James "Jim" Banks: 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: RoselleWebsite: http://www.friendsforjimbanks.comOffice sought: Roselle Village President (4-year Term)Age: 45Family: Married, four childrenOccupation: Attorney at Law and EntrepreneurEducation: Bachelor of Arts in Criminal/Social Justice, Lewis University, 1996 Juris Doctorate and International Law Certificate, Chicago-Kent College of Law, 1999 Legal Study Abroad Program, University College London, UKCivic involvement: National Eagle Scouts Association Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity Addison Ice Arena Youth HockeyElected offices held: Justice (President), Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Blackstone ChapterHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: I have never been convicted of any crime. However, as an 18-year-old I was arrested for misdemeanor theft. It was a case of mistaken identity and the matter was dismissed. Other than that unfortunate incident, I have never been arrested for any crime.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Development Planning and development of our residential and commercial areas lacks vision. Simply put, we shouldn't be doing this on our own. As Village President, I will help guide Roselle into the future by reaching out to other local governments with successful urban plans for advice and input and by employing a civil engineering firm to restructure and develop our downtown area. In addition, I will support our Park District, Garden Club and local businesses to help improve and beautify our parks, specifically Turner Park. I believe Turner Park needs to be a priority. As the first thing drivers see as they enter Downtown Roselle from the North, Turner Park currently makes a less than optimalfirst impression? about our village. By collaborating with a local nursery for sponsorship, I see an opportunity to transform Turner Park into the centerpiece of our community.Key Issue 2 Infrastructure Our infrastructure needs improvement. Many of our roads need resurfacing and many of our neighborhoods are without sidewalks and curbs. As part of the overall infrastructure improvement pledge, I advocate a plan for burying our power lines. Roselle residents are more than familiar with power outage issues in our community. (see https://prev.dailyherald.com/story/?id=137639). In fact, many of you might remember the power outage that was caused by a storm last summer that left some of our neighbors and friends without power for days. (see http://www.roselle.il.us/index.aspx?NID=551) I?m sure many of you have seen the tree crews pruning our community's trees around Roselle's overhead power lines: I don't think this is the answer. Burying our power lines will reduce power outages, increase safety and beautify our community. By partnering with a capable engineering firm, the Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), we will put together a plan to convert the overhead power lines to underground lines using federal grants. (see http://www.fema.gov/mitigationbp/bestPracticeDetailPDF.do?mitssId=6371)Key Issue 3 Transparency For our local government to be more effective, citizens need access to the information about what our local government does. Proactive transparency is the best way to inform the community about the actions of their government. In a transparency study done by the Illinois Policy Institute, Roselle scored an unacceptable 28 out of a possible 100 points. (see http://www.illinoispolicy.org/blog/blog.asp?ArticleSource=2987). As Village President, I will work with organizations such as the Illinois Policy Institute to improve Roselle's online transparency strategy and I pledge to double our online transparency score during my first term. Furthermore, I will employ a collaborative effort utilizing the knowledge and expertise of our residents, village staff, business partners and the village board to develop the best solutions for our community. I will also encourage open discussion of important issues and maintain anopen door? policy to all Roselle citizens.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I believe that my diverse background as a law enforcement officer, businessman and attorney combined with my strong interpersonal skills and sound platform make me the best candidate to tackle the issues facing our community.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.As a fiscal conservative, I oppose all tax increases. However, further exploration of "Home Rule" is warranted because it may provide us with additional sources of revenue, decrease our dependence on property taxes, and lessen the burden on residents to pay for services the Village provides. Roselle has been considering Home Rule since at least 2009 (see http://www.roselle.il.us/archives/38/091019COWMin.pdf). Currently, Village Code imposes Amusement, Municipal Hotel, and Eating Establishment taxes. AHome Rule Sales Tax? will allow us the additional flexibility to explore alternative revenue sources from non-residents to balance future budgets and fund needed infrastructure improvements. I plan to speak with Roselle residents and businesses in order to get their input regarding a Home Rule Referendum to determine whether it's right for our community. For more information about Home Rule, see http://www.cityoflakeforest.com/pdf/cg/HRqa.pdf. For more information about Home Rule Sales Tax including its definition and answers to frequently asked questions, see http://tax.illinois.gov/LocalGovernment/Overview/HowDisbursed/10028.PDFTalking 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.Protecting Our Children Without a doubt, our biggest public safety concern today is protecting our children. As a former Police Officer, I am committed to working closely with the Roselle Police Department to ensure that it has the necessary tools to do its job, and, in light of recent acts of violence against children, enhance security in our schools.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?Without the benefit of being involved in the day-to-day operations of our Village, it would be imprudent to comment on what, if any, budget modifications should be made. However, after a review of the FY 2013 Proposed Budget it appears that there may be numerous ways to conserve funds. Such as measures to increase the longevity of our computer hardware and fleet of vehicles beyond theuseful life? expiration dates established by the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and seeking competitive bids on products, services and insurance coverage on a regular basis. Moreover, it appears that the current administration makes capital expenditures on projects using Village monies without exploring alternative means of funding. For example, the September 24, 2012 Board approval ofundergrounding? utilities at the intersection of Roselle and Irving Park Roads (see http://www.roselle.il.us/archives/37/120924VBAgenda.pdf) involved spending TIF funds totaling $225,093.81 to pay for the undergrounding when perhaps federal grants could have been pursued and acquired for this project.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Helping Our Senior Citizens I advocate the formation of a Senior Services Commission dedicated to programs and services that ensure the well-being of our mature residents. Protecting Our Children In light of recent acts of violence against children, I will seek to enhance security in our schools. Beautifying Turner Park With the help and cooperation of the Roselle Park District and Garden Club combined with local business sponsorship, I see an opportunity to transform Turner Park into the centerpiece of our community.