We need new trustees on the village board, trustees who heed public outcry, are serious about limiting property tax increases, and focus on providing basic services.
In the course of a few meetings, current trustees quickly moved toward tearing down our architecturally landmark village hall; tossing out a 3% cap on levy increases; and forcing residents to start bagging leaves. After public outcry, the board decided to reconsider its plans for village hall, but not even public outcry stopped it from instituting leaf bagging. Trustee Cory Wesley said at the time that he was “one million percent against a referendum for leaves … it should be the decision of this board and not the community telling us what we can do with our leaves.” [1] We need trustees who give weight to community wishes.
Affordable housing has rightfully become a big issue. But when trustees toss out a cap on property tax levy increases, they have forgotten that affordable property taxes make for affordable housing.
The village pursues a lot of laudable endeavors: helping migrants, green energy, sustainability, diversity, economic development. It gave tax incentives for a grocery chain to build a new store. It gave $1 million for the Percy Julian residence. It greenlights new residential high-rises, which put more demand on village services. But I’ve been waiting 30 years for it to fix our alley, and after every big rainstorm my neighbors pump out ponds in our flooded backyards. Trustees need to focus on providing basic services.
This is why I’m voting for new trustees James Taglia and Joshua Vanderberg, incumbent Chibuike Enyia, and Trustee Ravi Parakkat as new board president. A former trustee, Taglia pushed for the 3% cap on levy increases. Joshua Vanderberg is the only candidate I see who promises to accelerate sewer upgrades to prevent flooding and fast-track the alley rebuilding program. Enyia heeded public outcry and voted for a referendum on leaf bagging. And Parakkat stood up early, forcefully, against an expensive new village hall, against eliminating the 3% cap on levy increases, and against leaf bagging.
Source:
[1] Minutes of the June 18, 2024 Village of Oak Park Board Meeting.
Mark Wallace
Oak Park