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Kory Atkinson: Candidate Profile

Roselle Village Board (4-year Terms) (Independent)

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: RoselleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Roselle Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 35Family: Married to Sarah for 12 years. We have a rescue dog, Bullet.Occupation: Director of Operations for a public school district and attorney.Education: Northern Illinois University - Juris Doctor (2004) Knox College - Bachelor of Arts (2000)Civic involvement: Roselle Chamber of Commerce Industry Intellectual Diversity FoundationElected offices held: Roselle Village Trustee (2009-present) College of DuPage Trustee (2008-2009)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Fiscal Sustainability. In recent years, the Village of Roselle has been running deficit budgets. While this was initially understandable due to the recession, it is not (and should not become) an acceptable practice. My top priority as a trustee will be to successfully balance the budget without asking more from taxpayers.Key Issue 2 No More Taxes! I have consistently voted against new taxes on residents who are struggling to make ends meet. I will continue to vote against tax increases, including a new storm water tax (currently under consideration by the Village Board) which is essentially a new property tax. The Village needs to live within its means instead of asking for more money.Key Issue 3 Transparent Leadership. Transparent government is good government. I have supported placing more and more information online so that residents can easily access it. I will continue looking for opportunities to make public information more available.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?My legal training and experience enables me to quickly understand the issues before the Village Board and lead the way in developing solutions. I also possess firsthand insight into the nitty-gritty of budgeting and operations, as I currently develop and maintain a large budget in my role as director of operations for a public school district. In my four years as a trustee, I have gained in-depth knowledge of the issues facing the people of Roselle, and I am committed to serving the Village.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.The sales tax for restaurants is too high. Several years ago, the Village created a new "places for eating" tax, which doubled the tax paid by restaurants in the Village. I opposed this tax at the time because I believed it would make Roselle less appealing for restaurants. I think this tax continues to stunt economic growth in the Village. If elected, I will work to reverse this tax increase.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.The Roselle Police and Fire Departments respond to public safety concerns swiftly and effectively as issues arise. Keeping our families, homes, schools, and businesses safe is a top priority for me.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?The Village of Roselle's revenue sources cannot maintain the service levels provided by the Village. Roselle needs to do a thorough review of all the services it provides and identify non-essential services that can be reduced or eliminated (with public input) from the budget.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?A complete, top-to-bottom review of all services provided by the Village of Roselle to identify service areas that can be eliminated or reduced with the least impact to the community.