Thomas Shaughnessy: 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: AntiochWebsite: http://www.trusteetom.comOffice sought: Antioch Township Board (4-year Terms)Age: 62Family: Married, four children, six grandchildrenOccupation: Director National Accounts at Rose Packing Co.Education: BSBA in Management, Creighton Universtiy 1972Civic involvement: Active member of the Silent Majority Safety Committee Loyal Order of MooseElected offices held: Antioch Little League Viking Fotball Thursday Night Men's Golf League Friday Night Couple Golf League Tuesday Safety CommitteeHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Tax spending - tax payers have lost confidence in their elected officals being fiscally responsible. They want to know that their money is being managed effectively and responsiblyKey Issue 2 There are not any 'major' pending Township issues or at least no one has brought any to my attention as of yet. I have an active website -www.trusteetom.com - which invites people to let me know what's on their mind, their concerns and what they want addressed. The website provides an interactive comunication channel which I intend to use to be made aware of our citizens issues and address them directly.Key Issue 3 Awake the silent majority, of which I have been a member for far too long, by providing open and honest dialogue to our communty.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.Fiscal responsibilty with a balanced budget, judical spending review of all tax renvue. Elimination of any duplicity of services and programs by exercising common sense and mutual cooperation with the Lake County Board, the Village of Antioch and neighboring municipalities.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?Townships are currently an active part of our governemental structure, but in the future we may need to take advantage of Economy of Scale by merging tax basis to maintain effective and cost efficient services and programs to taxpayers. All municipalities 'Trustees' are required to keep cost down and services ramped up,everyone is aware services and programs cost money to provide, so taxes are inevitable. Our tax revenue is distributed into numerous 'pockets', so our National, State, County, Village and Township elected officals need to openly review the services and programs provided to avoid duplicity and effectively manage the tax revenue with which they have been entrusted.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?To watch over and manage the spending of our taxes to insure the programs and services are warranted and cost effectient.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?Off hand no, but an evaluation and review of the 'books' is an obivous first step. A balanced budget is manadatory, excessive, unwise or unnecssary programs and services will be eliminated.What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township?As a 40 year resident of Antioch,a businessman with global experience and a fiscally responsible tax payer my goal is to do the right thing for the right reason. My community involvement with Antioch Youth Baseball, Viking Football, Iceless Hockey, Friday Night Couple Golf League,Thursday Night Men's Golf League, a failed Park District Referrendum effort, raising four children with six grandchildren has provided me a good feel for the pulse and sediments of our community. When presented with a problem, my philosophy has always been 'What's Possible' rejecting, wasting time and effort on things that will not work.