Grasso accuses Pekau of blatantly distorting his own record to deceive voters

Republican candidate Gary Grasso, the mayor of Burr Ridge, slams the lies and distortions of extreme rightwing candidate Keith Pekau, the mayor of Orland Park. Grasso’s study published below lists many of Pekau’s lies. Lying seems to be the foundation of the Pekau campaign and his political comrades, like Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison who is struggling to fend off a challenge from a real taxpayer champion Elizabeth “Liz” Doody-Gorman and Pekau minion Cindy Katsenes who Pekau propped up to challenge Gorman for the Orland Township Republican Committeewoman’s seat.

By Ray Hanania

Republican candidate Gary Grasso, the mayor of Burr Ridge, slams the lies and distortions of extreme rightwing candidate Keith Pekau, the mayor of Orland Park.

Grasso’s study, published below, lists many of Pekau’s lies. Lying seems to be the foundation of the Pekau campaign and his political comrades, like Cook County Commissioner Sean Morrison who is struggling to fend off a challenge from a real taxpayer champion Elizabeth “Liz” Doody-Gorman and Pekau minion Cindy Katsenes who Pekau propped up to challenge Gorman for the Orland Township Republican Committeewoman’s seat.

Morrison’s many problems are dragging down Pekau’s candidacy. Morrison can’t escape criticism for defending a sex predator after he was arrested and exposed targeting a 14-year-old girl at a pool party Morrison hosted at his Palos Park home. Nor can he hide from reports from the major news media (WBEZ and Chicago Sun-Times) regarding the special privileges he received from the Palos Park Police, receiving 60 formal Home Security Checks a year taking police away from their focus on other homeowners.

Like Pekau, Morrison is doing direct mails, texts and robocalls making all kinds of ridiculous accusations, including claiming they are the victims of anonymous robocalls that know one I know seems to get. (Sounds like a political strategy to make themselves look like victims who need your sympathy.)

Here’s the detailed and shocking report on Pekau’s lies released this morning by Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso, a real Republican running in the June 28, 2022 primary election to represent the 6th Congressional District. Each fact is cited.

From Gary Grasso, Republican candidate for Congress int he 6th District:

6th Congressional District candidate and Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso criticized his opponent for what he calls “a blatant distortion of the facts” ahead of the June 28th primary.

Grasso is specifically challenging his opponent, Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau, on deceiving voters about Pekau’s salary and pension as mayor and property taxes in Orland Park.

“If you compare what he says against the record, it is clear my opponent is blatantly distorting facts in an effort to deceive voters,” stated Grasso.

“Pekau has been lying about the salary prior to being elected mayor promising to do one thing only to do another after he is elected. I think voters deserve to know the truth about his campaign distortions and frankly about him before they cast their vote on June 28th.”

Pekau and his campaign are sending mailers, emails, videos, and speeches to tout false claims such as: “I (Pekau) lowered my own salary by 70% and I took away pensions for elected officials.”

His deception started in 2017 when he vigorously campaigned against the $150,000+ mayor’s salary yet pocketed the salary when sworn in after the election. It is well documented that Pekau chose to take the full $150,000 after saying he was against it, deceiving Orland voters who voted for him.

“When my opponent won his election, he kept the mayor’s salary for four years totaling over $600,000. Midway through his term, his duties were cut to part time at the same rate of pay and made it pensionable – a further hidden benefit for him. So, Pekau deceived the voters by promising one thing and doing another and he is deceiving them again now,” added Grasso.

Under the 2016 village ordinance, the Orland Park Board of Trustees provided for the $150,000 mayor’s salary to “sunset” automatically back to what it was in 2016 if they did not extend it. No vote to lower the salary was ever taken by the Village Board. Pekau’s claims that he cut his salary by 70% are blatantly false and misleading – the salary was lowered automatically by Village ordinance.

“Keith Pekau tells unsuspecting voters that he removed all the pensions for elected officials – leaving out one important fact: he and the board kept his position pension eligible,” Grasso contends. “Pekau voted in favor of keeping himself pension eligible by a 5 to 2 vote.”

Grasso’s campaign also takes issue with Pekau’s claims he lowered property taxes by 28% in Orland Park. Like many municipalities, schools account for the largest portion of property taxes upwards of 70% with the remaining taxes levied for county, pensions, and other taxing bodies.

Property taxes in villages like Orland Park are traditionally 5% to 6% of a total tax bill. Pekau has once again claimed in mailers, emails, videos, and speeches that he lowered property taxes by as much as 30% which is false. In fact, he increased the tax levy (the amount of money the village wants from taxes), and Orland is taking in more money today than when he began as mayor therefore increasing property taxes since he took office.

“It is disingenuous to tell voters district-wide that you lowered property taxes in Orland Park by nearly 30% when you only control 5% – 6% of a total property tax bill,” explained Grasso. “It seems to establish a pattern of false claims misleading voters at a time when trust in our government is at an all-time low. Look, the residents of the 6^th district deserve honest representation in Congress and that is what they will get from me.”

FACT SHEET: Grasso Accuses Pekau of Blatantly Distorting Facts About His Own Record

6^th Congressional District candidate and Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso criticized his opponent for what he calls “a blatant distortion of the facts” ahead of the June 28^th primary.

Mayor’s Salary and Pension

Background/History of the Orland Park Mayors Salary and Pension

The Orland Park Mayor’s salary was set in 2016 at a $150,000 annual salary by the Village Board before Pekau’s election. The salary took effect in 2017 for the next Mayors term – ultimately Keith Pekau’s first term. (17 Oct 16 Minutes VOP)
What is not as well known, is that in the same ordinance that raised the mayor’s salary to $150,000, there was a sunset provision that took the mayor’s salary back down to $40,000 annually. The ordinance required a future renewal of the pay for future terms. So, Keith Pekau did NOT lower his salary. (Ordinance 5135) (Ordinance revised 3/5/19)
1. From the Ordinance: Except as provided in the preceding paragraph of this SECTION 1, the Village President and Board of Trustees shall, at least 180 days before the beginning of the term of office of the Village President, review and fix the compensation of the Village President.
In 2017, when Pekau became Mayor, the position was a full-time position. In 2019, the village board reduced the duties of Mayor to a part-time position but never reduced the salary. (Ordinance 5390) (Minutes of 4 Mar 2019)
1. Pekau voted to reduce the hours, but he never reduced the pay, which he could have done voluntarily.
2. State law does not allow you to raise or reduce or change elected official compensation during the term. It must be done prior to the term.
In 2019, the Village Board voted to remove pensions for all the Orland Park elected officials; however, there was one position that was separated from the others: the mayors position remained pension eligible. Therefore, even today with one vote from the board Keith Pekau controls, his entire service from 2017 and his military service could be added to his pension by state law. He voted to keep his position pension eligible.

CLICK HERE

In November 2020, he voted “NO” to lowering his salary. (2 Nov 2020 Minutes)
1. But voted to reduce other elected official salaries going forward.

How is Pekau lying/deceiving voters?

Pekau and his campaign are sending mailers, emails, videos, and speeches to tout the statement: “I lowered my own salary by 70% and I took away pensions for elected officials.”

Ordinance 5390 cut the hours immediately, and the pay for future terms (starting in 2021) because the Board determined his full time focus on economic development was not proving valuable. He voted for this as well.

His deception also started in 2017 when he vigorously campaigned against the $150,000+ salary yet took the salary when sworn in after the election. It is well documented that Pekau chose to take the full $150,000 after saying he was against it.

While the salary had been set by the former board, Keith Pekau had the opportunity to direct the Village staff not to pay him the increase voted by the previous board. Former Village Trustee, Jim Dodge, directed Village staff and the Finance Department not to pay him for seven years while he was on the Metra Board.

Then in 2019, the Village Board reduced the duties of Mayor to a part-time position. Keith Pekau, again, had the opportunity to direct the Village staff to reduce his pay in half in accordance with the new level of duties but he declined to do so. Therefore, in 2019 Keith Pekau was one of the highest paid Mayors in Illinois. (Source: Better Government Association)

Keith Pekau goes around touting that he removed all the pensions for elected officials – leaving out one important fact: they kept his position pension eligible. (Resolution 1907 removes other elected officials, Resolution 1908 keeps Pekau pension eligible after he reduced his hours)

Property Taxes and the Levy

Property taxes in villages like Orland Park are traditionally 5% to 6% of a total tax bill. Pekau has once again claimed in mailers, emails, videos, and speeches that he lowered property taxes by as much as 30% which is false. In fact, he increased the actual tax levy and Orland Park is taking in more money today than when he began as mayor therefore increasing property taxes since he took office. (Minutes from Nov 2020 and Minutes December 20, 2021)

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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