Orland Fire Reduces Tax Levy by $1.3 Million

The Orland Fire Protection District will be requesting a similar amount of property tax money compared to last year, after trustees voted unanimously to abate $1,321,600 from the upcoming property tax levy.

The board approved the abatement with a 3-0 vote. Trustees Blair Rhode and Chris Evoy were not at Tuesday’s meeting.

In December, district trustees passed a tax levy of about $28.4 million total, which included about $1.1 million to cover debt service. The abatement brings the total requested levy to about $27.1 million, which is closer to Orland Fire District Finance Director Kerry Sullivan’s levy estimate back in November 2012.  

“The district has now elected to say we don’t need the amount we needed in December,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan noted that the abatement is in a similar amount to past abatements.

“We’re looking at ways to reduce the operating budget as best as possible,” Orland Fire Chief Ken Brucki said. “Some is done through operational readiness and another is through abatement.”

Police Officer Honored for CPR Effort

Orland Park Police Officer Andrew Martyn was acknowledged during Tuesday’s meeting for performing CPR on an elderly woman who was in cardiac arrest, while ambulances were on the way.

“Like we’ve been able to do often, we’d like to congratulate a police officer for helping us respond and have a good outcome like in this particular call,” said Orland Fire Lt. Mark Duke.

Looking for more Orland Fire stories?

• Dryer Fire at Orland Park Laundromat
• Orland Fire Seeking to Lower Heart Attack Deaths Through AEDs and CPR Training

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