Orland Residents For Responsible Government's: Lora Kreczmer

ORLAND TOWNSHIP, IL — Meet Lora Kreczmer, running for Orland Township Trustee with the Orland Residents For Responsible Government slate, in the April 2021 Consolidated Election. The election is April 6.

Kreczmer recently filled out the Patch candidate survey, and her answers can be seen below.

If you are a candidate for the April election, and would like to answer our Patch candidate questionnaire, please email yasmeen.sheikah@patch.com.

Lora Kreczmer

Age (as of Election Day)

43

Town/City of Residence

Orland Park

Office Sought

Township board

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race)

Orland Residents for Responsible Government

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

Valparaiso University – Political Science
Benedictine University – Business Management and Organizational Behavior
Moraine Valley Community College – Currently enrolled in Paralegal Studies Program (A.A.S.)

Occupation

Caretaker for disabled veteran

Campaign website

ResponsibleOrland.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Voters in Orland Township must fire Paul O’Grady and the rest of his slate, as they are the worst kind of Chicago-style politicians. They hire their friends and political allies for lucrative township positions. And use machine tactics to smear political opponents. And they hypocritically set strict rules for the rest of us while privately breaking those rules whenever they want.
Meanwhile, during the pandemic, township staff weren’t even open and available to assist our communities most vulnerable citizens. During this time when township services are needed most, O’Grady’s team shut the doors to the township, but of course he and his politician friends were still cashing their taxpayer-funded paychecks and pensions.
As Trustee, I will stop the political games and focus on serving our community, I’ll make the township transparent and accountable to taxpayers, and I’ll get us back to serving our most vulnerable residents.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I do not support the group Black Lives Matter. It is a group funded by political elitists that do not promote equality in any demographic group nor support a message of togetherness and unity; rather it is a group that is used to push the policy agenda of career politicians of the radical left.
While I believe in the fundamental rights of the First Amendment to exercise freedom of speech, expression and peacefully assemble, more than half of the “demonstrations” were not peaceful by any means. The participants in these “demonstrations” rioted, looted, committed acts of violence, among other things to protest what they viewed as injustices. However, this makes them hypocrites. Violence is not the answer to combat their perception of injustice. Violence and destruction are not symbolic of unity and inclusion. All people can get their message heard through facts and truth.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

The current board has not done enough to support racial equality, let alone equality for all people. Rarely does the current board speak about the opportunities and services available and offered to all residents of Orland Township regardless of demographic identification. To encourage equality among all people, Orland Township should highlight ALL services and ensure messaging that services are for ALL people, not just a target demographic.

What are your thoughts on the national and local coronavirus response? Do you favor measures such as limiting operation of non-essential businesses and restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a local mask mandate?

The local response to the coronavirus sends two vastly different messages to the residents of Orland Township. On the one hand, the Village of Orland Park government has demonstrated that a balance between normalcy and safety can be done. Not only did the village execute plans to safely allow residents to make decisions on what is best for themselves, they also demonstrated that their plans worked. Conversely, Orland Township government took the easy way out and cancelled (indefinitely and without a plan) almost all services, without regard for the residents who rely on these essential services for their mental and physical well-being.
I do not favor measures limiting operations of non-essential businesses and restrictions on dining in restaurants. Who has the authority to determine which businesses and services are essential? Every business and service are essential to someone, whether it be for economic, financial, or other reasons. They all can be opened safely.
I do not support a local mask mandate for two reasons. First, a state mask mandate exists, and this would be redundant and a waste of resources for enforcement. Second, individuals need to be trusted to make decisions based on what is best for themselves, their families, their friends and others. People can make their own choices.

What are your thoughts on the state and local coronavirus vaccine distribution, and how do you think local governments should work together to handle vaccine rollout?

I’d work with our county health department and cooperate however possible to ensure that the vaccine rollout picks up pace. We all want this pandemic to end and know that working together we can make an impact.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

I’m not a career politician, rather I am a first-time candidate who will bring a fresh voice and ideas do our township. Paul O’Grady and his team have had a long run, but their time is up- it’s time we have a new perspective.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

It should come as no surprise that he and the township elected officials go to great lengths to hide their finances and conduct public business away from the public’s oversight. While our taxes have increased by nearly 5% each of the last 4 years, we have no idea how our tax dollars are being spent. This lack of transparency led to nearly $60,000 of taxpayer money being embezzled by one of the township’s employees from 2016-2018. In addition, the township spent their entire budget over the past year despite being almost entirely shut down during the pandemic. How is this possible?
The final straw came during the pandemic. In the midst of one of the most difficult periods of our lives, Orland Township was in a position to help our most vulnerable residents when they needed it most. But rather than working with health experts to find ways to safely restore operations, the incumbents kept the township closed, leaving our seniors, children, disabled, and poor residents without the help they needed. Meanwhile, they still collected their taxpayer-funded paychecks and pensions, of course.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

Along with our Orland Resident for Responsible government team, I will stop the political games and focus on serving the community. Our Orland Residents for Responsible Government team is made up of political outsiders who simply want to serve our community. We’re not politicians and have no desire to play political games. We’re not beholden to special interests, and we’re not looking to get rich off taxpayers or make this a career.
I will make the township transparent and accountable to taxpayers. We will publish the township’s finances transparently. We will restore fiscal responsibility by eliminating waste and making township government more efficient. We will refuse the lavish pensions that the incumbents have been providing themselves with our tax dollars and eliminate elected official pensions. And we will work to give working families in Orland Township a break by lowering property taxes.
I will get the township back to serving our most vulnerable residents. Serving our most vulnerable should not be political. While our citizens are suffering physically, socially, and mentally, we must be doing everything we can to support them. We will do the hard work the incumbents have been unwilling to do and find ways to restore services while following proper health and safety protocols.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

Term limits, restoring honesty and integrity in local government, live streaming of board meetings, conducting business transparently, and the end of patronage hiring.

Why should voters trust you?

Voters can trust me because I am just like them, I am not a politician. I’m just a neighbor who wants to best serve our community.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

Right now, we have no idea where money is being spent due to a massive issues with transparency within our township. We’ll fiscal responsibility by eliminating government waste and reducing costs. We will make township government more efficient. We will refuse the lavish pensions that the incumbent trustees have been providing themselves with our tax dollars and immediately move to eliminate pensions for township elected officials. We will collaborate with other levels of government instead of wasting time and taxpayer funds attacking them for political gain. We will stop wasting money on the incumbent trustee’s blatant self-promotion in newsletters, events, and taxpayer-funded giveaways. And we will work to give working families in Orland Township a break by lowering property taxes.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Be honest and be true yourself and your convictions. The hardest decisions to make are usually the right decisions.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I want to give back to my community without any expectation of reward. The residents of Orland Township deserve a choice between career politicians and candidates who truly will work for the residents. As the wife a retired United States Marine, I am committed to service to the people of the township, unselfishly serving to protect their interests. Government should be for the people, by the people, not for the career politicians.