Bill Sarto: 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: CarpentersvillleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Kane County Board ChairmanAge: 63Family: Single with no children.Occupation: RetiredEducation: Studied Marketing and Business Admin. at Rockford College. Earned 168 credits. No degree.Civic involvement: Currently not a member of any civic organization.Elected offices held: Village President (Mayor) of Carpentersville, IL 2005 - 2009Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 2. A top priority would be to establish an Economic Development Plan and Department. This would include an overview of each area of the county and would identify each area's strengths and weaknesses, then develop a strategic plan to coordinate with the cities and towns to bring in new business. This plan would also involve strengthening our workforce in the county utilizing the existing educational resources available with our Community Colleges in a Public/Private Partnership with existing businesses and the schools. The county must have a pro-active approach to expanding our business base this will provide jobs, recovery and real financial health for the county.We must be smart about growth while being competitive in attracting new business and expanding existing businesses.We must reduce our current tax levy. Our taxes are too high in Kane County. We also must look at the impact fees now being charged for new development. In some cases these fees are a deterrent to new construction and new businesses locating here.We have excellent economic corridors along I-90 and I-88? We must fully utilize these corridors. We also need more affordable river crossings to move traffic more efficiently. We need to build more local bridges especially at the North end of the county. This too will enhance economic development.Key Issue 2 We must continue to protect our fresh water resources. This is a vital part of our future expansion.Key Issue 3 While we are attracting new business we must also have a watchful eye on preserving our farm land and open space... Kane county is a beautiful place to live and we must maintain our natural beauty while growing our economic engine.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?We need to end the cozy relationship between county government and the contractors who do business with the county. That must end. We need a policy that will end "pay to play" in Kane county. I support open bidding of all contracted work done in the county. If corruption occurs in any elected or appointed office there needs to be in place a responsible and lawful way to deal with it.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?No pun intended but gaming revenue is always dicey... We should never depend on that revenue to maintain or support needed services. In short we shouldn't gamble with the future of any program by tying it to gambling proceeds.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?With the back and forth between the Circuit Court Clerk and other elected Kane County officials it's difficult to tell what is truly going on there... I would have to take a very hard look at that one after taking office to determine the true facts of this dispute. Frankly, I don't trust what I've heard to be reliable information on this important matter.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 do not believe that part-time employees should be getting benefits paid for by the taxpayers. I will NOT take the pension or health benefits when elected County Board Chairman. I am currently retired and have health insurance right now that would continue to cover me after I'm elected. This is one major reason I decided to run for this position, I can do it and do it well without adding more burden to the taxpayers.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'Since the County Board is the legislative body controlling the finances of the county it is up to the board to set the budgets for the other elected officials... Just as we see in state government where the Illinois Legislature sets the budget for the other elected officials... The same must hold true for County Government as well. This should not be a matter of dispute... But at the same time politics should never be allowed to enter into the budget process... and if or when it does the elected official has every right to cry foul and place his/her argument in the court of public opinion... This is also where a fair an unbiased media could be very helpful. The media has a lot of power of persuasion when it comes to this type of matter.