Sam J. Lewitan: 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: Wood DaleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Wood Dale Alderman, Ward 4Age: 66Family: Wife 2 preschool children and mother in lawOccupation: Insurance Agency OwnerEducation: BA in Poliltial Science from Northern Illinois University in 1967Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Alderman 4th WardHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Using the $20,000,000 in grants to contruct a Wood Dale Road to Irving Park Road with a bypass under the train tracks at Edgewood RoadKey Issue 2 Downtown redevelopmentKey Issue 3 Meeting Federal Guidlines for water filtration without burdening the City with an increase in taxes to do the project.Questions Answers After an elected official borrowed city money to pay for health insurance, explain why you believe the measures put in place to prevent this in the future are either sufficient or insufficient?No one borrowed money. There is a difference between borrowing money and being delinquint in paying a bill. To have brought this up after the account was alread zero was a mean spirited act by an alderman who wanted in embarrass a sitting mayor he was planning on running against. There was in place a procedure which the city manager did not inforce. It was a lot of hubris by a ""planning to be candidate"" to plan dirty politics. When I refused to go along with the centure motion I was personally threatened by Eugene Wesley whose foul mouth filled my cell phone's airway.Last year, Wood Dale was one of the few municipalities in DuPage County that did not suffer layoffs or cutbacks as a result of the recession. How do you think Wood Dale can sustain this balance during continued economic struggles?The budget is balanced. In 2008 I led the fight to not go out and issue TIF bonds. Eventually I won and Georgetown TIF was defeated. I have consistantly appossed needless spending.When the new $1.27 Metra station came to Wood Dale last year, the hope was that it would spark residential and commercial growth in downtown. Is that happening? If not, what will it take to make that happen?It was not intended to spark growth. It was and is intended as back drop to development which will come when the next uptick in the economy comes, as it will. When it comes the more astistic the back drop the better the growth will be. I have pushed for the purchase and buy out of all the property in the down town area. pushing condemnation. When the time comes the excelleration will be faster because of what was done, including the trainstation.Do you think plans for a ""corporate Main Street"" in the Thorndale Corridor are the best way to capitalize on the Elgin-O'Hare Expansion? Why?If you don't plan for an off ramp to take cars into Wood Dale Road, the city would be locked out of any advantage the corridor offers. The future may not develope as planned for, but planning illustrates opportunities and stratagies. Stratagies learned may lead to advantages and outcomes salutarious to the city, but not just as first planned.What do you think is the best way to deal with existing businesses and homes who are in the Thorndale Corridor but don't fit into the Corporate Main Street plan?There are no homes along Thorndale. Wood Dale has already taken care to protect TopGolf and there is little else along the route that is in Wood Dale.