Jaber urges Village Board to stop undermining the Orland Park Public Library system

Mohammed Jaber, Candidate for Orland Park Trustee in the Feb 25 and April 1 elections, steps up to defend the Orland Library from attacks by the Orland Park Village Board and Mayor Pekau.

Orland Park, IL — Orland Park Trustee candidate Mohammed Jaber Wednesday criticized Mayor Keith Pekau and members of the Orland Park Village Board for undermining the credibility of the Orland Park Public Library which serves thousands of seniors, families and young people.

At the Village Board meeting Monday, Pekau and the board engaged in their usual practice of negativity slamming the Library for increasing its levy to cover the rising costs of providing books, community events, and services to the community, while patting themselves on the back for lowering the village tax levy.

Jaber argued that the issue of the tax levy is disproportionate considering that Orland Park’s property tax collections are among the highest in the region while the library’s budget is relatively far smaller.

“Mayor Pekau and the board are playing politics by mixing apples and oranges when they attack the Library’s tax levy increase as an opportunity to showcase their decision to lower the village tax levy,” Jaber said.

“The issue of tax levies is a complex topic and easily misunderstood and distorted. When the library increases their tax levy to cover rising costs, the real impact is minimal considering that the library’s budget is so much smaller than the village but the services it offers to seniors, families and young people is so important for our community.”

Jaber noted that the Village of Orland Park is misleading people when they say that they have “lowered” the tax levy because the village budget is more than $211 million annually. The amount of property taxes collected has increased dramatically and the village’s tax levy doesn’t even come close to off-setting that increase.

“In reality, the small tax levy reduction by the village still results in a massive increase in property tax revenues collected from taxpayers and homeowners in the village and they didn’t even come close to making a dent in those increased tax collections,” Jaber said.

“Manipulating the issue of the tax levy is a way to mislead residents into believing that their village taxes are being reduced when in fact the budget spending has increased significantly from the previous year.”

Jaber quoted the village’s budget documents which showed a significant increase in government spending:

On an operating basis, Village-wide budgeted expenditures total $127,956,464, an increase of $2,550,017, or 2.0% from the 2023 amended budget over the 2023 budget expenditures which were only $115,942,791, that’s a 5 percent increase over the 2021 budget spending.

Click this link: 2024 Budget. (Page 7)

Click this link: 2023 Budget (Page 7)

Jaber said that in attacking the library, Pekau lives in a glass house of far greater and excessive wasteful spending.

“At the Village of Orland Park meeting this past Monday, current elected officials attacked the beloved Orland Park Public library. Not one time did I ever hear of anyone complain about the library services offered to the public. The library is a great place for many residents whether it be seniors, families, or young people,” Jaber said.

“This is a low point in our village when elected officials go after a library for increasing their levy at a minimal of $289,000. This is to cover rising costs that every household and entity is currently facing. Our village elected officials should be commending the library for it being one of the best in the state, if not the country.”

Jaber said the attacks against the library is an example of Pekau’s style of continuing to attack, demean and degrade other entities to artificially make himself look better.

“In government, everyone recognizes that some officials artificially make themselves look better by attacking other governments, deflecting from the truth with complex issues like taxes,” Jaber said.

“Attacking the library and making disproportionate comparisons with the village proves that Mayor Pekau has no respect for the needs of taxpayers. His attacks against the schools, the fire district, and now the library only raises more concerns. One has to ask if Pekau really loves Orland Park? As a resident of Orland Park, I sure love this village and believe in investing in the library so the residents can continue to enjoy their time when using it.”

“Pekau and his board have much to account for and explain but instead of explaining all they do is deflect and attack others. Pekau hopes that in the ugly public debate confusion that he is creating, the fog will blur the public’s ability to see the truth,” Jaber said.

“I will not allow that to happen. We need more transparency in Orland Park government, more accountability in Orland Park governments, and more honesty in Orland Park government., Right now we have none.”

— Press Release

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Ray Hanania

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