Jack Wagner, District 5: 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: PalatineWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Palatine Village Council, District 5Age: 66Family: Married 43 years- 2 grown childrenOccupation: Director, Scientific Regulatory Services Micro-Scientific Industries Mfg. Antimicrobial Chemistries for the Healthcare IndustryEducation: Certificate Business Admin. UIC, MSc.Public Health,Civic involvement: Former member- Palatine Board of HealthMember Board of Liquor CommissionersPresiding Chair, Hearing Body- Palatine Liquor CommissionFormer Teams Sponsor - Palatine Little LeagueElected offices held: -Former Commissioner/ President- Salt Creek Park District (Twin Lakes Recreation Area)-8 years-Palatine Village Council (District 5) 1987-present Senior member of Council- having served as: Chair Health Safety Committee Chair- FinaHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Keeping a responsible approach to maintaining our village services while keeping taxes down where we can live within our means. We need to stay in touch with our State representatives and be sure they understand that they can't keep sending us unfunded mandates that we simply cannot afford.Key Issue 2 Addressing the issue of our declining safe water infrastructure. Our water pipes and delievery system, just as one as example, is getting older. We need to work to be sure to keep our system in place so as to continue to provide clean, safe, potable water. Can you imagine getting up in the morning and not being able to bathe, use the facilities, make coffee?Key Issue 3 Cook County taxes- to make certain that the 20 million dollars a year our residents send to the County benefits us and not just the City of Chicago and the South Suburbs. At this time I think we need to give the new County board a chance to do what they said they would. The new County Board President did come out this week and we need to give the benefit of the doubt, but we still need to stay tuned!Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Experience. I am known for getting things done and letting the residents know where I stand on an issue. I will never rubberstamp an issue. The residents have a right to know the whole issue and I make certain the issues are discussed in the publics eye and not behind closed doors. Also, I am the longest tentured member of the Council. We need new idea's but we also need maintain a sense of history as to why certain things were done the way they were. Right now this Council is made up of a new Mayor, 2 freshmen members, 2 junior members and 2 senior members. This is a perfect balance as everyone, including the new young people moving into Palatine, as well as the seniors that built this town are represented.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.Taxes are always too high. I pay taxes like everyone else. I think we (the current Council) takes a very responsible position to taxing. Look at the services we provide and compare us to the other taxing agencies. We are not professional politians, we are residents and I look at the taxing situation from that veiwpoint. Spend within our means and if necessary make cuts. Sometimes its tough but it has to be done for us to survive. I have a problem with spending for the sake of spending. I also have a problem with taxing for ""pet projects"" that don't benefit the Village.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, and discuss how you think it should be addressed.Right now I don't see any specific public safety issues. We have great police and fire/EMS ,public works services. There are some issues that are specific to certain areas that we are addressing.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?We have prioritized our spending. We have made some significant cuts where we felt we had to without jepordizing the public safety and welfare. There still are some areas where we need to fund flooding programs. Nobody wants to wake up to water in their house.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?We have started to share services with other agencies in the area. There is no need to cointinously duplicate services when we can share. A case in point is our sharing to fire/paramedic services and our police services with surrounding communities. This is a high priority over the next couple of years.