2019 Elections Guide: Michael R. Milani, Orland Park Trustee

ORLAND PARK, IL — Patch asked all candidates running for elected office in the April 2, 2019 municipal elections to participate in our voters guide. All submissions are voluntary. Those whose names are not listed chose not to respond or did not respond to requests for information. Responses are edited for style or space only.

Get to know your candidates:

Name: Michael R. Milani

Age: 46

Position sought: Orland Park Trustee

Party affiliation: People Over Politics

Family: Wife, Heather, and 2 children, Kevin and Tyler

Education: Received my Bachelor of Arts (1999) and my Master of Science in Management Information Systems (2001) from Governors State University.

Occupation: Business Development Executive at IBM - 6 years. 25 years in technology

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Offices: Vice Chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Board and Chairman of the Technology Commission

Campaign Website: www.People-OP.com

Names and offices of all family members who work in politics or government: NA

The most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and what I intend to do about it: The political games and obstruction.

I intend to simply put people over politics. I believe local public service should be above politics. I will work cooperatively with all parties to move Orland Park forward. I am not a career politician nor do I want to be. We need Trustees who are running for the right reasons and not political ambition. I will hold myself to serving for a maximum of 12 years, term limiting myself, and I will also refuse the lavish pension benefits that politicians typically provide themselves with the residents’ hard-earned tax dollars

What are the key differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I care about Orland Park, the people, and the future of our community. I’m not running for Trustee as a boost for future political office. I am running to move Orland Park forward and make Orland Park the community our citizens deserve and expect. I have also spent years giving back to the community by coaching local sports, conducting face to face visits with our local businesses, and being an active and supportive volunteer in Orland Park. I embody the bold, energetic, and vibrant leadership that our village needs to meet the challenges of today and the future.

Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office (or board):

Currently, I serve on the Economic Development Advisory Board and the Technology Commission, and have also worked on exciting projects within Orland Park including the Smart Cities Initiative and the village’s proposal to Amazon. I have seen first-hand how we can implement technology in order to increase efficiency to cut spending and lower taxes, and I have heard from our business community on how we can drive economic development to improve the lives of all our residents.

My goal is to make Orland Park an oasis of fiscal discipline, and that starts by cutting spending and lowering taxes. Our residents’ tax dollars should be going into their community and not the elected officials which is also why I will lead by example and refuse the lavish pension that is funded by tax dollars.

In what way have current officeholders of the position you're running for failed the community? How would you do better? One way the current officeholders, and my opponents, have failed the community is by voting and supporting to increase the Mayor’s salary. I believe the position of Mayor should be part-time so we can invest parts of that salary back into our community. I am not running because of political ambition, instead I am running to better Orland Park. I will do better because I will put people over politics, not the other way around.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: As I’ve mentioned before, I will work to end the political games and work together with my colleagues for our community, and I will work to cut spending and lower taxes. Another top issue I will focus on is driving economic development to create jobs and opportunities for all Orland Park residents.

As a business development executive, I understand how important economic development is to creating jobs and opportunities which is what our residents need. We have such a vibrant community and we must continue to grow our economy to benefit all our residents. To start, I will focus on developing the I-80 corridor and enhancing our downtown. Then, we can create good-paying jobs and drive revenue for the village in place of increased taxes and fees. Our retail, restaurant, and auto sectors are strong but there is even more beneficial development we can instill to improve our economic growth. I will also push to responsibly invest in our infrastructure to ensure our growth is sustainable and not increasing congestion for our residents.

If you win this position, how would you define your term in office as a success? Success of my term in office will be measured in how well we can apply technology within the Village of Orland Park. If we have been able to drive down costs, provide new services to residents, and continue to grow our technology footprint, I have done my job. The I-80 corridor should also start to develop in order to bring technology companies, as well as other industries, to Orland Park. This will also help stimulate our economy, bring jobs to our residents, and additional revenues to our retail and restaurant sectors.

Please share with voters a story about wisdom gained from a mistake you made in your life or career. There was a time in my technical sales career when I used to focus on selling solutions that I thought would be beneficial to my clients. I had a “bag” of selected software solutions that I was responsible for, so I would sell the technical value of those specific solutions to “meet their needs”. What I found over time was that this is the wrong approach. You need to first understand your clients, listen to their wants and needs, and deliver a holistic solution that may contain more than just your set of solutions. This was a much more beneficial approach for both myself and my clients. Delivering on the business outcomes and needs of the customer, as well as helping them transform their businesses, far outweighs a quota or a goal that your company maintains. I feel that I can deliver that same approach when I am in office. Focusing on the needs of the residents and businesses of Orland Park, instead of just what I think is important, will be beneficial for everyone involved.

Why should voters trust you? I understand that trust is earned. When I am in office, you can expect three things: That I will adhere to my word, that I will vote my conscience, and that I will do what is best for the people of Orland Park. I care deeply about making sure the residents of our Village feel as though their government is responsive and accessible to them. I believe that the decisions we make today will dramatically affect future generations, and that effect should be a positive one. And like most of us, I want Orland Park to be the place my children and grandchildren call home.

Which accomplishments do you cite as evidence you can handle this job? My time volunteering within the community, serving as the Vice Chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Board and Chairman of the Technology Commission, and my time in the business sector are all examples that I can bring new energy, experience, understanding of the community, and leadership into the role of Trustee.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I am running for Trustee because it’s time for new energy in Orland Park. This election is about choosing people who will make the decisions that enable Orland Park to meet the challenges of today and the future. I have been a resident of Orland Park since 2004 and am currently raising my children here with my wife. I want Orland Park to be where my children raise their family but there are a lot of changes that need to happen such as cutting spending, lowering taxes, and creating jobs and opportunities for our residents and neighbors.