Vanessa A. Bell-LaSota: Candidate Profile

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: St CharlesWebsite: On Facebook: Elect Vanessa Bell-LaSota-3rd Ward; http://www.facebook.com/vblasota#!/group.php?gid=155531307793294Office sought: St. Charles AldermanAge: 55Family: Married to husband, Leon, daughter, LeighOccupation: Graphic Designer,owner,Bell Graphics,1982-95;Mary Kay Independent Sales Director,Team Leader,1985-present,providing job opportunities for men and women to start home-based businesses,print,field,online training; Artist,K-12,adult Art teacher 1975-presentEducation: Bachelor of Science, Art Education, Northern Illinois University 1979; American Academy of Art,ChicagoCivic involvement: Founded Kaneland Middle School ""I Love KMS"" Art Fair 1982; developed special needs art class, Hoffman Estates High School 1984; designed banners for commercial corridor residential marketing campaign, Wrightwood Community Development Corp, Chicago 1986; conduct free programs for nursing homes, retirement communities, Northlake Hospital, Delnor Hospital 1985-present; Illinois Youth Art Month State Coordinator, PSA ""Put Your Heart In Art"" TV commercial campaign 1984 ; designer, St Charles Sesquicentennial publication 1984 ; PTA/PTO officer volunteer Richmond Elementary,Thompson Middle School 1995-2002; Girl Scout Leader 1995-2002; St Charles East High School PTO Post Prom Decorations Chairperson, 2008,2009; ""Feed My Starving Children"" volunteer 2009; Illinois Arts Alliance workshop leader 2009; St Charles East P-ARTS Variety Show Chairperson 2007-present; Student ""Living"" Mosaic Project 2009,2010; planned WNBA Chgo. Sky ""Play It Pink"" Breast Cancer Fundraiser 2006; Kane County Cougars ""Play It Pink"" Breast Cancer Fundraiser 2008, 2009; co-founder, secretary Near West Neighborhood Association 2009-11; coordinator, Neighborhood Watch 3rd 5th wards 2010-11; New Covenant Bible Church Wedding, Decorations Coordinator and volunteer 2000-present; Downtown St Charles Partnership River Corridor Foundation auction 2008, Bob Leonard Walkathon volunteer 2008; Electric Light Parade volunteer 2008,2009; Pride of the Fox River Fest, provided volunteers for children's' activities and Dragon Boat Races, 2005-present; STC Fine Art Show Purchase Award Program committee member 2007-present; STC Arts Council volunteerElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 The city's financial health has to be ""job one""-without that, we cannot provide the city services and staff needed to accomplish our greatest goals ensure the safety and security of our residents, school and business community.Key Issue 2 Addressing the quality of life in the 3rd ward, maintaining property values, is essential to ensuring the vibrancy of our community because when quality of life in one ward is improved, and preserved, the entire city benefits.Key Issue 3 Schools-understanding that the quality of education drives the quality of our community-you build neighborhoods, you see the strength of the city, in its schools.Questions Answers Explain whether you or do you not support the construction of the Red Gate Bridge project and the funding mechanism the city has established for its construction?I understand the city's desire to finish what was started over 40 years ago, but much has changed over those years. Red Gate benefits have changed from earlier promises of diverting truck traffic and offering emergency vehicles another route through the city, to a ""10% traffic reduction"" on Main Street. Stearns Road Bridge is finished and traffic impact studies are yet to be made. Stearns is already saving us time. I respect the city's foresight, to save over the years by establishing a ""bridge reserve fund"", (although communication has been lacking in that many residents know nothing of the 7% drawn from their property taxes). There's not enough community benefit, for me to commit our residents to a project that commits to no firm cost, without full funding, over the next few decades.How should the old St. Charles Mall property be redeveloped, if at all?It must be developed-our city, schools, services dearly need the revenue. By addressing realistic, current local investment and development trends, we can attract and approach viable commercial prospects for that property and at the same time, respect the quality of life in the surrounding neighborhood.Do you support the current vision new ownership has for Charlestowne Mall? What should the city do to help the vitality of the mall and the attractiveness of the Oliver-Hoffman property?Any effort that revitalizes that property brings in strong new revenue with responsible development, keeping an eye to the needs and expectations of its adjacent residential neighborhood, has my support.If the goal is to re-establish Charleston Mall as a strong regional shopping center, there are promising possibilities that could thrive within that smaller mall's land parcel. This infill project can benefit from the mistakes and missteps of the old Mall proposal, by launching an honest, proactive ""meeting of the minds"" between city government, Oliver-Hoffman, Charleston Mall's current tenants, and the surrounding community.The city is projected to finish the fiscal year with a small budget deficit. What, specifically, must the city do in the next fiscal year to avoid a deficit? Would you support the creation of new taxes to shore up the budget?We need to listen to leadership within the city departments, cut expenses first, and make every effort to find new funding or consider creative new solutions to maintain, and even improve, current levels of service. New taxes are a last resort-we have recently taken a tax hit from state government-we cannot expect our residents and businesses to take another hit from their city.Explain your reasons for whether you do or do not support the creation of a stormwater management fee or tax in St. Charles to create funds to address flooding problems?Funding from another tax or fee is a measure of last resort. I do favor infrastructure improvements over newer projects- we do need to ensure that our metropolitan systems are adequate, and able to support future growth. But imposing a tax or fee at this time, will add one more burden to our residents, schools, churches and businesses who already struggle to stay afloat, and reside in St Charles.