re-election as a village trustee.
I plan on voting for O'Halloran but I had no idea who to vote for in the race for Moraine Valley Community College. I know Gary D. Lewis and I like him and plan to vote for him, but Lewis is only one of 6 candidates battling it out for the three (3) seats on the MVCC Board.
Here's the list of names from the April 9 ballot.

John Brosnan Donahue	NonPartisan	204
Sandra S. Wagner	NonPartisan	205
John Schiera	NonPartisan	206
Ricardo A. Fernandez	NonPartisan	207
Joseph P. Murphy	NonPartisan	208
Eileen M. O'Sullivan	NonPartisan	209
Gary D. Lewis	NonPartisan	210

I did some quick searching on John Schiera. I reached out to him on Facebook and I checked him out online using BeenVerified.com which identifies whether or not someone has had a criminal past, as was alleged in the robocall by "Sharon."

Turns out the accusation is false. Schiera has no criminal record on file. In fact, he is a businessman from Palos Park. He's 51 years old and on top of it, he was born on a day I really love, July 4.

The robocall is a scam, one of the worst kind. True disgusting mudslinging. If the accusation were true, the caller, "Sharon," would have identified her last name. But more significantly, the Robocall would come from a traceable number, not one that is intentionally disguised to hide the source of the political mudslinging.

Worse is at the end. Election law REQUIRES to all campaign literature have a disclosure of who is responsible for the literature be it a printed mailer or a telephone robocall. But this one ends by saying, "This call has been paid for by." And it just ends.

In fact, it ends that way in every phone call.

I think that Cook County Clerk David Orr should get off his partisan ass and earn his salary and investigate who is behind this defamatory, illegal election robocall. I think the Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan -- who would clearly do a more professional job than the very partisan David Orr -- should investigate this too.

The political person who is behind this should be arrested and charged with a crime. Better yet, if they have the cajones, they should stand up and defend their slanderous accusations.

But the person who paid for the robocall -- and robocalls cost money -- won't because that person is a coward. There is no doubt that the person who paid for the call doesn't give a damn about domestic violence, but used it believing that it was the most scurrilous thing you could say about someone to destroy their reputation weeks before an election.

It's disgusting.

Just to show that I won't be bullied, you can bet that I will go out and vote for John Schiera now. AND I definitely will make sure that I vote for Brad O'Halloran, too. YOU SHOULD VOTE FOR BRAD O'HALLORAN and JOHN SCHIERA, TOO!

If someone is so desperate to keep them off the ballot using slander and defamation, and are afraid to identify themselves as the source of the accusation, then clearly the accusations are false and John Schiera is a good person.

I urge you to send a clear and strong message on Tuesday April 9 and vote for Brad O'Halloran and John Schiera and show the scumbag who paid for the ugly robocall that we won't be bullied by shameless cowards.

--- Ray Hanania

I just got my property tax rebate check in the mail. Thanks Mayor! Hoorah!

Ok Mayor Dan McLaughlin, you have GOT my vote.
I just got my tax rebate check in the mail. Alright, it was only $155.55, but still, it is the principle. Four years ago I was a little angry with da Mayor. He had long ago promised to off-set an increase in the local sales tax that he proposed by promising residents he would rebate our share of property taxes. And then, a few years later, he stopped it. Boo!
But he reinstated it. So yea! That's what it means to be a fickle voter.
This rebate check came just in time for the April 9 election, which only goes to prove that just before election time is the best time to make demands of our government officials.
I won't complain, too much, though. I mean, the last check I got was about $215. That was four years ago or so. (I could be off but for sure, the last full rebate check I got was way bigger.) And that means that this check doesn't even come close to what we should be getting back.
The Village of Orland Park raised the sales tax, which I dutifully pay when I buy things in Orland Park, and promised -- promised -- to rebate our village portion of our property taxes to off-set that increase. The idea was a good one and I give Mayor Dan credit for that. The sales tax would hit outsiders, non-Orland Park residents who come to this area to shop. Orland Park has a large commercial base in addition to the Mall -- although the Mall is getting a little skanky, face-lift or not.
Technically, had the Village NOT have stopped the rebate when they did and continued it each year at the same rate, I probably would have gotten $300 back this year. 
So, in a way, it's not the full rebate.
But that's ok. I like Dan McLaughlin. I've known him a long time, from when he was just a trustee. He can't control everything in Orland Park and he can't be blamed for everything. The trustees have a lot to do with it, too. They're the votes that cast votes, not Dan.
So I don't fault Mayor McLaughlin and I wish him luck in this election, although he won't need it. No one is running against him. And with only one exception, there isn't anyone I would have backed to take his place. He would have gotten my vote anyway, most likely.
I saw the mayor the other day. It was good to see him. He's done a lot of good for Orland Park, though I have some issues with Ninety 7 Fifty and its financing. Still, Orland Park is the place I always wanted to live and make a home and I did that around 1985 and have been loving it ever since. And for the most part, it's great in a large part because of Mayor McLaughlin's vision.
I'm not being critical, just honest. It's tough being a politician. I know because I work with a lot of them. I only work with the ones I like and McLaughlin is easily in that group.
So come April 9, I hope everyone backs Mayor McLaughlin, not just because he was able to reinstate the property tax rebate, but because given everything that politicians and government officials have to do and put up with, McLaughlin has done a good job.
-- Ray Hanania

Orr’s Policies Rejecting Live Voters Hurts 2nd District

Orr’s Policies Rejecting Live Voters Hurts 2nd District

By RAY HANANIA • Friday, March 01, 2013

Southwest News-Herald

Nowhere has Cook County Clerk David Orr’s policies on absentee balloting been more harmful than in the 2nd Congressional District, where voters Tuesday went to the polls to elect a successor to disgraced former Cong. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Many voters voted early. They could do it two ways. The first is through “Absentee balloting,” one of the most corrupt susceptible voting options in the country. The second is through Early Voting.

You no longer need an excuse to vote Absentee Ballot. You can do it out of convenience. 

I had a chance to ask Orr about that process, noting that what if a voter walks into a polling place and is told they already voted by Absentee Ballot.

He said that even if the voter claims the absentee ballot is fraudulent, if the signature matches, according to Orr, he will accept the piece of paper rather than the vote of a live person who walks into the poll. Basically, he said the process is more important than the people.

Several members of the Illinois Legislature are now looking at bills to eliminate Orr’s office and make it an appointed, administrative position rather than an elected post that can be exploited by political partisanship.

In the 2nd Congressional District race, Orr’s policies will impact those early and absentee voters who cast ballots for state Sen. Toi Hutchinson. Hutchinson dropped out 10 days before the election. So many people have been in and out of the race that for many early and absentee voters who voted in the weeks before the election Feb. 26, their votes may not even count.

I’ve known David Orr since he was first elected in the 49th Ward as a Chicago alderman, the same year Jane Byrne upset the Machine and defeated Michael A. Bilandic.

Orr was an anti-Machine “Democrat” back then, screaming about Machine injustice and the unfairness of the system.

The David Orr who ran for office in 1979 would be the first person today to support a bill to eliminate the Clerk’s office, in Cook County, which has been plagued by corruption for years.

There are some good elected officials in Cook County but there are just as many who abuse the system, play favorites, including in the county’s judicial system where, today, many of Orr’s political allies sit and make partisan political decisions against enemies of their political friends.

The current system stinks. But what really stinks is that a once self-proclaimed “reformer” is in charge of a system that today promotes corruption and voter fraud, not stops it.

Something needs to be done. Why shouldn’t the Cook County Clerk’s office be like the Chicago Election board, which consists of party representatives from both sides who are appointed to office and answer to higher authorities, not to their own selfish politics.

I can’t believe that today, I would say that the Chicago Election Board is probably the most honest election system in the state and that the county system is the one mostly likely to produce voter fraud. How politics has changed.

The anti-Machine activists have become the new Machine. And they are worse than the old Machine because the new Machine members are hypocrites.

(Ray Hanania is an award winning columnist and political consultant. You may reach him at http://rayhanania.wordpress.com/. com. Share your thoughts by visiting his Facebook page at http://facebook.com/rghanania)  — City & Suburban News-Herald