Nick Cuzzone: 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: Villa ParkWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Villa Park Village Board Age: 59Family: Lisa F. Cuzzone, WifeNick Cuzzone, Jr., SonAlexandra Cuzzone, DaughterOccupation: Environmental ConsultantEducation: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Illinois CircleLicensed Professional EngineerCivic involvement: Former President of Willowbrook Athletic Boosters for 4 yearsVice President Dan Gibbons Turkey Trot Foundation Step It Up for Students committee that passed $167,000,000.00 referendum for District 88 High SchoolsMember Knights of ColumbusVilla Park Trustee for two yearsElected offices held: Villa Park Trustee, 2 yearsQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have been a small business owner for over 15 years and understand what it takes to budget money and resources. My engineering degree and background (environmental consulting) have given me the knowledge and understanding of public works projects and factors that affect costs and timing of completion of these projects. I have been involved with the community for over 25 years with various organizations and the schools my children attended. I am energetic and willing to work hard to bring Villa Park into the 21st century for all of its 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.Last year the sales tax was reduced by 0.5% due to the retirement of DuPage Water Commission bonds. Staff and the Village Board would like to return the 0.5% sales tax to fund stormwater and sewer separation projects in the Village.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 departments are very well trained and the Village Board has approved equipment purchases to improve response times and to ensure the safety of our residents. We are well prepared for the next decade of service.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Budgets can always be trimmed but the hard part is trimming without adversely affecting Village services. Staff does a good job of keeping operational costs down and applying money where it is most needed. One area where more money could be spent is on sewer separation projects and stormwater management. We are always searching for more money to fund these infrastructure projects and unfortunately there is never enough to complete all of them,What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?As a long range plan I would like to investigate the possibility of an underpass for the Union Pacific rail line. There have been several incidents in the past two years where trains have either derailed or have blocked the crossings for several hours. This not only impedes traffic flow but is dangerous for emergency vehicles attempting to cross to the other side of the Village. In addition, a pedestrian underpass/overpass would alleviate the wait for train passengers who must wait for the gates to go up to reach their parked cars on the opposite side of the tracks. This is definitely a long range goal but one that would benefit the Village especially once Garden Station is constructed.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Development of the Garden Station project by the train station. If we can get that development to be completed it would spur economic growth in that entire area of the Village and give us a true "downtown" which would benefit us all. The Village has been diligently working with the current owner to jumpstart the project and will work with the new owner to ensure this excellent opportunity to improve the Village can be achieved.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.John McCain served our country in Viet Nam, was a POW for several years and still serves his country faithfully as a US Senator.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Always be faithful to what you believe in, no matter what everyone around you is doing.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have joined the military. Looking back I think it would have taught me valuable lessons that I am still learning now.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math and science. I became a chemical engineer and a licensed professional engineer due to my interest in these two subjects.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Strive to be the best you can be and always work hard to achieve that goal.