John Steffen: 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: ElginWebsite: http://""Councilman John Steffen"" on FaceBookOffice sought: Elgin City CouncilAge: 47Family: Married Wife--Kerry Kelly Daughters Joan, Chloe and Abigail Marie Son LiamOccupation: I am a lawyer with my office in downtown Elgin. I handle mostly personal injury, workers compensation, contract/business and family law issues.Education: B.A. 1986, University of Illinois Major: Political Science Minor: Russian StudiesCivic involvement: Co-founded Downtown Neighborhood AssociationGraduate of the Elgin Leadership AcademyI have participated in committees and boards at ECN, NENA, GPA, DNA, the United Way, Kiwanis, the Chamber of Commerce and the Elgin Development Group.I have contributed my time and talents to many annual events such as the GPA housewalk, the Elgin Area Historical Society's Cemetery Walk, NENA's Homes for the Holidays, DNA's Fourth of July Parade, Winter Wonderland and Elgin Cycling Classic Bike Races, and the Elgin Kiwanis Club's BBQ and Peanut Day.Elected offices held: Elgin City Council, 2007-2011President, Downtown Neighborhood Association 2000-2005Trustee, First Congregational Church of Elgin, 1999-2001Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Continuing to deliver first-rate city services and programs in the face of decreasing revenues by continuing efforts to innovate, find efficiencies and create private-public partnerships.Key Issue 2 Reducing the high unemployment and underemployment of Elgin citizens by creating new jobs, attracting new businesses and retaining existing businesses and jobs.Key Issue 3 Creating more opportunities for citizens to engage and understand their City government by increasing transparency, implementing the Info-One 311 program and tying all of this to improved and targeted performance measurements that eventually can be used to create budgets based on performance measurements and outcomes.Questions Answers What prompted you to run for this office? What makes you the best candidate for the job?Running for City Council four years ago and fro reelection now allows me ton contribute to the betterment of Elgin at the highest level. I enjoy discussing city issues and working with people to solve problems. I want to help Elgin improve so my kids and their generation can take leadership of a city that is sustainable at all levels--financially, environmentally and economically.How will you deal with declining revenue, particularly in the riverboat fund?After two rounds of staff reductions that eliminated 80 positions, we have to do the following:1. Merge positions and departments where having personnel trained and capable of doing multiple tasks in different departments proves cost-effective; 2. Redouble our efforts to invest the riverboat money in projects and programs that create ongoing sources of revenue to replace those lost; 3. Use new tools like Tax Increment Financing Districts (TIF) and Special Service Areas (SSA) to capture new revenues that don't raise the tax burden on our citizens;4. Partner with private companies, agencies and volunteers to out-source work and leverage our money for a greater return and value;5. Use technology and software to streamline the performance of city services and reduce the need to hire more personnel;6. Continue to support and encourage our employees to innovate and bring new ideas forward that make our operations more efficient and less expensive.7. Continue to search out and secure grants and other funding to stretch our tax dollars.How well has the city addressed the issue of illegal immigration? Has it done what's appropriate or is there more to do? Please offer specifics.The City has had a long relationship with ICE (formerly INS) and has worked closely with that agency in identifying and deporting illegal immigrants arrested for serious criminal offenses. In 2008 ICE expanded the programs offered to communities, and we again worked closely with that Agency to review each program and initiate those that fit our needs, including Operation Community Shield (OCS), Operation Predator, the Criminal Alien Program (CAP), and the use of the Law Enforcement Support Center (LESC)and Fugitive Operation Teams.We have also initiated quarterly checks of companies hired by or doing business with the City to verify the eligibility of their employees to work in this country.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to? Does the city need to reprioritize the funds it puts toward municipal projects? Non-profits?We forecast 2011 will end with a shortfall of about $1.8M, after two years of surpluses. We intend to cover this shortfall with the reserves that were set-aside for situations like the one we are in. Meanwhile I intend on following the steps outlined above in dealing with declining revenues. If we see a further shortfall, I would take the following steps, in order of severity and thus necessity if the prior step does not correct the problem:1. Freeze all discretionary spending, as was done in 2009;2. Request each department to identify and eliminate expenditures equaling 2% of their budget;3. Delay large capital expenditures, implementation of new programs or expansion of existing programs.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Local Adjudication of first time DUI charges. I have been urging the City to bring in as much as $500,000 in new revenue by prosecuting these charges in our Adjudication Process and not in the local courts. This would add to the over $1.5M the City already has added in new revenue annually by adjudicating local ordinance violations.