“There is growing uncertainty about the village’s financial status and the mayor’s words alone are not enough to calm our justified concerns. As an independent trustee, I will fight for the rights of taxpayers and ensure that every action by the board, including those involving spending, contracts, and developers will be fully detailed and explained. The Village mayor and Trustees don’t work for themselves. They work for the taxpayers who pay their part time salaries and depend on fully transparent leadership and accountability.”

Jaber is running as an independent candidate but will be on the Feb. 25, 2024 primary election ballot, and then on the April 1 municipal election.

“I have very specific goals that will drive my public service for the taxpayers. Every taxpayer in Orland Park should be very concerned by the debt accumulation, how taxes are being misspent, and the mayors’ and trustees’ failure to be transparent, giving us excuses instead of facts,” Jaber said.

“We have to return to investing in the people and not the mayor’s pet projects. The village has spent a great deal of our tax dollars on unnecessary projects like the $15 million concert venue and the new $10 million gun range that taxpayers will probably never see. The public needs to have a voice in village spending and financial decisions, and right now they do not,” Jaber said.

Jaber said that taxpayers deserve detailed updates on how their taxes are being spent in the Triangle TIF which has mounted huge debts that have been “written off” by the village with no explanation. The mayor has had six years to decrease village debt and provide transparent disclosures on spending.

“Instead, after securing control of the board in 2018, the mayor has taken complete control of the village and consolidated committees, eliminated many services and eliminated public disclosures, even making it almost impossible to obtain Freedom of Information requests for how our tax dollars are being spent. He has been politically combative with taxpayers who have tried to get answers at Village Board meetings, and in his eNewsletter – who is paying for that newsletter?”

Jaber said it is irresponsible for a mayor who has had complete control of the village for the past six years to blame the village’s financial challenges at the prior administration or on former trustees.

Jaber cohosted a Town Hall meeting to help residents understand not only how money has recently been misused for the Triangle TIF but also offer information the village has refused to provide regarding three more TIFs that will siphon money away from schools and other government services.

“It’s time to move our village a new direction of transparency, accountability and professional financial management. That is going to be my priority,” Jaber explained.

“I’m thinking about our village for the next ten years. Continuing to point fingers at the past administration and the accounting firm for failure to file audits is an arrogant excuse intended to deflect the mayor’s and the village’s failures onto others.”

Jaber identified specific goals as:

– Be responsible, transparent and accountable to the public for every village tax dollar spent

– Be more transparent with the public about all issues

– Force elected officials to be accountable to taxpayers

– Ensure honest truthful government 

– Demand that officials stop using village funds and resources to pay for political meetings and information.

– No TIFs without community input and approval

– Prevent local elected officials from using the Village Hall for political purposes

–  Make the Veterans Commission Independent of village control

– Give residents a greater voice to question village actions and tax spending

– Be a partner with local schools, and with athletic and all activity programs in Orland Park

For more information visit candidate Jaber’s Facebook Campaign page at

https://www.facebook.com/orlandparkforjaber

— Press Release