Don Bussey: 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: Arlington Hts.Website: http://www.donbussey.comOffice sought: Wheeling Township Assessor (4-year Term)Age: 50Family: Single, never married and no childrenOccupation: Property tax advocateEducation: I have an eclectic academic background of 176 hours of undergraduate credit including an AA and AS with Trustee's Honors and Phi Theta Kappa from Harper College and attendance at Northwestern University, Rutgers and Universite Francois Rabelais.Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Reduce property taxes by drawing down the excessive reserve funds of over $4 million.Key Issue 2 Ensure efficient delivery of services to Wheeling Township taxpayers and residents by reducing and eliminating unnecessary spending.Key Issue 3 Improving the transparency and openness of township government to make Wheeling Township more responsive and accountable to the taxpayers.Questions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.- I have significant experience helping residents lower their property tax bills through my small business. Priority #1 will be as a property tax advocate helping people find exemptions they may not know they're eligible for and helping them ensure they aIn the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?Wheeling Township should also be brought into the modern age to focus more completely on a role as taxpayer and resident advocate: working to bring economic development and jobs to the area, helping residents fight rising property taxes, and more as described in the above responses.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?Being taxpayer advocates and ensuring there is a solid social safety net in place at the local level.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?For the Assessor's office I will work in the office on a regular basis to be an active, engaged property taxpayer advocate. As a small business owner I have overseen staff and I know what to do to keep costs in line. The Assessor role does not jurisdiction over this but reducing the Wheeling Township reserve fund should help allow the Trustees to develop a common sense, reasonable plan to cut property taxes or at least freeze them. And, there should be a top to bottom review using Budgeting for Results model. Many of the current incumbents activities like new bushes and new windows seem like extravangances that could best be left for better economic times.What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township?I am a small businessperson and make my living as a residential property tax advocate. I address issues of property tax and their impact on the taxpayer everyday. My business is organized to make a real and significant difference in the financial lives of homeowners helping them maximize real property investment. I deliver a service that is responsive and accountable to the client. I believe that smart, effective government of the 21st century requires a similar model of successful businesses not only to validate its existence, but to justify its expense. I hold the designation CIAO or Certified Illinois Assessing Officer from the Illinois Property Assessment Institute with credentials certified by the Illinois Department of Revenue. In addition to my foundation in property tax theory, I have an extensive background in real estate theory, appraisal theory and home inspection. I have the conceptual framework for business decision making developed through my undergraduate business training in courses such as accounting, economics, probability, statistics, and others. When considered in context of my small business orientation, I believe I offer a unique perspective ideally suited to help homeowners respond to the property tax demands of our time. The office of the township assessor throughout suburban cook county has little authority and even fewer rules. Essentially township assessors have become ombudsman, but to dubious affect. In an era of rising property taxes and depressed housing values, more creative and substantial purpose is required. I want to position the office as a real and effective taxpayer advocate. It should be driven by responsive and accountable service that provides real access to the property tax process. I seek to promote a conversation of what factors drive taxes and what we can do as citizens to maintain the level of services we desire, but at a cost we can afford.