Niko Kanakaris: 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: HuntleyWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Huntley Village boardAge: 35Family: Married, two kidsOccupation: Restaurant Owner, Real Estate InvestorEducation: Jacobs High School Graduate, McHenry County College BusinessCivic involvement: While not A member of any civic groups, I've been involved in many fundraisers to help needy families during these tough times. I've donated all the food to help make these events more profitable.Elected offices held: Village Trustee, 2007-2011Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 To continue to work to make sure the full interchange at Route 47 I90 happens. This should have A dramatic impact on the Northern Kane County and the development of the Route 47 corridor. One of the first questions asked by potential new businesses is, ""When will the full interchange happen?"" Hopefully construction will start in 2012.Key Issue 2 Continue to promote the Village of Huntley as business friendly to generate more commercial activity. By generating more sales tax revenue, the Village will be able to keep our property taxes down and continue to provide current services and new services to our residents.Key Issue 3 Continue to be fiscally conservative in the Village's handling of our financial situation, during these tough economic times. The Village has been able to continue to upgrade our streets and utilities to meet the demands of a growing village.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I feel during my four years in office, I've listened to the residents to address concerns they have. Times are tough and difficult decisions have been made to make the Village of Huntley better. I'm not afraid to make those decisions. I've realized there is a learning curve associated with being a Trustee; now with that behind me I can be that much better of a Trustee.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 Village of Huntley is not a Home Rule Community (Population over 25,000) thus our Sales Tax of 1% is generated by the State of Illinois. Towns that are Home Rule, have the opportunity to increase their portion of Sales Tax to increase their revenues. I think the 1% is just right at this time. I don't want to force our residents to shop in towns that have a lower Sales Tax thus hurting our local businesses.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.In talking with friends, business owners and neighbors they are very happy with the way the Village of Huntley is operated. One that I used to hear alot about was the condition of Route 47. However, as you are aware, construction has started on Route 47 to widen it to five (5) lanes.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?During my four years on the board at The Village of Huntley it has been very conservative in developing its budget. During the good times we took excess revenue and put them into capital improvement accounts and didnt put them into the general fund for our day-to-day operations. This has allowed us to make road improvements and utility improvements without the need to go out and borrow or raise tax to generate new revenue for these improvements. I think you could always find something in A budget that you could trim should the need arise. We've been very conservative in our budget approach and have been able to budget money in A very efficient manner. We have left budget positions unfilled and will continue to monitor expenses and make adjustments as needed.What#146;s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Throughout the growth of Huntley, many new attractions have developed such as the Cosman Cultural Center, REC Center, Stingray Bay and many expansions at Deicke Park. The many attractions at Deicke Park include Baseball fields, Basketball courts, Bike Paths, Fishing, Ice Skating, Sand Volleyball, Picnic Areas, Softball Fields and Sledding. I think that in order for the kids in our community to be able to utilize these attractions to the fullest they need to have access to cross Route 47 (East to West/West to East) safely. I believe that by building a bridge to cross over Route 47 (by Mill Street), would ensure the safety of our children instead of the danger of having them cross five lanes of traffic. By building this access for them, they are able to utilize and enjoy the beautiful parks and pools that Huntley has to offer.