Riverside Community Alliance

In response to Riverside Party/Caucus candidate Kevin Smith’s press release concerning “disclosure,”"honest people” and “the public interest,” Mike Gorman, Riverside Community Alliance Village President candidate, said:

“This is candidate Smith’s third village election, and to the best of my knowledge this is the first time he has been forced to address transparency in Riverside government. It makes me wonder why he didn’t feel the same way about transparency for the past eight years as a Village Trustee. In this, my first election, I am happy to provide voters with information about my background.”

“If Trustee Smith really wanted this kind of information from me, all he had to do is ask. But he did not. He did not contact me in any way about this issue. Instead, he went to the media in an attempt to get some attention for him and his slate,” said Gorman.”It’s ironic that he calls for transparency, because in 2007 he voted with the rest of the Caucus-selected, Caucus-endorsed Village Board to restrict the number of residents who could comment at Board meetings and to limit the amount of time residents had to make their comments.*”

“This is a typical Caucus political tactic: don’t focus on the real issues, like the fact that every year that Trustee Smith has been on the Board, the village has spent more than it has taken in**, or that the Riverside Party/Caucus ticket is talking about’home rule,***’ which would allow the Board to raise property taxes without any sort of resident vote,” said Gorman.”I guess if that was my record, I would want to change the subject, too.”

“Here are the facts about my background: I am an attorney with an active license from the Supreme Court of Illinois (ARDC) and have held such license since 1979,”said Gorman. “I have worked in the private sector since earning my law degree from Northwestern University School of Law. I have spent the majority of my career as in-house corporate counsel. I am a certified public accountant and actively practiced as a licensed CPA from 1973 through 1976. I always take pride in the fact that I was awarded the Elijah Watts Sells Award on the 1973 CPA exam. This Award is presented to CPA candidates who receive the highest scores in the United States. For the May 1973 exam, of 29,668 candidates, 49 Sells Awards were presented.”

“I am a member in good standing with the American Bar Association, the Illinois State Bar Association and the Chicago Bar Association. I am currently retired and I do not have, nor have I ever had, any professional or personal relationships that would impact my ability to serve as an effective, fair and open member of the Village Board. But Mr. Smith knows all of this. I have filed the required Statement of Economic Interests with the Cook County Clerk and the Riverside Village Clerk. And my resume has been publicly available since it was filed with the Village in January, 2007 when I was appointed to the village’s Long-Term Finance Committee.”

“Because I am retired, I will have the time to focus on the real issues facing Riverside: creating a sustainable budget that provides the services that residents want in a fiscally responsible way; bringing businesses to our downtown; and creating a more transparent village government that is responsive to resident needs,” said Gorman. “And I know that the rest of the Riverside Community Alliance slate is committed to making these things a reality for Riverside as well.”

* Village of Riverside Board Minutes, April 3, 2007, Item VIII, Ordinance Amending Section 1-6-4 and 1-6-6 Of The Village Code Regarding Order Of Business At Village Board Meetings And Guidelines For Public Comment and Item IX, Resolution Adopting Guidelines for Village Board Meeting Participation

** Village of Riverside Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2007, p.92

*** Riverside Party Stresses Need for Revenue, Business, Riverside/Brookfield Landmark, January 20, 2009