Andrew Cuming: Candidate Profile

Back to Elgin City Council

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: ElginWebsite: http://andrew4elgin.com/Office sought: Elgin City Council Age: 28Family: Wife, Britta; Daughter (19 mo) Lillian.Occupation: Web DesignerEducation: Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University.Civic involvement: President of Southwest Area Neighbors. Member of Elgin CERT. Member of Elgin Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association. Thursday night captain at Food For Greater Elgin. Regular attendee at City Council Meetings. Volunteer at the soup kettle. Leader at Zion Lutheran Church.Elected offices held: President of Southwest Area Neighbors. Thursday Captain at Food For Greater Elgin. Community Relationships Chair at Zion. Treasurer of the Northwestern University Residence Hall Association. President of the Applied Medical Society at Northwestern University. Previously Treasurer of SWAN. Various other student offices.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I am an independent thinker who is willing to change my mind with new information. I believe in reducing spending and using technology to make the city more efficient. I wish to cut taxes, but know that we have to cut unnecessary spending first. I wish to reduce Bureaucracy and make Elgin a better climate for Businesses and residents. Instead of offering incentives in the form of waiving permits and fees for hand selected businesses, I will waive those permits and fees for all businesses, giving them all a fair chance. Government should not pick winners and losers. I chose to move to Elgin, and plan to spend the rest of my life here. I am raising my daughter and any future children here, so I care deeply about Elgin's Future. Any decisions we make have to be viable for the long term. I have no special interests except for the well being of ALL the people and businesses of Elgin. I can not and will not be bought.City Manager Sean Stegaall says that the city's property tax levy -- which is staying flat this year -- is projected to increase by 5 percent in 2016 and 2017 unless cuts are made to public safety. However, some believe public safety budgets are untouchable. What is your stance? Would you make such cuts? If not, what alternatives would you propose?I believe that public safety is the main priority for the City of Elgin. Having said that, I would talk with the various departments in the Police and Fire departments and see if we can reduce expenses without any real reduction in service, perhaps through the use of partnerships and technology they are already exploring. I would also go and ask all other departments to try to reduce their budgets by 5% and seek to remove all unnecessary spending. Selling off surplus city properties would provide income while reducing maintenance expenses. Looking into reducing funding for wants versus needs and encouraging people to support the arts themselves instead of through taxes would help save money as well.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.Noise complaints and parking issues seem to be some of the ones I hear most often. The Police Department has done a great job of reducing gangs and violent crime in the City, and working with people to promote safety and reduce thefts, so continuing that energy into noise and parking and increasing the use of the 311 system is great. Also, reworking some of the stop lights and traffic patterns and making it safer for pedestrians.The city of Elgin has invested resources into promoting arts and entertainment downtown, which Mayor David Kaptain and others believe can be a long-term economic engine . Do you agree with the approach? If so, why? If not, what would you propose instead?No. People should not be forced to support the arts that they may not agree with. I encourage everyone to go out and support the arts that they enjoy. I support the arts I like, but no one else should be forced to pay for my wants. Don't make your neighbors pay for what they don't or can't enjoy. Let those who utilize or benefit from the ESO support it. The arts have not been found to a major source of economic gain anywhere, but if a restaurant gets a benefit from there being arts nearby, let that restaurant support it. I do still believe in the private/public partnership for events like Art and Soul on the Fox, which provide the public feeling of community at very little expense. Artspace Lofts are mostly used by non-artists, and people can support the artists they like without the City having to do it.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I believe that reducing the bureaucracy and paperwork in the City of Elgin, and guaranteeing lower fees and taxes to residents and businesses will make living here easier and cheaper, which will encourage people and businesses to move to Elgin, expanding our tax base without significant increase in expense.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?We need to remove the special interests and influences in the city of Elgin. Remove the responsible bidders ordinance and any other ordinances that are either unnecessary or repeats of state and federal law. Simplify our codes and reduce the bureaucracy. Increase quality of life and public safety through public/private partnerships.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Public opinion has its place, but you have to do what you feel is right.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?You have to look to the future and not the past. What is done is done, move on.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Physics. My degree is in Mechanical Engineering, and as such, I'm able to look at and examine a wide variety of issues from many views.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't worry about people disliking you or disapproving, some will always disapprove, others will approve, do what you feel you have to.