Don Burroway: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: CarpentersvilleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Carpentersville Village boardAge: 56Family: Married, two stepdauthers.Occupation: Planning and Zoning Commission - Village of Carpentersville Retired Operations Manager Delta Air Lines - 30 yrsEducation: Candidate did not respond.Civic involvement: Supporter fo McCAP, a grass roots non-profit org of concerned parents with children with profound disabilities.Member of National Geographics Society, since the 1970'sAmerican Tree Farmer Assoc.American Cancer Society - WALK FOR LIFEElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Safety and security for the Village residents.Key Issue 2 Business Growth/DevelopementKey Issue 3 Fiscal responsibility,Balanced BudgetState pension reformQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Experience:As stated I worked for Delta for many years and was afforded extensive training in management operation. I will bring a wealth of experience and apply that to operating village business. I have highily developed communication skills of which I feel most important is listening.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.The state just raised taxes a whopping 67%, BAD FOR BUSINESS! Carpentersville just raised taxes 33 dollars per 150,00 of market value and the out cry has been heard. I feel this was a necessary evil of present day economics as raising taxes always hurts businesses and consumers. So right now I believe the local tax is just right. Looking forward we need to find other avenues of increasing revenues. An article published by the Daily Herald just a week ago annouced how a local village was going to waive some of the fees for start up businesses, I think Carpentersville needs to look into those programs.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, and discuss how you think it should be addressed.Gangs,drug use and DUI are the most commoningly mentioned concerns I have heard and I am right there with that opinion! Just the other day a garage was tagged by a gang. I went over to that area and saw a lot of graffiti present along the drainage ditches. That has got to be stopped. I believe that the Village ougth to increase the fines for such criminal activity. We need to say to criminals, with an old quote and a reformers zeal, ""We are mad as Hell and were not going to take it anymore"". We need to express our committment loudly and clearly by strickly enforcing the laws on the books and enecting new ordiances. The Village needs to project the reputation that we are TOUGH on crime.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?There has beens some talk around the village about the need for pension reform. I believe we need to open that discussion and explain the village's difficulties in making payroll and retirement funds. The referendum that was on the ballot about the retirement funds was passed by local communities. We need to start at the local level. Please don't misinterpret the idea here as I believe that we have the best community services around and I am not suggesting we make cuts to personnel or services. But another review and discussion can't hurt.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?One of the ideas I have is about the use of alternative energy. I was involved in the case where DC High School wanted to build a wind tower for educational purposes. I investigated that proposial and found it to be of important value to our students. I would like to create ordinances that allow solar power as an acceptable alternative to the use of fossil fuels. I have done much research on the subject and I believe that it is a viable option for business and personal usage. Science has come a long way in perfecting solar power and initial cost are coming down. It is time to act on this by having the ordinances in place and ready to go! We could entice green power businesses to the Village.