Orland Park has a What? Budget deficit? Since when? TAX Increase on the way!

Mayor McLaughlin broke the bad news to the Village Board Monday night, June 30, at a special meeting of the Village Board called by Clerk David Maher on June 27. The Village of Orland Park has a "budget deficit" of $4.8 Million. Considering the village budget is only $127 million, that's a huge deficit of about 4 percent. Huge!

Here is my prediction: Mayor McLaughlin is setting the stage to RAISE ORLAND PARK TAXES BIG TIME!

Here are some issues I have with the announcement:

I -- The first is a possible violation of the Illinois Open Meetings Act:

Maher may have violated the Illinois Open Meetings Act in posting the notice of the meeting: The notices are supposed to be posted publicly at least 48 hours in advance. But, in posting the notice of the Special Meeting, called on Friday June 27 for 6 PM Monday June 30 (the Open Meetings Act requires that notices be posted publicly at least 48 hours in advance ) , Maher added a little provision on his own to the top of the notice:

Posting publicly 48 hours ina dvance means posting it "publicly." But you can read the posting of the notice for the special meeting yourself and see that the Special Meeting Notice posted by Maher begins at the very top by stating "NOT FOR PUBLICATION."

What does that mean? Well, it means the Village thinks it can get away with calling a special meeting 48 hours in advance, without letting the public know. (They probably just let the media know so theyc ould be at the meeting and report it afterwards.) But, clearly, the Village Board and Mayor McLaughlin DID NOT WANT THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND TO ASK QUESTIONS.

II -- But the second issue has to do with the deficit itself:

What did Mayor McLaughlin know and when did he know it?

Every year McLaughlin gives a very glossy, shinny "State of the Village" speech to the members of the Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce. Usually, McLaughlin brags about how great he is doing as Village President/Mayor.

In 2005, for example, McLaughlin told OPACC members:

"The Village has maintained its AA bond rating with both Standard and Poor’s and Moody’s. This is important and a big benefit when we sell bonds. The better bond rating allows us a better interest rate. Our budget for Fiscal Year 2005 was more than $131 million dollars and we are the seventh largest revenue producer in the State. We abated almost $1.5 million in property taxes which is a benefit to all property owners."

And it has been as cheery, and optimistic every year since.

Just four months ago, Mayor McLaughlin gave his most recent State of the Village Speech (February 27, 2008) at the OPACC's Installation Dinner for new officers. It was, once again, boring and very self-congratulating.

"There is a lot to go over in a short period of time. We have again prepared a handout that will be available that summarizes some of the things that have been done over the past year. I think you’ll be impressed."

The president of the OPACC thanked McLaughlin for his comments, saying:

"Thank you again to Mayor Dan McLaughlin for taking time from his busy schedule on Wednesday February 27th to address our Chamber members with his annual "State of the Village" message at Silver Lake Country Club. As always the event was well attended with over 130 chamber members on hand. We believe it is critical for our members to hear from the Mayor and other Village Officials about past accomplishments as well as any upcoming challenges, projects and goals that could impact the local business community."

"Upcoming challenges?" … What "upcoming challenges?"

McLaughlin noted that single-family "new starts" were down (new residential homes), there was an additional investment of $100 million in business investment, mainly many new restaurants in Orland Park …

He said there is still investment taking place and "confidence" in the community.

"The Finance Department received the Government Finance Officers Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting and was awarded the Government Finance Officers Distinguished Budget Award for fiscal year ending September 30, 2007. We continued to rebate the property taxes to the residents. This year we will be rebating over $5 million. We also are continuing to abate property taxes, which is beneficial to businesses.

"This year over $2.5 million in property taxes will be abated in addition to the mount that’s being rebated to the homeowners. The village continues to be ranked eventh in the State in terms of sales taxes and holding strong. This might be the time to mention that we just passed our 2008 budget. The budget is about $127 million. I found in my collection something that might interest you. This is the reasurer Report for the State of Illinois. It says that the amount of all funds in the State Treasury as of this date is $2.4 million. Of course, that was 1878."

No. What would interests us, Mayor McLaughlin, is how in three months, the Village of Orland Park's financial situation went from such a rosey and cheery picture that you painted to one that is bleak and disconcerting?

Coincidentally, our former Village Manager Robert J. Zeder resigned his post on November 5, 2007. What did he know and when did he know it?

He was just replaced by Paul Grimes, who bragged that one of his specialities was dealing with a budget deficits. Grimes, a U.S. Navy veteran, worked in the private and public sectors. He was last a business development executive with United Healthcare in Warwick, R.I. And before thatm he was director of administration for Cranston, Rhode Island, a city of 80,000 where he helped close an $11 million deficit by both cutting services and raising taxes.

The talk now is that McLaughlin says he can cut expenses that he detailed at the SECRET SPECIAL BOARD MEETING where the notice was NOT FOR PUBLICATION.

But not $4.8 million. So it turns out that Paul Grimes is not just the new Village Manager. He's our new Village Political Grim Reaper!

I've emailed questions to McLaughlin, Grimes, Maher and some members of the village board. We'll see how they respond.

Ray Hanania
http://www.orlandparker.com/

Orland acts on unkempt lawns ... not their own, of course

Click to view larger image
TALL GRASS Cartoons
(C) Copyright Ray Hanania 2008
Village of Orland Park policy on unkempt lawns

Orland Park government hypocrisy -- as usual

Not a few days went by since we noted the unkempt condition of the new ("award winning") Orland Park Police Headquarters than the Village of Orland Park sent out a press release on the topic. Not about their failure to maintain one of their properties that had weeds and grass growing more than a foot tall all over the lawn, but about the poor, hapless folk who have lost their homes to mortgage scams and scumbag banking practices protected by the Bush administration and targeted for relief by John McCain.

Sure, village property gets a pass, but if you have your home snatched up by a banker and the bank is not taking care of it, the village wants to hammer you.

The village didn't say peep when the Police Headquarters was getting moans and graons from its citizens, who complained to me and I posted the story last week.

Village officials are so thinned skinned, they took the posting as a personal attack, insteasd of being responsible, because that's the way they are in Orland Park: hypocrites. They love to bask in the glory and public praise -- Mayor Dan McLaughlin is the worst -- his name is all over the village newsletter, the village postings, the village flyers and handouts and all the press releases. But not a peep when the screw up.

Of course, there are a few village employees running around throwing around their weight threatening businesse to get their daughters placed in programs, telling business owners if they don't give their daughter a break, they have clout and can "make you are break you." A direct quote from one business owner.

You won't see McLaughlin do anything about that. Hell, he can't take any criticism at all about Orland Park.

Here's the story from the Southtown on plans to crack down on unkempt properties.

McLaughlin used to be a great guy, long before clout and power and privilege got to his head. Too bad. He could have been great. But that's one reason why he's not in statewide office, and the talk is to push others around him who have the talent, like Police Chief Tim McCarthy, who many admire as wanting to do the right thing.

Ray Hanania
www.OrlandParker.com

Where's the charitable money in Orland Park

Well, the Internet is an amazing thing. You can look up all of the charitable institutions 501 (c) 3s all the way to 501(c) 7s and up to c13s, too. Contributions to a C3 are tax deductible. Contributions to a C7 are not, they are social and recreation clubs who also have to make their financial funds public.

So who has the most money?

Not surprisingly, the Crystal Tree Golf and Tennis Club has more, according to the latest report. They have $16.1 million in the bank, with $5.4 million in non-tax-deductible donations collected this year. That's a lot of tennis balls.

The Andrew Family Foundation is a C3 and has $12.6 million in the bank with $4.97 million in taxable donations this last reporting period. That's a lot of library books.

Then, there are the common sized funds:

Orland Park Open Lands Corporation has $5 million in the bank, having collected $222,164, which is tax deductible.

The Michael A. and Frances Halikas Charitable Trust has $1.6 million in its tight coffers, collecting a mere $780 in the last reporting period.

The Lambrecht Family Foundation has $1.1 million in the bank, and collected $1.4 million. Someone should hire their manager for the other funds, though the description doesn't say what the LFF does.

And then there are a list of smaller ones, under one million in the bank.

The Lions Club has $152,000.

The Rotary only has $130,000.

The Kiwanis have $85,000.

Knights of Columbus? Zilch! Same for the American Legion.

The Orland Park Area Chamber of Commerce has $131,596, from $236,944 they collected.

You can go to:
http://www.melissadata.com/lookups/np.asp

And put your zip code in to see what foundations and charitable institutions exist and how much they have.

Ray Hanania
http://www.orlandparker.com/

Orland Park socked by home mortgage foreclosures

You think the news doesn't hit your own back yard, but just look in the community newspapers. Every week, a dozen or more properties are being sold by the banks that have been processed through the Cook County Courts.

It's depressing. Property owners were enticed into remortgaging and squeezing out money that looked like equity before last year, and borrowed to the max believing homeowners was sacrsanct. And then the industry collapses and their properties drop in value and soon, what looked liek extra money is now debt that not even the sale of a home will cover. All of their equity disappeared for many.

It's very depressing, especially when you think that the government is only concerned about shoring up the banking industry, bailing them out while letting homeowners drown in endless, impossible debt.

Too bad the homeowners do not have a lobby to fight for their rights, and politicians who talk the talk (to get votes and money) but never walk the walk, because they're taking money from the banking industry and home mortgage industry through the back door.

Look up the addresses and you'll probably find a home that has collapsed into home mortgage debt hell right on your own block or very closeby.

Ray Hanania
www.OrlandParker.com

Tall Grass Cartoons ...

Click cartoon to enlarge & view:

Grass gets attention in Orland Park, even when it's not officially "Tall Grass"

The amount of email letters and even some calls on the Orland Park Police Department's unruly lawn problem (Some language has been cleaned up to keep this site PG):

• Great web site. I love the local news. The other papers just do not tackle any controversy. It's good to see your site. The OPPD center is an eyesore. I drive by it everyday wondering the same thing. Keep it up. TJ West Avenue
  
• As a police officer, I know there is much talk at the station about your blog reference. The most interesting gossip is speculation that Chief Tim plans to run for Mayor. Forget about the senate, but Mayor is possible. Anonymous. PO
  
• Tim McCarthy for mayor? Yes!
  
• Cut the damn grass! I see the mayor's lawn is always cut nice and neat. Check that work out sometimes. LB, Glenlake Dr
  
• I thought it was an English Garden, but that doesn't sit well with our Irish Mayor. Debbie, Mallard Drive
  
• I love the site! Shake-em up Ray. RD
  
• Whatever happened between you and Mayor Dan? You were pals once and you served on the Civic Center Commission. Was it the Mike Brennan battle for the Orland Township? Will you be writing about that topic?

We love email here at the OrlandParker.com ... send it directly to me, if you don't want to post or subscribe to the Blogger.com system at rayhanania@comcast.net. We'll keep it all anonymous but you can identify your street name if you want it published.

BY THE WAY ... I saw two workers digging through the weeds in front of the Orland Park Police Department site this morning. The OrlandParker.com is read ... even better than the former site we ran several years ago when we were attacked by McLaughlin and Dodge. They workers didn't look too happy sloshing around in the drizzle and pulling the large plants out and putting them in a wheel barrel.

But, the McCarthy rumors are swirling around the community. I've heard them from a dozen residents and a few friends in City Hall. McLaughlin "retiring?" I don't think so, but that rumor is prompting the McCarthy for public office rumors and to be honest, McCarthy would make the town's BEST Mayor. I hope that either he does it or, if McLaughlin clings to office (as all mayors-for-life do) that Chief McCarthy will run for the U.S. Senate seat. No one is more recognizable than McCarthy, who is considered a heor for his act of saving the life of a president.

Ray Hanania
www.TheOrlandParker.com