JEFFREY THORSEN: 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: CRYSTAL LAKEWebsite: JTTHORSEN.COMTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: McHenry County Board District 2 Age: 57Family: MY SON ADAM IS 12 YRS OLD. HE PLAYS SOCCER AND GETS STRIAGHT "A"S. I HAVE FOUR BROTHERS LARRY, MARK, TOM AND CRAIG. AND MY SISTER KIM. MY MOTHER IS BARBARA THORSEN. SHE HAS PLAYED THE ORGAN FOR THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN CRYSTAL LAKE FOR MORE THAN 60 YEARS. SHE HAS PLAYED FOR COUNTLESS LOCAL WEDDINGS DURING THAT TIME AS WELL. MY FATHER WAS ARTHUR L THORSEN. HE ALONG WITH LIN RENNY AND GEORGE DEBEERS ESTABLISHED THE FIRST AM RADIO STATION IN MCHENRY COUNTY IN THE MID SIXTIES. WCLR STOOD FOR WONDERFUL CRYSTAL LAKE RADIOOccupation: BANK MANAGER AT FIRST MERIT BANK IN UNION ILEducation: ASSOCIATES DEGREE MCC 1980. B.S. NIU 1987. MBA FINANCE NIU 1993Civic involvement: HORIZONS FOR THE BLIND, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT AND TREASURER. SALVATION ARMY OF MCHENRY COUNTY BOARD OF DIRECTORS. MCHENRY COUNTY POLICE CHARITIES BOARD OF DIRECTORS. CRYSTAL LAKE LIONS CLUB PAST PRESIDENT. PAST COUNCILMAN CITY OF CRYSTAL LAKE MAY 1999 TO NOVEMBER 2015,Elected offices held: CRYSTAL LAKE CITY COUNCIL MAY 1999 THROUGH NOVEMBER 2015Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?I WILL DO WHAT I CAN TO IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES AND REDUCE TAXATION. I AM FOR DOWNSIZING OF GOVERNMENT. HOWEVER, I DO UNDERSTAND THAT GOOD GOVERNMENT COMES AT A COST.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?AS A NEWLY APPOINTED INCUMBENT, I COME TO THE BOARD WITH NEARLY 17 YEARS EXPERIENCE ON THE CRYSTAL LAKE CITY COUNCIL. I HAVE DEMONSTRATED MY CONCERN ON QUAILTY OF LIFE ISSUES OF MY CONSTITUENTS THROUGH ACTION. WHETHER THE STAKE HOLDERS INVOLVED WERE MANY OR FEW, I HAVE NEVER SHIED AWAY FROM MEETING THEM AT THE HEART OF THE ISSUE. I HAVE WORKED AGGRESIVELY TO FIND FISCAL ALTERNATIVES TO INCREASED TAXATION AND BELIEVE THERE ARE REMEDIES STILL AVAILABLE TO REDUCE THE OVERALL TAX BURDEN IN MCHENRY COUNTY.Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming in the future and how the county should deal with them. In particular in the suburbs, President Preckwinkle has set a goal of eliminating unincorporated areas from county oversight. Do you agree with this approach? If so, how should the county go about it?UNDER PRECKWINKLE'S GOAL MASSIVE ANNEXATIONS WILL BE REQUIRED IN COOK COUNTY. THAT MAY MAKE SENSE FOR COOK COUNTY IF THEY CURRENTLY SPEND 29.4% OF SPENDING ON PUBLIC SAFETY AS MCHENRY COUNTY DOES. INCORPORATION OF THE REMAINING UNINCORPORATED AREAS SHOULD SUBSTANTIALLY REDUCE THE COUNTY'S INVESTMENT THERE AS THE MUNICIPALITES TAKE ON THE SLACK...BUT COOK COUNTY AND MCHENRY COUNTY ARE VERY DIFFERENT. I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A BLANKET APPROACH TO DEAL WITH WASTE IN SPENDING AT THE LOCAL LEVEL . THERE ARE MANY PLACES IN THE BUDGETS BE THEY MUNICIPAL, SCHOOL DISTRICT, OR COUNTY THAT REQUIRE MORE SCRUTINY AND MORE SCAPLE.How do you rate the county government on transparency and the public's access to records? If you consider it adequate, please explain why. If you think improvements are needed, please describe them and why they are important.THIS MAKES ME WANT TO ASK FIRST, WHICH PART OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND UNDER WHOSE ADMINISTRATION. IT IS HARD TO SAY YES TRANSPARENCY IS ADEQUATE WHEN THE COUNTY FALLS ON THE DEFENSIVE SIDE OF FOIA LITIGATION.Please list any elected office you have ever run for and what the result of that election was. Have you ever been appointed to fill an unexpired term?I RAN FIVE TIMES FOR CRYSTAL LAKE CITY COUNCIL AND PREVAILED, I RAN FOR MCHENRY COUNTY TREASURER IN 2014 AND WAS DEFEATED. I HAVE RECENTLY BEEN APPOINTED TO FILL KEN KEOHLER'S UNEXPIRED TERM AFTER HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE METRA BOARD.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?THE HEALTH OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY. I AM TIED TO MY HOME IN SO MANY WAYS THAT I CAN NOT CONSIDER ANY KIND OF EXODUS. SO I INTEND TO BE HERE COME WHAT MAY. THE COUNTY WILL BE IMPACTED GREATLY ON MANY LEVELS AS ILLINOIS OFF PUTS ITS OBLIGATIONS. SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS WE DO NOT FULLY GRASP TODAY WILL HAVE T0 BE EFFECTED TOMORROW. I WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO THOSE SOLUTIONS.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.RONALD REGAN MAY NOT BE CURRENT BUT HE IS THE ONE.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?LOVE YOUR BROTHERIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?THERE ARE NO DO OVERS.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?HISTORY. IT IS A ROADMAP TO AVOID MISTAKES.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?OBEY YOUR MOTHER