Judd Lofchie: 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: ElectJudd.com.Office sought: Aurora City councilAge: 52Family: son, Bryce, Mother and Sister Occupation: Lawyer, Commercial real estate broker and developerEducation: B.A., JD, LLM (master of laws degree #8211;advanced law degree in International Business) Civic involvement: Past President and current member of the Aurora Rotary, Aurora Downtown, Historic Preservation Loan Committee, Founder and director of StreetWise in Chicago, Past General counsel, director, and current member of the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Member, Aurora First, Blue-Ribbon Panel assisting Building Department, Aurora Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Member, Co-Founder, Aurora Business UnitedElected offices held: noneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Jobs and Economic Development Key Issue 2 Public SafetyKey Issue 3 EducationQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I am the most engaged candidate with the community and have attended over twenty neighborhood meetings to determine the issues and best represent the residents. We need to bring more jobs and development to Aurora and I have done that by seeking out new businesses like JJ's Prime Time Pub, Verizon, Pockets, and Double Yolk Pancake house for the Kirk Butterfield area. And I brought Aurora Montessori School, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Curves for Women and many others to Eola and North Aurora. And I created almost 9000 jobs by starting StreetWise. Also, I have always has a passion for real problem solving, as evidenced by my founding of StreetWise Magazine to give homeless people an income stream. I have always enjoyed working with groups at the grassroots level. Now, I want to combine those skills with my business experience and the organizational background I bring from leading groups like Aurora Rotary and Aurora Downtown, to help Get Aurora Working Again.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.Its higher than others but I don't think we can afford to lower it. I wish it was lower.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? There is a rash of burglaries in all communities including Aurora these days. Thieves are breaking into foreclosed and abandoned properties and stealing and selling the copper pipes. Aurora has taken 6 police officers and made a special task force to combat and investigate these burglaries which has led to arrests. 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? My committee is helping me go through the 852 page budget so I will get more specific upon completion but conceptually I think we need to allocate or spend money we have in the coffers (like over 1 million in the downtown TIF 1) to create incentives for businesses to come to Aurora. This will create much-needed jobs as well as revenues for the city.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet? Streamlining the development process including fast tracking permitting. And no one else is talking about removing the parking meters from downtown as well as getting rid of the one way streets which will be critical to revitalizing the downtown. Police dogs---most cities around us and counties have them and they are very effective in sniffing drugs and bombs and diffuse domestic disputes. Aurora has to borrow these when needed.