John S. Peters: 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: AuroraWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Aurora City councilAge: 65Family: Married (44 yrs)Four ChildrenNine grandchildrenOccupation: 5th Ward AldermanRetired School TeacherEducation: B.A. Government Aurora UniversityCivic involvement: Active or was active in the following: Aurora Boys Baseball'Aurora Youth Soccer and basketball,Boy Scouts,Lions Club, Knights of Columbus. Past President of the West Aurora Alumni Association. Member of the Aurora Economic Development Committee.Elected offices held: Aurora Township Clerk (1977-2003)City of Aurora 5th Ward Alderman (2003-2011)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Maintain a tight fiscal policy and improve property values with sound and competitive infrastructure projects. This includes roads, sidewalks, parks, and parkways. Use economic development projects to attract business and industry which in turn provide local jobs and help decrease property taxes.Key Issue 2 Public safety. Continue with strong COP units throughout the Ward. COP officers interact with the public on a day to day basis and negotiate many neighbor to neighbor issues. We must also provide Public safety departments with the best education and equipment avaialble.Key Issue 3 Transparency in government. Continue to be available to constituents and responsive to local needs and issues. Seek collaboration with other units of government to adopt best business practices on behalf of the taxpayer.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?As a lifelong resident of Aurora with years of local government and community experience I know and understand the people of the 5th Ward. Alderman is my only job, and I am easily available at all times.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.The City of Aurora remains competitive with neighboring towns; I would not support any additional sales tax. We must continue to search for additional revenue streams that do not increase property or sales taxes. We need to look for cost containment solutions that promote governmment efficency.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.Crime in Aurora is at historic lows, we can not become complacent, we must continue to support police and fire with the best equpment and training available. The fifth ward has excellent police and fire response, this provides security and protection which protects property values.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?Prioritize budgets toward essential services: 1. police and fire protection. 2. Infrastructure - safe water, good roads and sidewalks. 3. Economic development - provide a business climate that will attract new investment and expand the tax base.What#146;s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Following the 2010 census theCity of Aurora must redraw ward boundries prior to the 2013 municipal election. Currently there are ten wards with populations of approxmately 17,000. There are ten ward aldermen and two aldermen at large. I propose elimination of the alderman at large position and create two new (12) wards. Each ward alderman would serve about 14,000 residents. This would create a more effective council with a better alderman to constituent ratio at no additional cost to the taxpayer.