John Sweet: 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: South ElginWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: South Elgin Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 54Family: Married to Carol Szoke Sweet, 3 children, 3 grand childrenOccupation: Illinois Licensed Professional Land SurveyorEducation: Associate in Technology, Morrison Institute of Technology, 1978Civic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: South Elgin Village Trustee, 1997-2013Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 With the decreasing revenue streams from the State's diversions of municipal funds, it is the Village board and Staff's job to continue to seek the revenue sources to provide the residents with the greater demand of services that are required in these times of economic hardship.Key Issue 2 The Village is just a little over 3,000 residents away from becoming a Home rule community. The Village Board needs to focus on future developments and be ready to jump into the next wave of growth when the housing market is ignited once again.Key Issue 3 Continue to promote new developments in the two TIF district we have in the Village. TIF 1 is getting older in years and it is important to get it going ASAP. TIF 2 is being sparked by the addition of the Bowes Road extension and this area will need a lot of attention.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?My 16 years of experience is part of the glue that has kept this Award winning Village in operation and succeeding during this era of hard economic times.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.South Elgin has the luxury of having the Randall Road corridor. I think the sales tax level is just right now, and is projected to be 8% higher then last year.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 lack of side walks in the older sections of the Village are always the biggest safety concerns for me and the residents I listen to. That is why I have been a big voice in spending any savings or contingency funds from the Annual Street Maintenance Program towards new sidewalk construction.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 current budget is already trimmed. The budget limits capital spending to critical improvements only. It does not fund a salary increase for top-of-the scale non-union employees or management personnel. It is these areas that have suffered the most in the last few years and they are critical to keeping the Village up to date and running smooth.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I have said along time that we need a New more centralized Public Works facility. The problem is the cost to build and the land required to build it makes it a big wish item.