How can we fix this mess?
There are numerous ways that the budget can be fixed. Until our local government addresses its spending problems, our taxes will never go down. It doesn't matter what political affiliation you have, all homeowners are effected by property taxes. The spending of our schools and our village need to be reduced.
Ways to cut municipal spending:
To help reduce bribery, fraud, and conflicts of interest:
To enhance village transparency and accountability:
Tinley Taxpayers can bring about change that is desperately needed.
Our high property taxes are hindering property values. Property taxes need to be addressed, and the recipients of our tax dollars need to reduce their spending. There is a common theme in government to "use it or lose it". To meet historical spending trends, they spend whatever they take in, no matter how frivolous it may be. New computers every year? Sure. Tablets for every student? Yeah. More pens and tee shirts with a nifty logo on it - lets order thousands. This occurs in our village and our schools and it must be stopped.
A resident spoke to us about their experience working with government agencies and had some interesting information about the "use it or lose it" mentality. While this resident was working in private industry on a contracted project, a government employee disclosed to them that their entire (large) department was receiving new computers when they just received new computers months earlier. The resident asked the federal employee "why?", and they were told that if the govt. department didn't spend the "total budgeted funds for the year" they would lose any unspent funds the following year (a reduced budget). So government logic is: it's best to keep and even grow a budget at any cost, instead of ethically lowering taxes and letting taxpayers keep more of their hard earned money. This is a mindset disease from the top of the government all the way down to our local Village and Schools. In another experience the resident said that upon receiving an approved bid on a project (for local government), they received a call from the local govt. office and was actually asked "who are you?... who do you know?"... apparently only "connected" firms received bids, and this resident doesn't know how they fell through the cracks - apparently the caller didn't know either. How sad is it when corruption is this blatant?
- GOVERNMENT CONSOLIDATION!
- Restructure taxpayer funded civil servant salaries (bring down to free market levels and local cost of living).
- Full-time salaries to be in-line with part-time salaries (full-time salaries should not be 3-4 times more than part-time salaries).
- Cap all Taxpayer funded civil servant salaries.
- Restructure civil servant pensions and benefits (bring down to free market levels).
- Restructure civil servant benefit contributions (require higher contributions to pensions and health ins.).
- Transfer government workers from a defined-benefit to self-managed 401k style retirement plans.
- Civil servant health care plans brought down to more affordable plans, including transferring to a system of insurance stipends/defined-benefit (flat rate) health insurance contributions.
- Salary raises based on the rate of inflation.
- Limit salary raises and cost of living increases.
- Schools and Village must cut unnecessary positions and hire outside vendors at a lower cost.
- Schools and Village cut unnecessary spending (advertising, marketing materials, planning firms, etc).
- Schools and Village to stay out of real estate investing. Government was not intended to invest in real estate.
To help reduce bribery, fraud, and conflicts of interest:
- Require all outside vendors and contractors to disclose donations, including all political contributions and associations to political organizations, committees and groups.
- Require all village, township and school board members disclose all donations they make, including political committees, organizations and groups they belong to or contribute to, and any outside employment connections.
- Require a bidding process on all major and regular Village and School expenses.
- Pass an anti-nepotism law, like the Village of Bradley did!
- Prohibit multi-year contracts. No contract should be longer than ONE year (if a contract is required).
To enhance village transparency and accountability:
- Require all taxpayer funded "financial positions" have annual personal credit evaluations.
- All public servants in a position of managing taxpayer funds, spending/purchasing, budgeting, Village planning, and other roles that have a direct effect on the community's taxpayers should be REQUIRED to individually obtain and maintain PERSONAL LIABILITY insurance. Their job contracts should also hold them personally responsible for any fraud and misconduct. Any liability costs of litigation and recovery of taxpayer funds should be billable to the perpetrator if found guilty of illegal or unethical activity. This is a common sense approach to protecting taxpaying residents from any harm caused by the misconduct, fraud or other illegal activities committed by a public servant. This type of insurance coverage and contractual agreement would protect taxpayers and also hinder illegal activities by public servants.
- Allow community residents to vote (referendums) on "civil servant" salaries, pensions, and school/village spending.
- Allow community residents to vote (referendums) on main-street front property use.
- Allow community residents to vote (referendums) on any potential village property planning/development costs and potential property purchases.
Tinley Taxpayers can bring about change that is desperately needed.
Our high property taxes are hindering property values. Property taxes need to be addressed, and the recipients of our tax dollars need to reduce their spending. There is a common theme in government to "use it or lose it". To meet historical spending trends, they spend whatever they take in, no matter how frivolous it may be. New computers every year? Sure. Tablets for every student? Yeah. More pens and tee shirts with a nifty logo on it - lets order thousands. This occurs in our village and our schools and it must be stopped.
A resident spoke to us about their experience working with government agencies and had some interesting information about the "use it or lose it" mentality. While this resident was working in private industry on a contracted project, a government employee disclosed to them that their entire (large) department was receiving new computers when they just received new computers months earlier. The resident asked the federal employee "why?", and they were told that if the govt. department didn't spend the "total budgeted funds for the year" they would lose any unspent funds the following year (a reduced budget). So government logic is: it's best to keep and even grow a budget at any cost, instead of ethically lowering taxes and letting taxpayers keep more of their hard earned money. This is a mindset disease from the top of the government all the way down to our local Village and Schools. In another experience the resident said that upon receiving an approved bid on a project (for local government), they received a call from the local govt. office and was actually asked "who are you?... who do you know?"... apparently only "connected" firms received bids, and this resident doesn't know how they fell through the cracks - apparently the caller didn't know either. How sad is it when corruption is this blatant?
Taxpayers want consolidation!
It is in the taxpayers' best interest for government offices to consolidate. Our local government can do away with townships, consolidate school districts-library districts-park districts, merge offices and share personnel, sell unnecessary property, reduce payroll expenses, cap payrolls, restructure pension systems, restructure pension and health contributions, cut unnecessary full-time personnel and outsource services... this list can go on. If our government can operate like a profitable private company, we would be in good shape! Unfortunately, this has not been the case and changes need to happen.
Excellent, must-read articles:
Excellent, must-read articles:
There is no reason why this village cannot cut or remove salaries, benefits and pensions to all positions that are not required, especially if those positions or jobs can be shopped to local, verified service providers at the lowest bid. Maintenance is an area that can certainly be provided by private firms, as can accounting, legal, street repairs, snow removal and more. There are also many qualified individuals that would be glad to volunteer in our police and fire departments, and even within the village, park district and library - just as people do in neighboring communities.
Anyone that collects a taxpayer funded "civil servant" salary should be making a salary comparable to the private sector and in line with the local cost of living. If taxpayers foot the bill, the bill should be in line with taxpayer income.
Pension systems are unsustainable, and taxpayers need to demand bankruptcy to restructure each facet of local government to reasonable and sustainable structures. Municipalities and School Districts CAN file for bankruptcy and they should - especially when municipal pensions are doubling in size in less than 7 years. Salaries need to be reset, pensions need to be reset, and new ways of doing business is necessary to properly operate our government and schools. Pensions should be transferred to retirement systems that the private sector utilizes. All public (state, municipal, teacher, government) pensions must be restructured to a 401k system. Pensions, health plans and contributions must be the equivalent to private sector contribution schedules.
There is no reason that Illinois cannot have 401k style plans like other states in the country:
Anyone that collects a taxpayer funded "civil servant" salary should be making a salary comparable to the private sector and in line with the local cost of living. If taxpayers foot the bill, the bill should be in line with taxpayer income.
Pension systems are unsustainable, and taxpayers need to demand bankruptcy to restructure each facet of local government to reasonable and sustainable structures. Municipalities and School Districts CAN file for bankruptcy and they should - especially when municipal pensions are doubling in size in less than 7 years. Salaries need to be reset, pensions need to be reset, and new ways of doing business is necessary to properly operate our government and schools. Pensions should be transferred to retirement systems that the private sector utilizes. All public (state, municipal, teacher, government) pensions must be restructured to a 401k system. Pensions, health plans and contributions must be the equivalent to private sector contribution schedules.
There is no reason that Illinois cannot have 401k style plans like other states in the country:
Any government official that handles money, contracts, bids, purchasing, etc. should have to verify that they personally have an exceptional personal credit rating on an annual basis. It would also be important for taxpayers to know that these public officials have the ability to operate on limited budgets - either having a background managing a small business, or showing aptitude for budgeting and saving. If you review the spending habits of the Village of Tinley Park, they spend money like water. Maybe its the use it or lose it mentality? We'd like to see accountability and responsibility by our Village operators - send savings back to the taxpayers.
Taxpayers should have a voice when it comes to setting civil service salaries, pensions, benefits and local government spending!"
In an attempt to curtail bribery and corruption among elected officials and local government, it should be required that all outside vendors and vendor management disclose all donations, including political contributions and associations to political organizations, committees and groups. All village, township and school board members must also disclose to taxpayers all donations, including political committees, organizations and group they belong to or contribute to. There is no surefire way to prevent bribery, but the more information parties are required to disclose the harder the bribery process becomes. The goal is to find conflicts of interest like this from happening: "land purchase criticized, foundation head benefited" and "Lincoln-Way Paid 1.8 million to board member associate's company."
We should not have Village employees on a Village board, and we should not have teachers (or Village employees) on a school board - this is a conflict of interest. There should also be an anti-nepotism law passed in the Village to highlight transparency and reduce public suspicions - an anti-nepotism law was passed in Bradley Illinois, so it can be done in Tinley Park, as well as within the schools!
Ideas on how to attract business to Tinley Park:
Many surrounding area businesses do not think highly of Tinley Park as a viable location to relocate based on Tinley's alleged history of cronyism, corruption, and favoritism among the "old era" board. Ask businesses outside of Tinley if they'd consider relocating here. You will understand why land and properties have been vacant.
We should not have Village employees on a Village board, and we should not have teachers (or Village employees) on a school board - this is a conflict of interest. There should also be an anti-nepotism law passed in the Village to highlight transparency and reduce public suspicions - an anti-nepotism law was passed in Bradley Illinois, so it can be done in Tinley Park, as well as within the schools!
Ideas on how to attract business to Tinley Park:
- Lower taxes. Most businesses are leaving cook county to save at least 50% in lower property taxes by relocating to neighboring counties that are much more business friendly.
- Reduce fees to a) elicit compliance, b) encourage growth, and c) compete with neighboring villages.
- Stop dictating which businesses a board member, or Village official wants in the Village and allow any reasonable, fitting business access to available property.
- Create a welcoming attitude towards businesses that bring quality products or services.
Many surrounding area businesses do not think highly of Tinley Park as a viable location to relocate based on Tinley's alleged history of cronyism, corruption, and favoritism among the "old era" board. Ask businesses outside of Tinley if they'd consider relocating here. You will understand why land and properties have been vacant.
Over 20 years ago I wanted to relocate my business to Tinley Park. I complied with every ordinance and local regulation. I met with Mayor Zabrocki and the village board, but was ultimately denied the business location. The board instead had the property go to a company which did not meet the ordinances they required of my company. I would never open a business in Tinley Park. I believe it's a community run by village official favoritism and corruption." - Anonymous
Instead of leaving vacant property and its taxes to family estates, widowers, or retirees, this Village should be allowing property owners the ability to sell property to suitable and qualified buyers. Any business abiding by code should be allowed to purchase these properties. A Village board dictating their community and street landscape ideologies has done nothing but stall growth and leave vacant properties in decay. This community is better off allowing private industry to build and grow our community.
The Village has apparently been content leaving vacant buildings and land in decay or empty, with the hope that in the future they can build what they envision. So far this tactic hasn't worked well, and common sense says it won't. This community would be better off and independently grow without the Village holding vacant land and buildings hostage.
The "old era board" operated itself and its various commissions and committees to suit its agenda. Codes, zoning and costs are buried deep into the Village and its culture that have made it highly prohibitive and unattractive for businesses to set up shop here. Allowing any type of reasonable business in to assist in tax revenue was never a top priority. The ambiguous codes, zones and costs are for the Village to locate escapes and restrictions when it sees fit.
The "old era" in Tinley Park needs to end. The damage can be seen throughout the community and in local government. It's time to get the right people into office, the kind of people that have the best interests of the taxpayer at heart in all that they do.
Be sure to check out our sources page to find information on voting dates. It's important to remember the election cycle. It's a big election year and I hope we can all come together to put the right people in office.
The Village has apparently been content leaving vacant buildings and land in decay or empty, with the hope that in the future they can build what they envision. So far this tactic hasn't worked well, and common sense says it won't. This community would be better off and independently grow without the Village holding vacant land and buildings hostage.
The "old era board" operated itself and its various commissions and committees to suit its agenda. Codes, zoning and costs are buried deep into the Village and its culture that have made it highly prohibitive and unattractive for businesses to set up shop here. Allowing any type of reasonable business in to assist in tax revenue was never a top priority. The ambiguous codes, zones and costs are for the Village to locate escapes and restrictions when it sees fit.
The "old era" in Tinley Park needs to end. The damage can be seen throughout the community and in local government. It's time to get the right people into office, the kind of people that have the best interests of the taxpayer at heart in all that they do.
Be sure to check out our sources page to find information on voting dates. It's important to remember the election cycle. It's a big election year and I hope we can all come together to put the right people in office.
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How did we get here?
How can we fix this?
Imagine If
Who we are
TIP LINE
Taxpayer Greivances
Collaborate
Open Forum
Sources
Downloads
FAQ's