Pekau, mayors fight for more LGDF money

By Jeff Vorva 

Orland Park Mayor Keith Pekau joined a group of several other Chicago-area mayors in Springfield last week to try to get back more Local Government Distributive Fund money.

Area mayors have been complaining that the state has been taking money away from local communities and town bosses wanted their voices heard.

“We were there focusing primarily on trying to get the LGDF restored,” Pekau wrote in an e-mail to residents. “The majority of legislators agree but the governor and Senate president do not.  In 1969, when the state income tax was established, the state agreed to share 10% of its collections with municipalities on a per capita basis.

“In return, the law stated that municipalities (primarily focused on Chicago) could not institute a tax of their own.  This worked for 42 years.”

But he said that in 2011, it was chopped to 6% as part of a temporary tax increase. Since then, Pekau said, it has fluctuated but has remained near 6% and is currently 6.16%.

Mayors want to ratchet that back up to 10%.

“To put this in perspective, the state has taken $8.2 billion from municipalities during this time frame,” Pekau said. “Orland Park has lost over $40 million.  All communities and residents have been damaged by this policy.

“As one legislator, who used to be a mayor, said to us, ‘One thing I know for sure, is that you, your alderman and your trustees spend this money much more effectively than anyone here in Springfield does.’”

Pekau said the mayors are trying to coax legislators to refuse to vote for any budget that does not restore the full LGDF.

“They have the votes to get this done – they simply need the moral courage,” Pekau said.

He said there were 350 mayors of village presidents who attended including Palos Park mayor-elect Nicole Milovich-Walters and Palos Hills Mayor Jerry Bennett.

Concert series acts

This year’s Summer Concert Series at Centennial Park West will not feature any national names because the park is under renovation.

However, the village will offer three free nights of tribute bands in the parking lot outside of the park.

On June 10, Southern Accents (a Tom Petty tribute band) starts at 4 p.m. while the Sounds of Summer (a Beach Boys tribute band) hits the stage at 6 p.m. and Margarita World (a tribute to Jimmy Buffet and Alan Jackson) will perform at 8 p.m.

On July 14, Dancing Queen (an Abba tribute band) performs at 4 p.m., Too Much Molly (which bills itself as an inclusive, theatrical, pop/rock experience) follows at 6 p.m. and the Zac Brown Tribute Band is at 8 p.m.

On Aug. 19, the Yacht Rock group the Ron Burgundy’s perform at 4 p.m., Big Bang Baby (a Stone Temple Pilots tribute band) is at 6 p.m. and IRIS (a Goo Petkau Dolls tribute band) headlines at 8 p.m.

Incentives

At the April 17 board meeting, the mayor and board approved a restaurant backfill incentive for Barraco’s Pizza, which is going into the old Traverso’s site at 15601 S. Harlem Ave.

The board also approved a Cook County property tax incentive at the Rainbow Cone location (15711 Harlem Ave.) that lowers the assessment from 25% of the assessed value to 10%.

Rainbow Cone could be opening its doors in late May.