So what happened to all of that money from the "last resort" sales tax that was passed in July? How much money has that tax raised to date? What is the comparison to what it was projected to raise?

So why not make it an even $54 with the additional $27 going to fund payroll expenses for off duty P.O.'s to moonlight pulling armed security at our area school districts?

"The department heads wanted other STUFF"??? They already got stuff. Like a $38,000 vehicle for the city administrator. Why was there a sales tax that now is not being used to fund anything? Colleen Julian does not live in Oak Forest so she can recommend raising as much as she wants plus she makes a lot more than most people do. Why put money in reserves when all it gets used for is to bail out the economic development guy when he recommends poor choices like buying that piece of junk House of Brews? The taxpayer is the last on the list of what the majority of these aldermen care about. Remember 4th and 6th ward aldermen voted for this and they are both running for election in April. So is the mayor. Hats off to the two aldermen who had enough sense to vote against this.

who were the 2 alderman that voted against please...

I warned you people. I told you when they implemented the 1% tax that more was coming and you all said I was just complaining. We have this tax because we let them tax us. I wonder how much it will be raised next year? So we have a 1% sales tax this year, a just approved water rate hike starting next year, I think that is two water rate hikes in two years, and now a property tax hike. They just keep piling it on. Get yourself to the city council meetings, it is basically empty every meeting.

Told you that they would continue to spend and then raise taxes again! When will you learn that you have to cut spending to balance a budget. Vote these people out if you want change instead of just being shepple.

Hopefully i can sell my house soon...I'm out of here

But them again who wants to buy a house in a soon to be dead town

Wondering where they are going to use the $1MM in sales tax?

I am so tired of being nickled and dime to the poor house.......! People are hurting to pay the bills and all the politicians in this state can do is tax and tax and tax..... because they are crack addicts on our money... they can never cut (like our family house holds have had to do in the past 4 years). As soon as the housing market improves I am getting out of this state.... it is not only bankrupt its morally bankrupt.... and how anyone could keep voting for these irresponsible and corrupt politicians is beyond me...... this state is doomed.

Just moved to OF Have the taxes ever gone down?!?

City council meetings are the second and fourth Tuesday of every month. The next one is Jan. 8th. I hope to see many of you there.

Taxes could and should go down..... Crestwood did it... and many other towns around the country have done it..... so can we.... but our politicians are TAX addicts and addicted to spending.... "Liberalism is FUN until you run out of other peoples money"

Is the Council trying to drive more residents out of our town? With house values still low, costs of living going up, and incomes stagnant, it seems to me that they should be finding creative ways to live within current revenue levels - just as most households are doing. Enough of elected politicians thinking they have unfettered access to our hard-earned money. I'm totally ready to sell my home ASAP and move to a more tax friendly area.

But a lot of taxes are waisted.... the people in this state have become to complacent on how (there) hard earned money is being spent...! People are tired of being asked to "tighten your belt" over and over again, I have had enough.... I work hard for my money and I am tired of it being waisted by greedy politicians who do not care on how they spend other peoples money. Fact is you can only tax so much before the people leave..... or revolt....! and its getting close to both.

This tax is to cover deficits from overspending. As the article says, "to build our reserves, so that we show fiscal soundness for our credit rating agencies.” That means they are in danger of losing their credit rating. Just like you would if you spent too much and couldn't pay your credit card. Stop the facade improvement program and cut other wasteful spending.

In Oak Forest, taxes also pay for the beautification of a retention pond behind the mayor's house, purchasing property that nobody else wanted, hiring the mayors buddy at over $100,000 a year .....and the list keeps growing.
Don't forget the department heads want more "stuff" for their departments. I have talked with city employees and one of the things that I find disturbing is that if a department has money left over near the end of a budget year, they will spend that money on whatever so their budget will not be cut in the following years.
What is the most sickening to me is the exorbitant salaries we are paying to anyone that works for the city.
Just look at some of these numbers (rounded to nearest $1000.00):
City Collector- $110,000
Finance Director- $122,000
City Administrator- $128,000
Network Administrator-$94,000
Building Commissioner- $101,000
Fire Chief- $136,000
22 Fireman/paramedics- average over $80,000
39 Police - average over $80,000
14 Maintenance Workers- average over $80,000
2 Mechanics- both over $90,000
3 Water Plant Operators- over $90,000
We are a small town but we are paying big town salaries to our city employees.
A lot of you may not believe these numbers, but look for yourself, here is the link:
http://www.oak-forest.org/assets/documents/05-02-12%20OF%20Employee%20Compensation%20PA97-609%20%28Final%20for%20Posting%29.pdf

So Oak Forest is almost in the same boat as our Broken county government and our bankrupt state...! thats just great.... as our property value keeps going down and crimes in the town going up....! wont be long before we are Detroit...! sorry if I seem upset and negative but I am just fed with politicians taking my hard earned money (that I could use for my kids college or my retirement ) being squandered to pay for elaborate public sector compensation packages and retirements (thats never available to the private sector) .... But I am fortunate, I can leave this state because I work from home...... I feel sorry for the ones who punch a clock and cant leave because they work in a brick and mortar building....! But then we are the ones to blame ultimately because we voted them in....! as they lie and say they are for the midddle class...! what a joke..!

Tired of the B.S. thanks for your input.....! you have just confirmed what I have been raging about...! they could privatize a lot of the city services .... they can cut but they need to keep feeding the beast.... THIS IS SICK....!

If all it takes together the money for a reserve fund, into have 6 people vote for it as a majority, my neighbors and I have voted to charge the City of Oak Forest, Cook County and the state of Illinois, $500,000.00 each for our reserve funds, so we can maintain our homes in this area.

Forgot to add, please pay ASAP, as we currently have no reserve funds as you have all taken any extra money we have, thru tax increases and fees.

Can't vote them out if mo one runs against them. Anyone who wants to do so has until 12/26 to file their petitions.

I have stated time after time after time that this is never ending in Oak Forest. Vehicles are given to employees for personal use...and we pay for it. Salaries that are just out of this world for employees. Most of us who are paying these salaries do not make that much in this town.

The kid has 3 more years of HS at Tinley Park and then it's off to Indiana. Could the tax men of Illinois, cRook county, and now Oak Forest please say "Stick'em up" when the bills come so I know I'm being robbed!

how can a public works employee make that much,there al,l way overpaid ...pretty sad thats the thanks the residents get i too will leave this city life with nothing to do here anyway.