VOTE THE ISSUES

The April 7th Orland Park Election is fast approaching and the future rests in your hands. Will you vote? This may be the most important election in the history of Orland Park. The issues are clear. Do you believe in a government that exercises eminent domain to take profitable private property? Do you believe that TIF’s are the best way to fund new development? Do you feel that $35 million in debt was a wise investment in the Metra Triangle? Do you feel that by this time there should have been a return on your tax dollars for the Metra Triangle? Do you feel the Village is forcing small, independent businesses out in favor of large conglomerates? Do you feel that the Village has failed in creating a diversity of business enterprises to move our economy forward? Do you think the 15 month budget was a cover-up to a budget that could not be balanced in 12 months? Do you feel the Village is raising taxes and fees to cover its debt of over $100 million in bonds and another $176 million in overlapping debt? Do you feel the village has been fiscally responsible with your money and the valuable assets that reside in Orland Park? Do you feel the Village is justified in paying an inappropriate portion of funds for state roads? The list is long and incriminating. If you feel the Village is doing a good job than you believe in eminent domain, you believe in higher taxes and fees. You believe in financial cover-ups and high debt. Debt that eventually must be paid by you the taxpayer. The Village can talk of successes and awards but we must face the reality, the Village of Orland Park is in debt and heading in the wrong direction.

You have a choice to continue the abuse of small businesses. higher fees and taxes or you can vote for fiscal responsibility and a doctrine that supports equality and fairness to everyone in the village. This time around you have a choice. The choice is the Concerned Citizens of Orland Park who have vowed to bring back good, honest, decent government to Orland Park. They will work to end eminent domain and bring back fiscal responsibility to Orland Park. They’re up against a machine that has money, experience and outside support. The question is: will you be swayed by signs, outside support,
pay to play money, expensive brochures, and deceptions, or will you vote the issues. Know the issues and make your choice. The choice should be clear: Gerald Maher for Mayor, Patrice Pykett Village Clerk and Kenneth Wzorek, Kenneth Houston and Marian Klemmen for Trustees. Vote April 7th.

LIVING IN ORLAND PARK

Several years ago I moved and downsized to Orland Park. I had heard many great things to entice me: tax rebates, city water, great shopping and easy access to express and toll ways. Maybe the information was over stated. I moved to a condo and quickly found that the condo was located on a street classified as a private street. This meant the Association has to pay for the snow plowing and maintenance of the street. The street was private because it was designed and approved to have a width less than that of a normal, standard street. .Further down the street is another condo association that uses our private street and faces the same problem... This was a decision made between the village and the developer to save each other money... This type of decision costs many condo and townhome associations a minimum of $4000 a year. On the property we have two ponds that receive overflow from other properties. The Village has twice rejected the proposal to maintain ponds. This costs the association $1200 yearly to maintain the ponds We have 24 units that pay for garbage pickup. The association is charged $60 monthly for a dumpster that has been paid 10 times over... All of these charges were brought to the attention of the Village to no avail. In addition annual inspection fees for fire, elevators and sprinklers have gone up.

This experience led me to believe that the Village was treating condo and townhome owners with a different set of standards... In a short time, I also found that Village policies weren’t always fair and equitable to local businesses. Many of the stores and businesses that I frequented were threatened with eminent domain. The Village said this was in the name of progress to clear a blighted area.. Progress that was to use TIF’s (Tax Incentive Financing) to finance the Metra Triangle Project. This meant taking money from taxing bodies, such as schools, to provide the needed funds to demolish successful businesses to build condos, streets and restaurants. The taxing bodies that approved this action subsequently raised rates and property taxes went up. The Village was relentless in its goal for progress and soon cut the tax rebate. The Village’s financial position was becoming desperate as it instituted a 15 month budget to cover its debt. Debt that includes $100 million for bonds and another $100 million for something called overlapping debt. Debt that the citizens of Orland Park are now responsible for. These figure can be verified on pages 14 and 15 of the June 2008 Speer Financial Analysis of the Villages request for Water and Sewer Bonds. Fees and services were also increased. On top of this it was becoming clear that the village was a satellite of the City of Chicago’s 19th Ward. This isn’t a pretty picture. In my opinion the present administration has taken a once successful Village and led it astray with unrealistic ambitions and greed. Don’t get me wrong, the people and businesses are great. It’s that I expect more from a government that was handed one of the richest and greatest retail treasures in the Southland. You won’t find this story in the nicely packaged brochures that the Administration mailed to your homes in the past few weeks. This is the story you need to hear and why I will be supporting and voting for Gerald Maher and the Concerned Citizens of Orland Park on April 7th.

LETTER TO SENATOR RICHARD DURBIN

Senator, how's your investments? I hope they've crashed like everyone elses. What are you and your colleagues doing? Why isn't the credit market fixed? By this time every foreclosed home should have been assessed. Some should have been saved by refinancing. Why all the pork? Do you believe in putting everyone including our future generation s in debt? Senator, do you know how to balance your checkbook? You certainly have no clue when it comes to my money. Do you have any idea what a trillion dollars is? You're throwing it around like pennies. You back every stupid socialized program. Do you really believe socialized medicine will solve all problems. Right now we have the best system in the world. Cost are high, that's what you work on, cut cost. Jesus said the poor will be with us until the end of time. Everyone has choices. Your idea that everyone must have a home led us to this disaster. If you call yourself an American and believe in what made this country great you'll re-evaluate your positions. Foreign affairs in a few short days has become a joke: 900 mil to the Palestians, ridiculed PM Brown and sent a foolish letter to Medeve. If you want to destroy this country your on the right track. Keep up this foolishness so we can cast you off into oblivion.