03 09 25 Hanania in Cicero Orland Park Fire District elections

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Veteran award winning political columnist and former Chicago City Hall reporter Ray Hanania talks about the top election aces this season in Chicagoland.

Hanania discusses the achievements of Cicero Town President Larry Dominick, who he does media work for, and all of Dominick's achievements. Dominick is celebrating his 20th year in office and in the Feb. 25, 2025 election, Dominick won re-election in a landslide, achieving the same percentage win that he did in his last contested election in 2013. (Cicero has seen a drop in voter turnout of 1,900 voters, which accounts for a slight reduction in percentage win but still an amazing victory for a mayor who has done so much to strengthen and change the image of the Town of Cicero.

The Cicero race is decisive and final and does not have an election on April 1. President Dominick will be sworn in to a 6th term as Town President in May 2025.Hanania also talks about the big race taking place in the April 1, 2025 General election that is in Orland Park, the largest city between Chicago and Joliet in the Southwest Suburbs. Incumbent Mayor Keith Pekau is going to lose to former Trustee Jim Dodge mainly because people are tired of Pekau's outrageous bullying and name-calling. Pekau doesn't tolerate public questions, has the worst transparency in the state for a municipal leader, and truly hates the people who question his consolidation of power in Orland Park over the past 8 years he has been in office, 6 of which he controlled the rubber stamp board.

Pekau and other surrounding mayors and supervisors all want to grab, merge, and consolidate the Orland Fire Protection District, which is the jewel in the crown of national firefighters. The OFPD has a fully funded pension that Pekau is drooling to control. Neighboring villages want to control the fire district, too, to shore up their limited fire department performances.The OFPD has a 71 percent Cardiac Arrest Save Rate, one of the highest in the Midwest if not the highest in the nation. The national Save rate is only 10 to 15 percent. That means if you live in the OFPD (which includes Orland Park, Orland Hills and some unincorporated areas) you have a 5 Times better chance of surviving a heart attack.

There are three slates of 3 candidates running to control the OFPD. One is backed by Pekau. Losers. Another is backed by a local supervisor and funded by donations from surrounding mayors who want to merge and consolidate -- they say they don't publicly but privately consolidation would be a financial windfall for them.I am supporting the Fiscal Voices for Orland Fire slate of candidates that include the only candidates with First Responder, police or fire experience:

OFPD Trustee Beth Damas Kaspar

OFPD Trustee Donald "DJ" Jeffers

Former Palos Heights CSO Bridget Tolan

Their website is

https://FiscalVoicesforOrlandFire.com

and their Facebook Page is

https://Facebook.com/people/Fiscal-Voices-For-Fire-Safety-Orland-Fire/61572978827101/

Check them out. If you live in the OFPD District support them to protect the Fire District from mergers and consolidation.

Get more information on all of this at my columns website at

https://Hanania.com

Thank you

RAY HANANIA