Steve Park: 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: GurneeWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Gurnee Village Board Age: Candidate did not respond.Family: Wife - Ingrid Children - Christina, Amanda and TimOccupation: City PlannerEducation: Bachelors - U of I Urbana Masters - UNC - Chapel Hill MBA - Northwestern - Kellogg GSMCivic involvement: 12 years - Gurnee ZBA Plan Commission 4 years - Gurnee Village Board 10 years - Great Lakes Credit Union Board of Directors Lake County Transportation Alliance - Vice PresidentElected offices held: Gurnee Village Board - 2011 - 2015Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?My professional experience as a City Planner My career working for local governments as staff. My career working across the country representing corporate clients in developing office and industrial projects. My knowledge of Gurnee from 25+ years of residence, 12 years on the ZBA Plan Commission and 4 years of the Board. My focus and attitude to provide the best quality of service for the residents and businesses in the Village at the least potential cost.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.It is reasonable given the level of service required by our residents. We should also continue to improve our tax base in order to reduce tax rates.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?Our police and fire services are well prepared to ensure public safety for residents, employees and visitors. We need to explore opportunities to improve efficiency and look at consolidating services, such as 911 dispatch.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The villages obligations for public facility bonds and the contractual obligation for the park district will be closed out over the next few years. This will reduce long term debt obligations and provide an annual cash flow that can be used to maintain or reduce the tax burden as well as provide a source of funding for municipal investments such as infrastructure improvements that have been deferred.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Gurnee needs to seriously look at redeveloping older projects and underdeveloped sites. Upgrading the quality of our community will leads to a better "sense of place" for our residents and visitorsWhat other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?A continued push for a better tax base for all local governments - economic development needs cannot be ignored to remain competitive We need to get creative to reduce costs of public swervicesPlease name one current leader who most inspires you.Tom BrokawWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?work hard at whatever you do.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Mathematics - Life is all about analyzing facts and determining the best formula to accomplish your goalsIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Identify your dreams and continue to work toward them