Patrick J. Ludvigsen: 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: Prospect HeightsWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Prospect Heights Alderman, Ward 4Age: 43Family: Married, 3 ChildrenOccupation: Construction Project ManagerEducation: Associates of Science General EducationBachelor of Science Engineering TechnologyMaster of Science Industrial ManagementCivic involvement: Prospect Heights Lions ClubElected offices held: Prospect Heights Park District, 1997-2003Alderman Ward 4 City of Prospect Heights, 2003-2007Mayor City of Prospect Heights, 2007-2009Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Police DepartmentOver the past 18 months we have seen our police department reduced form 24 officers down to 15. This is the lowest level of police protection since prior to the formation of our own department nearly 20 years ago. With this few a number of officers we are being forced to be reactive vs. proactive in protecting our residents and their property. While I fully understand that because of our reduction in revenue that we need to make cuts, but I feel that the current administration has not done a very good job of prioritizing the necessary cuts.Key Issue 2 Road RepairsOur poor road conditions and drainage issues are usually the first topic of conversation when talking with residents of Prospect Heights. These two issues go hand-in-hand since poor drainage is one of the main causes of damage to our streets. The recent passage of the road bond referendum will help repair or replace many of our streets, but not all of them. The 4th ward is the oldest part of Prospect Heights and has some of the most deteriorated streets in the City. Our next alderman needs to be able to insure that we are not overlooked when it comes to the prioitization of road repairs.Key Issue 3 Revenue SourcesProspect Heights needs a larger and more stable revenue stream if we are to get through this latest crisis. We must fill our vacant stores and retail properties with sales tax generating businesses. The only way to do this is to provide incentives for new retail business to locate in our City. We must go after these new businesses vs. waiting for them to come us. Prospect Heights is surrounded by towns that are very proactive about bringing in new businesses and we must be better able to compete with them.Questions Answers Where do you stand on Prospect Heights water ? Should all the city be on lake water; if so, how quickly and by what process? If not, explain your reasoning.As it stands right now, the City water system is only expandable by citizen initiated special service areas or SSA. This has already sucessfully occured in the Lake Claire neighborhood a few years ago. Since that time, I do not believe that any other group has formally submitted a request to the City. These requests require over a 50% majority approval by the residents that would be served by the SSA. The City will never be able to afford to expand the water system on its own. Without federal or state funding, which in these difficult times is highly unlikely, SSAs will be the only way the system could be expanded.Should Prospect Heights actively try to raise more revenue to run the city, and if so, how? Could the current budget be cut? Where?Yes we must. Prospect Heights needs to do a better job of creating an environment where businesses want to locate. Recently we lost two large businesses that wanted to open at locations in out City. This loss was due to delayed actions by our current administration and the last minute changing of requirements being placed upon them. Our City has potentially lost over $200,000 per year in sales tax revenue. We must be proactive in promoting retail businesses to locate in Prospect Heights. I would propose that we setup a system that would streamline a process for busineeses who are looking to locate in this area. The City needs to fill the existing empty stores with sales tax generating busineeses.Are you satisfied with the level of staffing in the police department? If not, describe what level of staffing the city should work toward.No I am not satisfied with the current staffing levels.Since the layoffs that occured last November, we are spending too much money on overtime. Since December, our City is spending the equivalance of two full time officers on overtime. If just 2 of the officers that were laid off we rehired, the department could increase the amount of patrol hours in our City and pay for it with what is currently being used to pay overtime.I feel that our department serves us best at the level it was at in 2009 which was 25 officers.The political culture in Prospect Hts. is poisonous. How do you, as an elected official, balance the needs and desires of people whose point of view is opposite your own? Or is that impossible?Finding common ground is the only way to balance differing points of view. Although I might disagree with someone on one issue I would bet we agree on dozens of others. It is important for both sides of any single issue to identify areas where we agree. This is what allows people to move forward with finding solutions to problems that are agreeable to both sides.What should the city do for economic development? Should it focus on commercial or industrial? What is the best use of the land formerly meant to hold the arena?Since the City of Prospect Heights does not have a specific property tax for our general fund only retail type businesses help our bottom line. Industrial does not help our financial situation. The best use of the remaining arena site land from the standpoint of revenue for the City would be a car dealership or specialty retail store.