Joe Schmitt: 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: WaukeganWebsite: http://joeschmitt.usOffice sought: Lake County board District 9Age: 60Family: Divorved, three adult children, five grandchildrenOccupation: Founder and President of Former Inmates Striving Together (F.I.S.T. Inc,) Executive Director Summer Saturdays Lakefront Concert SeriesEducation: A. A. College of Lake County 2002 A.L.S. Lincoln Trail College 2002 A. S. Lincoln Trail College 2003Civic involvement: Life Time Member V.F.W. Waukegan Main Street Board Member Waukegan Green Town Member Community Christian ChurchElected offices held: NoneHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Having spent time in the Illinois Department of Corrections caused me to reevaluate the direction my life had taken This epiphany led me to create the phenomonally successful organization Former Inmates Striving Together (F.I.S.T. Inc.) A powerful model that has impacted hundreds of former inmates and helped them to redirect themselves towards productive lives in mainstream society. This organization and I have a dynamic relationship with the city of Waukegan and Lake County and is based in the heart of the 9th District. It is through this symbiotic association that my desire to run for the Lake County Board District 9 was born.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 To build a closer partnership between the different layers of government affecting District 9,The Federal Government, the State, Lake County and the City of Waukegan to create a more vibrant economic environment for business and job growth in District 9 and all of Waukegan.Key Issue 2 To advocate for accuracy, consistency and fairness in property assessments and taxation. To continue to maintain a balanced budget while ensuring that the high caliber of services provided by the County is not eroded.Key Issue 3 To address the rising crime rates in the 1st, 4th, and 6th wards of Waukegan, which compromize the bulk of Lake County's 9th District. This multilayerd govermental dialog I intend to embody must be utilized to combat the spread of crime in the County Seat.Questions Answers Now that golf at Fort Sheridan is a dead issue, what types of amenities should be added to the site?I have previously gone on the record as being opposed to the golf course at Fort Sheridan and am gratified that the U.S. Army has released the Lake County Forest Preserve from the golf course requirement. I still advocate the finding of the Fort Sheridan's Advisory Commitee's recommendation of November 2010. This calls for Requests For Proposals so that commercial development of some of this land be further explored. The Forest Preserve has provided for a multitude of recreational, educational and historical aenities for this site...Miles of hiking, biking and skiing trails ...Opportunities to fish and observe the floral, faunal and fowl native to the region abound. Allocating a portion of this valuable land to comercial development, thus expanding the tax base for the entire county, is the responsible course of action. Another option is to leave the land in its native form and simply enjoy the open space.What, if any, new ethics-related rules are needed for the county board and county staff?I have reviewed the changes to the ethics ordinance adopted last year (11-0454). One of the major changes required that County Board Members be removed from the hiring process of county staff completely. To include they are not permitted to even request the status of a particular application. All such issues are now the sole responsibility of the HR department. This removes all possibility of cronyism. I whole heartedly support this change. At this time, I can think of no additional ethics-related rules the Lake County Board should enact.Government transparency has been an important issue in recent years. Name one thing the county government or forest preserve district should do to improve transparency.Many of the County residents work during the day, county board meetings could be held in the evening when more of our constituents could attend and participate. However, the Lake County Board has received awards over the past two years from organizations that rate transparency in government. That is rather impressive. As a citizen I have yet to be thwarted from discovering information I was seeking either on-line or in person.Should the forest district use eminent domain to acquire the land needed for the final link in the Des Plaines River Trail? Why or why not? If your answer is no, how should officials go about acquiring that land sooner than later?I am against the use of eminent domain for most applications. I see no reason to deter from this position in the case of the missing 1,500 feet. Mr. Boznos has valid concerns regarding trespassing and has a large investment in his property. By all accounts, the deal will be made someday. Let us not infringe on one citizens rights for the sake of hastily providing recreational activities for others.What will be the biggest issue facing the county over the next decade, and how do you propose dealing with it?The biggest challenge Lake County will face in the next decade will be the ever increasing pressure of traffic congestion on our road system. We have already reached critical mass at various times of the day when it takes longer to get to the expressways, than does the commute to work on the expressways. We need to address the completion of the Route 53 extension and the implementation of a cross county limited access freeway incorporating Illinois Route 120.