david kaptain: 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: elginWebsite: kaptainformayor.comOffice sought: Elgin Mayor Age: 67Family: Wife SandraOccupation: RetiredEducation: BS Bradley UniversityCivic involvement: President Eagle Heights Residents Asso. 10 years Executive Director Elgin Community Network 10 years Elgin Planning and Development Commission 6 years Chairman of the advisory Board of NHS of the Fox Valley 4 years Board member of NHS of Chicago 2 yearsElected offices held: Elgin City Council Member 6 years Mayor City of Elgin 4 yearsQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I feel I am the best candidate for mayor for a number of reasons including the length and depth of my service to Elgin's residents, my vision for our community and the strong relationship I have established with all portions of Elgin's diverse community. I served many years working with local neighborhood groups to help resolve their problems and improve their neighborhoods. I have served over 15 years at the highest levels of Elgin's government. My vision for Elgin's future includes a better system of education through collaboration of wide variety of concerned individuals and organizations. Elgin can become a destination city with our expanding arts and entertainment options, our great golf courses, our outstanding riverfront, and our natural areas. I have developed a strong relationship all the diverse groups in our city by being involved with them many levels including at an organizational level and one on one conversations. We are able to speak tone another on a level that allows us to work together to be proactive in addressing problems. The trust that we have developed allows us to always have an open and honest conversation.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 it is premature to discuss whether we should raise taxes or institute service cuts at this point. While it is always my philosophy to plan for the worst but hope for the best, I believe we need to be patient and allow some events to evolve. Illinois has elected a new governor that will have major challenges facing him with the economy, debt and pension reform. I would like to give him the opportunity to succeed. Elgin' economy and employment rate are improving at a reasonably good rate. We need to see how those factors will effect our city in the next few years. A change of a few per cent in revenue from increased economic activity or reductions in budgeted expenses could make a dramatic difference in any estimates. The recent drop in gasoline prices will result in lower fuels costs for the city. Lower oil prices could allow us to accelerate our street resurfacing programs by borrowing funds to take advantage of the lower asphalt prices. There are a number of options to avoid a short term crisis if the manager's prediction does become a reality. The current strategy of meeting quarterly to keep the council updated on our finances will allow us to respond quickly to economic changes.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?I believe that Elgin is the Arts and Entertainment center of the northwest suburbs. We have a number local arts groups who been active for over 50 years. Recent additions such as Art Space Lofts and the Grand Victoria Casino's concert series have added a new vitality to downtown. Arts related businesses are opening and restaurants are busier. The evidence is in the attendance at the downtown concerts. They have drawn the most people to Elgin' downtown since John F Kennedy visited Elgin in the 1960's. I believe most important is that Elgin's image regionally has a improved in the last few years because of the increase in arts and entertainment. Visitors are seeing our city in new light. Research done on a state and national level show that for every dollar invested in the arts the return is $6-8. it is my belief investing in the continued success of arts and entertainment is a wise decision.Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board or city council.The leadership philosophy I have developed is based upon my years of experience working with volunteers. The typical volunteer is giving their time and talent to a board or committee with a specific goal in mind. They want to have an opportunity to voice their opinion and contribute in discussion. I encourage and facilitate dialog. I believe my role as mayor includes making sure the council has all the information and time they need to make a good decision. The city council is basically a group of intelligent and opinionated volunteers that are trying their best to represent their constituents as well as their own opinion. They represent people from both ends of the political spectrum. The length of city council meetings has almost doubled since I became mayor because of increase discussion. I make certain each member has the opportunity to voice their opinion and make their statements clear. Sometimes the best decisions are reached after hard, sometimes heated discussion with diverse opinions that result in compromise. The recent unanimous approval of the city budget is good example.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I am supporting an increase in the number ROPE officers in the Elgin police department. When the program began 20 years ago there were 9 ROPE officers. Today there are 5. I would like to increase that number to 7 officers. Elgin's community policing programs have been extremely successful and I believe we should expand on that success. We need to increase the ratio of resident officers to reflect the population growth of the past two decades. The new ROPE program should focus as much on community outreach as enforcement. In conversations with religious leaders in the city Chief Swoboda and I have concluded that having officers that interact with residents will greatly reduce the chances of an incident similar to what happened in Missouri from happening in Elgin. A second reason for increasing the number of ROPE officers is that it is apparent to me that the program produces high quality police officers. This would be a long term investment in the future by placing young men and women in a situation where they learn about the issues in everyday life that can cause people take a bad path. The list of senior officers in the EPD and police chiefs that have come out of this program is impressive. I believe the return on investment for this program is outstanding.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?While there are a number of issues facing our city I will focus on two. We must reach some resolution on the Hemmens. The committee that was created will soon be bringing some of their ideas and suggestion back to the council for discussion. The potential cost to the city will be substantial and we will need to reach a concensus on how to move forward. I would like to work on our sign ordinance and way finding. Business owners have asked that their signage be allowed to upgraded to reflect new technology. I support the creation of named corridors leading into Elgin from I90 that will allow us to create signs that offer direction to neighborhoods, businesses and attractions. A large sign on I90 at Randall directing people to the "Randall Road Medical Corridor" for example would provide the businesses in that area with an identity and allow for more directional signage.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Bob Gilliam. His unconditional love for the people and the city he served inspires me everyday.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?I developed a strong work ethic. My parents kept me busy to keep me out of trouble. It worked.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I think I would like to be a teacher of young children. I see their eyes filled with nothing but wonder, trust and hope.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. It taught that mistakes will always be made, but learn from them.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Give something back to your community everyday.