Mark Madej: 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: SchaumburgWebsite: http://www.MarkMadej.comOffice sought: Schaumburg Village boardAge: 54Family: My wife, Sherry, and I have lived in Schaumburg almost 30 years. Sherry currently works for Schaumburg School District 54. Our two sons, Scott and Shane, were born and raised in Schaumburg and currently reside in the area.Occupation: I#146;ve enjoyed 30+ years in the technology field working with IBM, GE, Elizabeth Arden/Mario Tricoci and most recently ATT.Education: Candidate did not respond.Civic involvement: I was active as a Red Cross volunteer, a leader with Boy Scouts of America and a member of the Septemberfest Committee. Currently serve on the Board of Directors of the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County (CEDA). Chairman of CEDA#146;s Technology Committee and a member of CEDA#146;s Energy and Weatherization Committee and the Nominating and Rules Committee.Elected offices held: I have served as a Village Trustee since 2005. I currently chair the Health and Human Services Committee and serve on the Transportation Committee and the Engineering and Public Works Committee.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoneCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 My goal is to continue to work with our community members, local businesses and our Village employees and committee members to provide the residents of Schaumburg with the services and quality of life they enjoy and deserve.Key Issue 2 We will continue to look for ways to monitor, assess and responsibly lower our budget and expenses, so we can remain financially healthy. We will also continue finding new sources of revenue, outside the taxpayers#146; pockets, to fund the services and programs our Village provides to our residents. As in the past, we will continue to seek federal and state grants to fund projects within the Village. Our business/retail occupancy rate is one of the highest in the area, but we will work to attract more businesses to ensure continued economic growth. We need to continue to support and work with the Schaumburg Business Association and businesses that are already established so they remain healthy and viable.Key Issue 3 While we currently provide substantial transparency, I would like to see greater progress in providing more transparency with the use of new technologies and simplified access. I would like to keep improving ways to make it even easier for our residents to become more educated and gain more knowledge about the Village#146;s daily operations.Questions Answers What is your opinion of Schaumburg's municipal property tax? Do you support immediate repeal, an increase in the tax or something in between?As a Schaumburg homeowner and taxpaying resident, to enact a municipal tax was the most difficult decision I#146;ve had to make and I didn#146;t take it lightly. This has been the worst recessionary period in Schaumburg#146;s history. After listening to residents, I felt that our residents did not want to sacrifice any more services or accept further reductions in the quality of our services. Given economic forecasts, it was the most fiscally responsible decision. We could not provide the residents with the services they expect and deserve and meet our financial obligations without making that decision. I will continue to look for ways to streamline our budget and support economic development that can increase revenues from alternate sources to reduce the need for property taxes. Our economic picture is improving according to our revenue reports. We have already reduced the property tax for next year. It is a priority to keep reducing it as the economic climate continues to improve.How is the village's decades-old model of reliance on commercial development and retail sales taxes for revenue weathering the current economic downturn? Do the vulnerabilities revealed by the recession justify a major overhaul of that model?The Village#146;s model of reliance on commercial development and retail sales taxes for revenue has served the Village residents extremely well. It has provided our residents with excellent fire and police protection and high-quality public works services. The model has supported many programs and activities throughout the Village and in doing so has made the Village of Schaumburg a premiere community in the northwest suburbs. The Village mission statement says that we should conduct Village business on behalf of our residents with thoughtful planning. To completely change our Village#146;s business model would be the opposite of thoughtful planning. This is a time when experience and knowledge will serve our residents best. We need to be mindful and recognize challenges. As the economy changes, we should continue to review our model and look for ways to improve on our successes, but only in a thoughtful manner that benefits our residents.What is your attitude towards the village's ownership of the Schaumburg Renaissance Hotel Convention Center, Alexian Field and the Schaumburg Regional Airport? Should these properties be privatized? Why or why not?All three venues have served the Village in a positive economic way. These three venues really need to be looked at separately because their goals have some differences. The goal of the Convention Center was to bring in visitors to increase the total spending in our local economy. Local hotels, restaurants and businesses have all benefitted from the Convention Center. Alexian Field is a joint venture with the Schaumburg Park District that brings in revenue to the Village, but also provides economical, family-oriented entertainment for residents and visitors. The Schaumburg Regional Airport was purchased from a private owner. FAA recognized the importance of this regional airport and supported its continued operation. If we did not purchase the airport, it is most likely that the FAA would have lobbied another airport authority. 95% of the purchase price of the airport was funded by state and federal grants. A good portion of the airport is wetlands and non-buildable. Ownership allows the Village to ensure the airport operates in a manner that continues to bring visitors and business to our community along with economic revenue. We need to continue to monitor and assess all three venues. However, it would not be a financially good decision to try and sell any properties at this time when property values are at their lowest and all grant monies would need to be repaid. In addition, all three venues have contributed needed revenue during this recessionary period.Should Schaumburg continue to run Septemberfest and other special events? Do you support the work of the cultural services department and the village#146;s continued operation of the Prairie Center for the Arts and the Trickster Gallery?The Septemberfest Committee has done very well in keeping a balanced budget based on the sponsorship funds it receives. We continue to review and monitor special events. As an example, we temporarily eliminated Christkindlmarket due to economic times. Residents have indicated to me that they miss the festival and if, and when, it is feasible we can entertain the idea to bring it back. I do support the work of the cultural services department. It has been proven that successful communities have a balance of arts and culture along with business and government. You need to be able to attract residents, tourists, convention attendees and sports fans. Schaumburg is home to the Schaumburg Youth Orchestra. The Prairie Center for the Arts presents the popular annual Student Film Festival and the Nutcracker along with a full year of quality, affordable programs. The Trickster Gallery is a Native-operated fine arts institution that gives all of us the opportunity to explore the Native American heritage. Lakeside Summer Breeze concerts create a sense of community and allow residents and visitors to interact. I believe that our residents take pride in the cultural activities offered in Schaumburg and enjoy the opportunity to be part of them as well.What significant infrastructure improvements, if any, should the village be pursuing? Why?Most of our significant infrastructure improvements and projects have been recently completed. Our fire stations, the public safety building and our public works facilities should serve us well into the future. Last year we accelerated our road resurfacing schedule. We are also moving forward on flood control improvement projects in some of our neighborhoods. The capital improvement plans are available online on the Village website for anyone who is interested in more details. Our long-term projects include support for a full interchange at Meacham and 90 and the STAR line. Both of these projects would help increase access to our community.