2011 Election Issues: John Fotopoulos, Orland Park Village Board Candidate

Nine candidates are competing for three seats in this year's race. Orland Park-based attorney John Fotopoulos is one of them. He spoke with Patch about real math, swapping closed village hall days for fee increases and how to better use TIF.

Does the current board engage in enough debate and discussion before voting?

No. As an example, I would point out the recent increases in vehicle stickers and other taxes and fees passed by the Orland Board of trustees with no debate or alternatives. We need more debate, because we cannot continue to balance our budget on the backs of the taxpayers in Orland Park. Maybe if we had more debate we wouldn't be so quick to raise taxes!

You had an opportunity in the last questionnaire to name the biggest problem facing Orland Park. Are there any others? How do you plan to solve them?

Taxes and jobs. I will work with the business community to open lines of communication to address its concerns.  Presently, government is taxing our businesses to the point that they are leaving the Village of Orland Park. I would like to see taxes reduced not only for the residents but also for the business owner.  If we can attract business into Orland Park, then new jobs will be created.  

Trustees and staff plugged a $1.8 million budget gap this fall by increasing certain fees and fines, including vehicle stickers, without cutting staff. Is there anything you would have done differently?

Yes. If elected I would introduce an ordinance demanding that the car sticker increase set to go in effect in July be repealed and any tax levy increase for recreation be withdrawn.  Plain and simple we must stop balancing the budget on the backs of the working families in Orland Park. The 100 percent increase for car stickers for village residents is sticker shock to say the least, but the 1,000 percent increase for our seniors to purchase their car stickers is outrageous, especially for those on fixed incomes.

The Orland Park village Board, with yes votes from the incumbent trustees seeking re-election under the United First Party Banner, voted to increase the car sticker tax. The trustees also proposed a tax levy increase for the recreation department from 8/10 of a cent for every 100 of assessed value to 3 cents of assessed value. This is a $60 increase on a resident’s property tax bill for a house with a two hundred thousand dollar value.

We have to change the way government does business. I propose that instead of raising taxes to balance the budget in 2011 that Orland Park Village Hall close for business on the 5 slowest days that residents use Village Hall for government business. The cost savings from employee salaries, except those deemed necessary to provide essential services, together with electric and heat to run the building, I believe would be enormous.

            The proposed shut down days are as follows: 

• April 22, 2011-Friday
• May 27, 2011-Friday, Memorial Day Weekend
• July 1, 2011-Friday, Independence Day Weekend
• September 2, 2011-Friday, Labor Day Weekend
• November 25, 2011- Friday after Thanksgiving

The phrases “fiscally conservative” and “efficient use of taxpayer money” comes up regularly on the campaign trail. How do you propose keeping a tighter budget that doesn’t burden taxpayers, while keeping Orland Park accessible, competitive and desirable?

We must get back to the basics. 2 +2= 4.  Our elected officials tend to think that the residents can print money. Our families must budget and live within their means.  e expect our elected officials to follow.  The practice of raising taxes and fees to balance the budget must stop!

Before we begin to raise taxes and fees on the residents of Orland Park, we must eliminate waste and inefficiencies. We must become a leaner and meaner government when it comes to taxpayer dollars. We can not continue down on the path of increasing taxes on people for the schools, for the Orland Fire Protection District, for Orland Township, the Village of Orland Park, for the County of Cook, for the State of Illinois, for the Water Reclamation District and I could go on and on. I believe we start in the village and take advantage of ways to save costs with better management of operations and expenditures with the goal of eliminating redundancies that save taxpayer dollars. That's my philosophy and I believe it can be done.

The Main Street Triangle project—and eminent domain lawsuit—has divided many residents. Is it a worthwhile use of taxpayers’ money?

I believe that tax increment financing works as a developmental tool. For example, look at how the TIF transformed the once shuttered Orland Park Place into a retail force for the community and created jobs. I do not support apartments in the Metra triangle. I have proposed that we seek a developer for the triangle that is willing to develop the area with a mix use of retail combined with affordable condos or townhomes to market to our seniors in the community who are looking to downsize and continue to live in Orland Park. 

I believe, however, that we need TIF reform in that we need to do a better job of providing the community with the TIF decision-making information. I propose that all financial and spending information together with proposed redevelopment contracts and maps be posted online in an easy to use format. The information that is available now online for the Metra triangle that I can find lacks any information on the proposed apartments that have been the subject of board discussions and tours to Indiana.

I also propose that we appoint a TIF panel separate and apart from the planning commission. The TIF panel would be responsible to conduct meeting with residents and businesses weighing the pros and cons, transparency with information and making recommendations to the Mayor and Board before a particular area becomes a TIF district.

What are your thoughts on the village’s use of TIF districts? Has the village used them effectively? Why or why not? Would you do anything differently with TIF?

As I stated in my previous answer, the Village of Orland Park must review and study the effectiveness of Tax Increment Financing Districts.  For example, as trustee, I will analyze the decisions made in developing the Metra Triangle downtown area as a TIF District.

I believe we must review the village’s commitment to Tax Increment Financing Districts with the goal of transparency. Specifically, is the village commitment to these districts worthwhile and how are they going to benefit the village going forward.

The board unanimously approved a resolution this fall that gives the board the power to award village contracts to local vendors, even if they haven’t offered the lowest bid (within limits). Is this a good policy? Why or why not?

No, I believe that that private firms doing business with the village should be subject to the same accountability standards and laws that govern any other firm. 

The board on March 7 voted to add reasons for which police can impound the car of an alleged offender. These include, but are not limited to: motor vehicle accidents involving damage to the vehicle and public indecency. It costs the alleged offender $500 to retrieve their impounded car. Do you support expanding the reasons for impoundment?

If the offense involves the commission of a crime, I support increasing the reasons to impound the vehicle.  However, the ordinance should allow for a process to challenge the fee through an administrative proceeding protecting the due process rights of the owner. 

When the village sold “open space” land to the Orland Fire Protection District last summer some residents worried that it would set a precedent that would result in loss of open space land. Do you agree with those residents?

The residents of Orland Park place high value the Open Lands program. However, I do not believe that this particular sale of open space to the fire district set a precedent that would result in loss of open space.  In this situation the land was used to increase public safety. It was not sold for private development.   

Would you support a referendum to bring the Orland Fire Protection District back under the control of the village? Why?

During these hard economic times, our families are feeling the sting of property taxes.  The recent real estate tax bill payable April 1st is a reminder that we must be able to do more with less. For example, the tax burden imposed on the Orland Park residents by the Orland Fire Protection District is shocking to say the least.  The fire district‘s tax per household is larger than the total bill for the Village of Orland Park and the problem plagued Cook County government. 

As a result, I propose the Village of Orland Park conduct a feasibility study to determine the cost savings of eliminating the fire protection district from our tax bills by providing fire and life safety services through the village. I find it difficult to comprehend that the Village can offer police, public works, and parks and recreation services for a fraction of what the fire district is charging. If the study confirms that it is more cost effective for the village to provide fire services then we must take steps to eliminate this unnecessary layer of government. The issue would ultimately have to be decided by referendum.

Would you support term limits for trustees and village president? Why?

Yes. Term limits downgrade seniority, favors meritocracy, increases competition, encourages new challengers and drives out career politicians. Term limits I believe improve the likelihood of the elected official to vote on principle.  Most importantly, term limits would break ties to special interests. I also believe the term limits will encourage lower taxes and smaller government. 

Do you have any past arrests and/or convictions?     

I do not have any arrests and/ or convictions.