Mona Mustafa: 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: Lake VillaWebsite: will be on Facebook soonTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lake Villa Township Supervisor Age: 53Family: Single Mom, one son age 14Occupation: SalesEducation: BA Northern Illinois University, Political Science/Public LawOne year Law SchoolParalegal CertificateCivic involvement: Active in Lake Villa Timberwolves 2007-15, LVT Youth Baseball, Ran for Mayor 2013, Community activist, watching how our government is spending our tax dollars. I object to using School District funds to develop parks, supported teachers, and attempted to bring Trane into school district 41 to upgrade infrastructure at zero cost to the taxpayer.Elected offices held: No political office, although I own my own company, which introduced licensed Boy Scouts of America Official Pinewood Derby to the retail market. I was a VP of sales and marketing for almost 20 years.Questions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.1. The budget has approx. $350,000 for development of a park trail. I believe it is more important to install sidewalks on Deep Lake, Sand Lake, Route 59, and Cedar Lake Road. 2. REDUCING PROPERTY TAXES. The Township "purchased" 45 acres from "Lender" School District 41 for a park. Now, my understanding is that the taxpayers will have to take a mortgage out for the new library. Why?3. The Township has 13-14 million in assets, some garnered from 501c3 fund raising efforts. For example, the Timberwolves raised funds for a cheer pad, and it is now a fixture of a township park. The township should not rely on schools or charitable organizations to improve its asset position.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?The Township should serve all of the residents within its boundaries. For example, Lindenhurst is part of the Township, but gets little return on its property tax investment, if any.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?I believe that the township government we have had for the last 16 years does not serve the Public interests well. It is a dinosaur. If a township is needed, it must serve a new role. My vision for Lake Villa Township is to reduce property taxes, and to create jobs through a "civil service corps." This organization could be utilized for specific township projects anywhere within the township. I would also expand services for seniors, and focus on revenue producing recreation that could revitalize the community. I believe I can do that AND REDUCE PROERTY TAXES. With the current assets, I see no return on the community investment to justify paying such high taxes. If the Township assets are a drain on taxpayers, and not producing revenues for the community, then I can't justify it's existence and it is not needed. However, I can turn Lake Villa Township into a revenue producing, service providing entity, that would benefit all of the communities Lake Villa Twp. serves. Sidewalks would just be the beginning.Are there any township offices that should be eliminated or consolidated?I know there's discussion of elimination of the Assessor's office, but I would disagree with that. We just experienced an across the board increase, by an unelected official at the Board of Review. There's a lot more here to talk about, but taxation without representation comes to mind - and working it out with the assessor is more efficient and doesn't take years.Can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?The library is one huge expense that no referendum was ever held to determine if we even wanted a new library. $350k for the Dering Park trail connection? Seriously, the taxpayers would never have passed a referendum, so why bother asking them? I look at the budget and I want to throw up. To me, it appears our current administration is using our tax dollars for their fiscally irresponsible whims.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Reduce property taxes by building revenue producing opportunities within the township. A new library does not produce revenue for the taxpayer. And, please vote. In 2013, 12.8% of the eligible voters decided how much property tax you pay, and that you needed a new library, without referendum. I will back integrity, transparency, and service to the people to this political office. Together, we will have referendums to ask the taxpayers if they want a new library, or a $350,000 park trail. The public has been disengaged for so long, nobody is paying attention to the misuse of their tax dollars - and I can document plenty of it. Our public is overtaxed and underserved. I will reverse that. We have so many positive opportunities that we are wasting - we are the gateway to the chain of lakes, lets bring people from outside the community to spend their money here.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis, because he is inclusive, and he lives moderately, as do most of us. He brings people of all faiths together.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Always keep facts and truth on your side. Never steal a nickel from Uncle Sam.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have had more children, earlier in life.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Social Studies helped me to be innovative, and to succeed because of an understanding of diverse global cultures.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Don't tell me what you are going to do, show me the results of what you did.