Tony Reyes: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: WinfieldWebsite: www.morebusinesslesstax,comOffice sought: Winfield Village Board Age: 61Family: Wife Kathy; Children Tony and MelindaOccupation: President/CEO CartonCraft, Inc., 2900 DuKane Drive St. Charles, IL 60174Education: BS in Business Science from Elmhurst College, and an AA in Criminal Justice from College of DuPage. Have completed dozens of management level classes offered over my 27 years working for Fortune 100 corporations. Those classes and the 27 years of managing people,large organizations, budgets, union contracts, problem resolution, strategies and tactics to win have prepared me to be of value as a Winfield Trustee.Civic involvement: My involvement in Winfield started at the age of 12 when I was a Boy Scout in Winfield. We met a couple times per month. As an adult I have worn many hats in while serving families in the community. You have seen me in many events and places doing good deeds for Winfield. Here are a few. Grand Knight, Knights of Columbus 8002 Member, Winfield Lions Club Past President Winfield Jaycees Winfield Ronald McDonald House Winfield in Action Coach DuPage County Out Reach St Johns the Baptist Catholic Church Chairman Good Old Days FestivalElected offices held: Village of Winfield Trustee President D34 k-8 Public Schools President D94 9-12 Public Schools Chairman DuPage Sheriffs Merit Commission Commissioner DuPage Airport Authority President Winfield Jaycees Grand Knight, Knights of ColumbusQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Fifty years as a resident. Four years of experience solving difficult problems for Winfield as a trustee. 20 years of service with Winfield public and private schools. 25 years working with the DuPage County State's Attorney's office and Chairmen of the DuPage County Board. 12 years serving as Chairman of the DuPage County Sheriff's Merit Commission. 35 years in business management positions. 12 years as president of my own growing corporation. 30 years of generously giving back to Winfield through time and treasure. All the years I have participated through service in solving problems for my community have prepared me to represent my constituents for 4 more years as a Village Trustee. It takes time, commitment and significant experience to do the job effectively. We have been waiting for years for an opportunity to create new revenues through commercialization of Roosevelt Rd, Town Center and St Charles Rd. Every time we begin to make progress our opposition blocks and at times has successfully reversed our progress. The time is now in this election to re-elect me and two other pro-development candidates that can get the job done. Winfield needs new revenues not more taxes and higher fees. I have not voted for a new property increase nor have I ever voted to raise your water and sewer fees. I will do all I can to make sure we can some day reverse those fees to be more in line with other communities.What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.The Village of Winfield's local sales and property taxes are at a proper level. However the entire property bill for Winfield residents is near the highest in DuPage county. When you combine the property tax collected for Public Schools, Park District, Fire Protection and Library Winfield's property tax bill is not low at all. The only way to slow the rate at which we are being taxed to provide services in Winfield is to generate sales tax revenue through commercialization of Roosevelt Rd, Town Center and the St Charles Rr corridor. Decades ago Winfield Trustee missed the opportunity to commercialize and develop the corners of County Farm and Roosevelt Rd. Consequently that corner was annexed and developed by the City of Wheaton and Winfield lost millions annually in sales tax revenue to Wheaton. We cannot afford to make those types of mistakes again. Our taxes could be lower had previous boards and elected trustees had the foresight to annex property at County Farm and Roosevelt. Had that been the case our Police Pension Fund would be at a healthy level instead of a dangerously low percentage. We would have also had good roads and well maintained infrastructure. With your vote we can get our village on track for new revenues through more business. That means less tax increases and reasonable water and sewer rates for Winfield. You need experience trustees to make that happen. Some one that will fight for you when if comes time to vote.Rate the efficiency of your town's police and fire coverage. Are the departments well prepared for the next decade? What, if anything, should be changed? Do you have specific public safety concerns?The Village of Winfield is a very safe community on all fronts. With respect to police we have a small but effective force however the current administration continues to reduce the police force annually due to budget constraints. The Winfield Fire Protection unit is a separate taxing body thus does not report to the Village of Winfield. With new revenues from more business our police department could spend more on sworn officers, equipment and training. The trend the current administration has the village on is austerity, cutbacks, down size and overtime to fill the gaps. Winfield is an affluent community and we deserve the best police protection in DuPage county. That can only be accomplished through the revenues that come from more business. Police officers deserve to feel pride in the community they serve as well and that's hard to do when they can't get the tools they need. We are so lean in Winfield we have cut key positions and now require all hands on deck so to speak. We have a great force so no one is complaining but residents should know this administration has cut the fat over the past 10 years because of budget constraints. Now they are cutting the muscle and bone. This is a very unhealthy and dangerous place for a Village of our size to be sacrificing bodies. We need more business to get the revenue to address our police staffing issues. We need it now.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 Winfield is tight on money due to the Spande Administration spending tax dollars on unnecessary projects such as the River Walk. This has been a pet project created by political action group in the village that will cost taxpayers millions in local revenue and grants. The River Walk project of his and has already cost Winfield taxpayers hundreds of thousands to engineer and soil tests not to mention consultants. By the time its complete the total bill is estimated to be over $10 million. It is a projected that requires much more money than anyone cares to talk about to maintain. This project should be thrown back to the private sector for 100% funding. It does not belong on the village budget. The Spande administration however will continue to spend impact fees and TIF money on this project. At the same time the Village staff is growing not shrinking while they cut police officers. This is not the financial direction we should be heading in at this time. The past 10 budgets have had similar trends of adding staff while cutting police protection. They fill gaps by vying for grants for roads and to conduct studies that delay development. In the meantime residents are asked to pay higher taxes and exorbitant water and sewer fees. We need to stop spending on special projects and get down to the business of fixing roads without raising taxes.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Commercialization of Roosevelt Rd It's the elephant in the corner of the room. Everyone knows we need to commercialize Roosevelt Rd, Town Center and St Charles Rd however a small political faction in our village that elected the controlling board has successfully derailed development, reversed business zoning passed in 2012 and stopped Town Center development. Instead of moving quickly to fix the problem Spande and his cohorts push for green areas, bikeways and the unwanted $10 million dollar river walk. Every decision the village council makes on future projects should answer the question what is the payback time frame and how does it improve our need for additional revenue within the next 12 to 18 months and beyond. Winfield residents need to elect trustees who will take an oath to not spend money we desperately need for services on unnecessary projects that we cannot afford today and have no way to maintain tomorrow. Participation grants are not free money and not a solution as they create more debt and add cost. Grants always sound great however in the fine print you will find the hooks that will drain our property taxes for decade into the future. Every village manager wants to know as the guy that brought grants as if it was a wonderful gift when in reality it is a curse that keep on punishing the people that have to pay the participation costs and life time of maintenance costs that go with the grant.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Issue: few people attend candidates debates. Get to one! Make sure you attend at least one candidates debate. This year there are 9 running for 4 seats. The future of Winfield is in our hands. As football coach Lou Hotlz would say "life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you respond". Winfield residents need to respond by electing trustees that refuse to play political games to further pet projects while at the same time raising your taxes. I will fight for the future of Winfield that looks like "more business and less tax". So what's stopping us? Come here our message.Please name one current leader who most inspires you."Leadership is demonstrated through vision, communication and execution." Jack Welch former CEO of GE was a great leader. Jack Welch was that man.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Keep it simple if you expect others to follow. People like participating in solutions so encourage them to do good things for others. Win/Win/WinIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?You don't get a do-over missed opportunities. Devote your life to the future and the present will take care of itself. Laus DeoWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite thing in school was social interaction with everyone. Engaging and including people from all social groups made me a better person. Respect everyone.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Find a way to contribute to the betterment of future generations. Everything you do will affect the future so use your life wisely. Be strong.