Will Passalaqua: 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: North AuroraWebsite: http://www.will4kane.comOffice sought: Kane County Board District 2Age: 44Family: My wife Suzanne and I have been married for 9 years. Kane County has been our home for that period of time. We have a beautiful and intelligent 8 year old daughter.Occupation: Served Honorably for 7 years in the Air Force as a Staff Sergeant. Worked the past 12 years as a Senior Field Engineer in the Newspaper and Commercial Printing Markets.Education: AS Degree in Electronics Community College of the Air force BS Degree in Education, Training, Development Specializing in Workforce Training Development Southern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Volunteer and Member at the Aurora Sportsmen's club.Elected offices held: Batavia 12 Precinct Republican CommitteemanHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Fiscal Responsibility:With the current population exceeding projections as outlined in the 2030 Land Resource Management Plan, the County should concentrate on infrastructure (roads, bridges, utilities) to meet the demand.Managing new growth, business development, cutting waste, and make sure the county lives within itsmeans.Kane County must be business friendly and appealing to current and perspective business owners.We must offer enticements in many forms.We're competing with neighboring counties.The best way is to streamline and simplify regulatory and permit processes, or allow tax targeted incentives as long as the business gives back to the county either through hiring or investing in the local community.Key Issue 2 Government Efficiency:My job as board member is to work with all county departments to make sure they have the resources and tools to self-identify areas of improvement.Always search for better ways to optimize resources by verifying best practices through benchmarking methods.Identify outdated or inaccurate procedures and correct as needed.Strive for continuous improvement process in all aspects of county government.Key Issue 3 Personal Property Rights:Government should have less power to take Personal Property.I am a staunch advocate of the US Bill of Rights.All people should be safe from big government taking control of their daily lives.Personal property should not be forcibly taken and then sold to private companies or individuals.I will do everything within my power to make sure this does not happen.Questions Answers Do you support a more stringent ethics ordinance for Kane County governing the conduct of elected officials and county employees' Why or why not? If so, what should the ordinance contain?As elected officials, we need to hold ourselves to a higher standard and set an example for others to follow.The State has ethics legislation as well as the County.It is more of a matter of continually enforcing the law than enacting more.The laws need to be enforced consistently across the board.I would like to see more teeth put into the law.This would lead to less subjectivity and more objectivity and fairness.The county's portion of gambling proceeds has been decreasing every year for several years. What is your plan to prioritize use of that money? What might be done to wean the agencies and programs that receive this money off of it?One message of my campaign is Government Efficiency.My job as board member is to work with all county departments to make sure they have the resources and tools to self-identify areas of improvement.Always search for better ways to optimize resources by verifying best practices through benchmarking methods.Identify outdated or inaccurate procedures and correct as needed.Strive for continuous improvement process in all aspects of county government.The next step is to cut down on unnecessary spending.Do you believe the Kane County court system needs a computer system upgrade that might cost as much as $12.6 million? If so, do you support using RTA sales tax money to fund the cost, or do you have a different plan? If not, what is your alternative plan?As a board member, my job would be to listen to department heads and base my judgments upon their input and monies available.Eventually the computer system will need upgrading.The money needs to be set aside first and make sure other areas of critical public services do not get lowered.Do you believe county board members and the chairman should receive health insurance and pension benefits' If you are running for one of those positions, do you plan on accepting those benefits' Why or why not?I will not accept pension benefits.As long as I have other means, I will not accept health insurance coverage either.Pension benefits should not be offered to Board members.Health Insurance should be an option; however I will let each board member decide for themselves on whether to accept or not.How do you resolve the ongoing debate over the county board setting budgets for departments run by other elected officials whom the county board has no control over? How should the county board enforce the budgets it sets'My job as board member is to work with all county departments to make sure they have the resources and tools to self-identify areas of improvement.Always search for better ways to optimize resources by verifying best practices through benchmarking methods.Identify outdated or inaccurate procedures and correct as needed.Strive for continuous improvement process in all aspects of county government.