These are two separate issues.
When the State is late in making its payments to the City, there is sometimes a lull in funds to pay bills. We use the line of credit to pay them, and when the State makes its payment to the City, we pay the line of credit back down. It is an emergency resource so we can keep our creditors and employees paid when the funds are slow coming in. If the State is not delayed in its payment to the City, we will not use the line of credit. It is important to keep our credit rating high in order to borrow money at such low rates. These savings are passed on to the tax payers. This problem will be rectified in a few years when we meet our goal in the reserve fund.

The City just spent over $1 million on two pieces of property that were bringing values down in the surrounding neighborhood. The funds were already available from a TIF that covers that area. The TIF fund is utilized to reinvest in the commercial corridor under the TIF agreement. Those funds can only be used for improvements in the TIF district. It was better for us to use the money on something constructive which will improve the area vs. letting the money sit and do nothing. The purchase made good fiscal sense. These are simple answers to a difficult question, and there is more information available about it. I am sure your alderman or Colleen Julian could expand upon this in a phone call to answer all your concerns about these two issues.

Chuck Toland "These savings are passed on to the tax payers."

Yes! In the form of higher property taxes you voted for what 3 or 4 years in a row? Maybe you mean "savings" in the form of all the other tax increases you have voted for? The simple fact is, the minute you get savings you do NOT pass it along to the taxpayers...you just find a way to either waste it on other things or pay for the inefficient government we all continue to fund.

Doug, my offer still stands with you and anyone else. I would be happy to go over the levy and/or budget with you at any time. I have invited you for the last 3-4 years, and you have not taken me up on it. I have given it to you in the past, but here is my work #, 708-671-5400. Have a great day!!!

Chuck,
I really appreciate the fact that you read and respond to posts here.
I was not aware that 157th St. was part of a commercial corridor in Oak Forest. That street seems more like a residential area than a part of a commercial corridor to me.
The reason for my post was my concern with the city buying property and then seeing the property just sit there for long periods of time (House of Brews) or seeing our mayor "donate" the property to some group (Church property on 159th). While the back part of the property on 159th was sold, for $270,000, that still leaves the city holding the bag for the rest of the money spent on that piece of land, about $1.2 million.
While it may seem like a good idea to buy these properties, if there are no plans to develop them, then why buy them?
I think that if the city had a good track record for buying and developing land, there would be no problem, but every time that I pass the corner of 159th and Cicero, I am reminded of what the city seems best at...... wasting taxpayers money.

Chuck- If I have to come in and do your job for you I might as well just get paid to do it myself! Do you really want a list of the waste I am so many others have read in the past years?

Here I will hellp get you started. The former Mayor who is now a part time secretery for the current mayor should not be making 45,000 a year! Will you do anything about this? Will you do anything to change the contracts of city employees so city owned vehicles are not driven on personal time....or AT LEAST not driven out of town on personal time (so we the citizens are not paying for wear and tear)?

Are you willing to do any of these common sense things or the hundreds more that could save the citizens money? Oh! Or should I take the advice of one former public works director who said "its none of your business"? Just sit back shut up and pay everyone.

Hey Tired, you're an OF guy, same here. Maybe we should get together for a cold one and a live debate. I'll leave my guns at home, LOL. Hell, we may already know each other.

Tired, I never have a problem answering questions on here as long as the question is really looking for an answer. I agree with you to some degree about purchases and lack of purchases in the past. I wish there were better results, but sometimes there's only a short window to make decisions, and preliminary plans sometimes fall through. I wish years ago OF had purchased more of the land extending towards Orland Park. As far as other properties go, the Mayor didn't donate the church property. When that property is ready to move, it'll be moved. The back portion of that property was under rated; we sold it under the value of what we sell the frontage for. At least we have a developer willing to market the rest of the property there. The dialysis center will create foot traffic to the area which should attract additional business. Of course it's all speculation. We cross out fingers we did the right thing, but the decision to purchase land is never easy. It's a little easier now as a lot of this prime business corridor land is undervalued. Feel free to call me and talk about this in greater detail. Those who have contacted me for more information were pleasantly surprised about some of the plans. In the spirit of confidentiality, all the plans cannot become public until things are in writing. I am happy to share concepts with you. OF is definitely at a crossroads right now, and we can make a positive move or stay status quo. I am tending towards moving forward.

Yes, that stone thingy was such an attractive structure. I think it cost more to take it down than erect it.

Not so certain, quite costly structure.

Sorry but "tired of the BS", you are making too much sense. You have to remember that those who run this town only want to hear from people who will help stroke their ego. I hate to rain on anyones parade but we have to get some reality here.

If the land that these apartment buildings are on was of so much value you can rest assure a developer would have approached the owner(s) of these buildings about buying them and then approach the city about development. Did that happen? It seems not.

Oak Forest wants its cake and eat it too. They want high taxes in the forms of sales and property, while expecting growth and development. Thats not the way it works for a blue collar community like OF. These people have made so many mistakes for so many years, I have no idea how anyone can defend them.