Politics & Government

Orland Park Village Board Candidates on Keeping a Tight Budget

Four hopefuls running for a seat on the Orland Park Village Board of Trustees share their views on a budget that maintains the village's qualities, while not overburdening taxpayers.

The following question was asked of all candidates running for the Orland Park Village Board of Trustees.

Answers are listed in the order they were received.

How do you propose keeping a tighter budget that doesn’t burden taxpayers, while keeping Orland Park accessible, competitive and desirable?

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John Fotopoulos

First, we have to eliminate wasteful spending in the budget. We need a strong police department, public works and recreation programs as well. This is a few of the reasons why we moved to Orland Park. However, I believe the rates residents pay to use the amenities should be reduced and the nonresident rates should be increased. Residents pay the taxes and should be able to afford using the facilities.

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Brad O’Halloran

I think that we've done a good job in shepherding the dollars of our residents. We continue to do more with less. Our head count is down from a decade ago and we continue to look for ways to improve efficiencies but at the same time provide our residents with the high quality services they have come to expect.

James Dodge

We are very disciplined and cautious with the budget. When the recession hit, we made the hard choices and cut the budget to live within the reduced revenue. It’s that simple. We live within the means the taxpayers provide. We’ve kept the Orland Park portion of the property taxes low and stable for years. Our bond rating is very high and the total debt is very low compared to the total assets. It’s like owning a $400,000 house with just $16,000 left on your mortgage. Our economic development strategy is working. The sales tax revenue is healthy and growing which helps fund many things, including the rebate. New businesses of all kinds are coming to Orland Park, which is driving our growth.

Kathy Fenton

Through a continuation of fiscal responsibility and planning which we currently employ. Maintaining our outstanding AA+ bond rating.

Looking for more election stories?

  • D135 Candidates on How Best to Fund the District
  • Moraine Valley Candidates On Tuition Costs
  • D230 Candidates on Funding the School District 

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