Here’s the “big news” from Oak Park:

Orland Park trustees on Monday night approved rebating a portion of the village’s property tax paid by homeowners this year.

A total of $2.2 million is being earmarked for the program, with applications being accepted this fall. Postcards with application instructions will go out in late October or early November.

Read more here

Okay, here’s my problem with this.

Rebating $2.2 million means that Oak Park levied $2.2 million too much.

OR, let’s assume for the moment that they were levying exactly what they thought they would need, even on a conservative estimate.

Why? why?

Why not use the current $2.2 million surplus to “buy down” the levy for next year, so Oak Park residents don’t have to pay so much out-of-pocket, and then wait so long for this so-called “rebate?”

That’s what Park Forest, and other wise municipalities, do, year after year after year after year.

Sending a “tax rebate” and then levying more than you need, so that you can send a “tax rebate,” well, that’s just bad politics and a dishonest shell game.

If you aske me.