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James McCurdy: Candidate Profile

Winfield Village Board (4-year Terms)

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: WinfieldWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Winfield Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 69Family: Married, Wife Sharon, 3-Daughters, 1 GrandsonOccupation: James McCurdy Associates Inc. 20+ years. Jimmy Mac Fun Tours dba, Tourism Specialist, Meeting Planner Sales Marketing.Education: Attended: Wilmington Jr College, Wilmington, NC, The Citadel, Charleston, SC. The College of DuPage.Civic involvement: American Bus Association, Member of C.E.R.T.'s Team/Community Emergency Response Team, SKAL - Association of Travel Tourism Professionals. Viet Nam Veteran.Elected offices held: Chairman of State Tourism Organization TEAM ILLINOIS.ABA past board member, Chicago Association of Meeting Planners International, Past Board Member United States Sports Congress.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NOCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Keeping Our Police Force and maintaining the same level of protection for our citizens. Maintaining the same number of officers that we currently have that will also insure their safety on the job.Key Issue 2 Provide honest and open government for all our citizens to be able to participate in the outcome of our future. Thus developing a shared vision for Winfield.Key Issue 3 Bringing Civility back to our board in a way that will allow us to move forward in the best interest of our community.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I give you my word that I will do all possible to restore civility back to our board. This needs to be accomplished first so that we can move forward. I will follow your direction in maintaining our safety by making sure our current manpower levels with our police department are maintained, no haphazard zoning restrictions and making our streets a priority. With my marketing background I have some ideas that will bring more visitors to our city.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.We need to be in step with the surrounding communities in order not to loose business to them. To bring in new business I believe we need to possibly have tax incentives in place.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.People are still talking about the issue of elimination of our police force and are very emotionally adamant about it. Now that the issue has been voted on (87% to retain the police)most are unaware of the current boards proposals to reduce the force to what may be an unsafe level of officers.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?All issues stated here need further review.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Pushing forward with the River-walk to create more opportunities for visitors to come to Winfield and see what we have to offer. There are many sites that can create reasons to come to our town and will generate more revenue for our other needs, like roads.