Edward Pope: 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: Glendale heightsWebsite: http://Pope4mayor.orgOffice sought: Glendale Heights Village President (4-year Term)Age: 51Family: Married for 25 years to my wife Maureen. 2 children, son Dane . 21 daughter, Lauren. 19Occupation: Director of Marketing for Advantage MRI, LLC Owner of Party Man Productions LLCEducation: High School. Many marketing classes, no degreeCivic involvement: Bloomingdale township Republican Party Citizens police academy Glendale Heights CERT TeamElected offices held: Trustee District #1 village of Glendale Heights. 10 years Bloomingdales township committeemen President of G.Stanly Hall PTO for 2 yearsHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Reducing the enormous debt the village has accrued, and working to lower our property taxes that have grown to an unmanageable rate.Key Issue 2 Working with our Police Department to bring the highest standards of community policing to our citizens and schools.Key Issue 3 To work with local banks and state agency's to find programs to help our residents stop the foreclosures and get assistance to save their homes. Then work with local realtors and banks to find qualified people to fill the vacant homes we have from the foreclosure crises. I think we can hold seminars and financial workshops at the village that can be sponsored by the banks and realtors with no cost to the village or our residents.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I worked very hard for ten years as a village Trustee. I think that the current administration has gotten short sighted and stuck in their same old ways. It is time to bring in the next generation of leaders to bring new and fresh ideas to steer our village into the future. I think that I am the man for that job. I have a more youthful idea as to where the village should be headed.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.I think that we are taxed just right. We are a little higher than some of the other community's, but we don't have the same big box base to help us. I will be looking to bring more big box business to our community.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.I think the publics feels very safe in our town. We have a great police force. I think that we are short handed in our PD and need to fill some of the vacant positions so that we don't burn out our officers and we can cut down on the police overtime.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?We need to address the growing police overtime. It has become a huge portion of the police budget. I think w need to hire more officers. It will save us money and make our community safer. I also think we need to look at the value of the village golf course and the impact it has on the budget. Is it profitable? And if not what can we do to change that.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I will be looking for a joint partnership with our village schools and the Police department to make sure all our children are safe. I will work to have officer in or around the schools at peak hours to make sure that the children have safest environment possible with out any additional tax burden to our residents.