Eleanor Hamilton: Candidate Profile

Back to Geneva City Council Ward 4

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: GenevaWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Geneva City Council Ward 4 Age: 60Family: Husband--Mark Adams 3 adult childrenOccupation: retiredEducation: BA, MA, Ph.D.--clinical psychologyCivic involvement: Executive Service Corps, Chicago Geneva Mental Health Board League of Women VotersElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I've lived in Geneva since 1985, and my husband and I raised our three children here. Since I'm now retired, I want to give back to the community, and to use the skills that I developed in my career in human services for our community. My approach to all issues is thoughtful and analytical, and I look forward to engaging in the many complex issues that have a real impact on Geneva residents.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.One important point is whether residents are getting good value for their taxes, such as quality services. And, tax issues are complex. There seems to be a difference between sales taxes and property taxes. Most residents don't seem too concerned by small differences in sales taxes from one municipality to the next. This may be because these tax rates are quite similar, and also because residents only pay these taxes when and if they have decided to make a purchase. On the other hand, many residents are very concerned about property taxes. At the same time, there is some confusion about the allocation of property taxes; the school district is responsible for the largest part of property taxes, and the city of Geneva only receives 8% of property tax revenues. More than half of what we receive in Geneva supports police and fire services. Most Geneva residents have experienced multiple increases in property taxes, partly due to higher assessed valuations, over the past decade or two. I favor taxes that are sustainable for most residents, so that people can continue to live here. I also agree with the many residents who love the city services that Geneva offers, and would not want those to be compromised. So, I think that each area of the city budget should be considered in depth, in order to balance these concerns.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?I hear many positive comments, and hardly ever a negative comment, about these services in Geneva. Both police and fire operate as city services in Geneva, and these departments do an excellent job. Many policemen and firemen spend most of their careers here, and develop strong ties in the community. In return, the community supports and respects these departments.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?One reason that I am drawn to be on the city council here in Geneva is that I believe that the current city council members struggle with these issues all the time, for the benefit of the residents. Basic city services must be maintained at acceptable levels, and this requires adequate staffing expenditures. Other types of expenditures, however, involve entering the wider marketplace in order to purchase goods and services. It is possible that some expenditures of this type could be reduced, without affecting the quality of services to residents.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Larger municipalities are investigating potential cost saving measures that involve public--private partnerships, and these might be helpful for Geneva, as well. For example, since the city supplies electricity to residents and businesses, and must struggle with times of peak power demand, we might consider offering tax credits to those residents and businesses who replace older equipment with newer, power saving equipment. This approach might reduce the need to add additional power generation facilities or to make additional power purchases.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Sustainability is a concept that is important to me in many areas. When applied to the city of Geneva, it implies that there be a balance of the needs of a variety of segments of the population, so that as many people as possible can live comfortable and happy lives here; and that the long term impacts of decisions should be considered so that there is not a crisis lurking down the road.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Chuck Brown is a long term alderman here in Geneva. He and his wife, Mary Kay, have helped make Geneva the community it is today.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?I learned that civic involvement is very important in determining the quality of life that we have. I was lucky to have great role models.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?While careful consideration of any issue is important, once I have made a decision, it would save me wear and tear to worry less.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subjects were social sciences and natural sciences. Training in these areas helped me to develop good data analytical skills, which are widely applicable.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?It would be that finding good ways to improve our world is also the most rewarding way to live life.