Morton Grove Election Issue

March 25, 2009 - PRLog -- Morton Grove homeowners have experienced sizeable jumps in their real estate tax bills over the last four years. The current mayor has stated that the money was needed because the Village’s pension funds were not fully funded. Ten years ago, they were. Since that time, market conditions, law changes, and an increased number of retirees have contributed to a more rapid depletion of the pension funds.

Former Mayor Daniel Scanlon explained his administration’s handling of the penion funds. “[We] reached an agreement with the overseers of the pensions wherein the Village would fund the first year at 50% of the actuary obligation, and each year thereafter at 10% until the pensions were fully funded in the year 2008. It was a compromise agreement, necessary but unpalatable to all parties involved.”

Just prior to the 2005 municipal election, the Caucus Party, led by then-trustee Rick Krier, proposed to cut the Village’s budget by around $900,000 by (in part) canceling the agreed-upon pension increases. Trustee Krier said he was confident the money would be there in 2033 (the State-mandated deadline to have pension funds fully funded). Although Krier’s proposal was voted down and the agreed-upon pension amounts were not cut from the budget, the pension fund overseers were nervous about the agreement after the Caucus Party was elected in 2005, and began insisting that the Board pay the full actuary-recommended amount annually. This resulted in funds being needed for the 2006 Budget and new Mayor Krier’s solution was to raise residents’ taxes.

Action Party trustees led the effort to have a 0% increase in this year’s levy and kept their 2007 campaign promise. The Action Party urges all interested citizens to separate fact from fiction in the upcoming campaign, then cast their ballot on April 7 (early voting at Morton Grove’s Village Hall through April 2).

The Action Party, a grassroots Morton Grove-based political party, prides itself in the fact that its members are non-partisan – Democrats, Republicans, and Independents – who are dedicated to providing the Village of Morton Grove with experienced, independent, and dedicated leadership.

Look for more information about the Action Party of Morton Grove, its candidates, and the upcoming April 7 election on its website: www.actionparty.org

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We are truly a local, grassroots, roll-up-your sleeves mix of concerned citizens that place the interests of the village, its residents and our business community first. Seeking to provide proven leaders of good character and an independent spirit; we strive to foster the kind of municipal government that we can all be proud of when telling anyone that Morton Grove is our home.

The Action Party remains proud to be truly non-partisan and will always work for Morton Grove’s citizens to the best of our abilities. Our primary objective continues to be keeping the Village of Morton Grove an efficient, honest, open and well-run municipality that keeps your best interests at heart!