John Davis: 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: Villa ParkWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Villa Park Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 45Family: I am married to Kelly and I have three daughters Tiffany Crystal and JessicaOccupation: Retired/ DisabledEducation: Candidate did not respond.Civic involvement: I have been on the Villa Park Board since 2006. I was an operation Lifesaver presenter up until recently. I continue to strive for public safety. Commissions held: Presidents commission on rail safety Safety Commission liaison Villa Park Pride Commission liaison Police and Fire Commission liaisonElected offices held: Villa Park Trustee 2006- presentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Continue to push development within our town limits with integrityKey Issue 2 Finding ways to repair our streets with the least impact financially on our residentsKey Issue 3 Continue with open government without corruption or outside influenceQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I became involved in local government because I care about the Villa Park community and place a priority on the interests of this town and its residents. As a member of the Village Board, I continue to make decisions that are in the best interests of the residents, regardless of personal opinions. I will remain dedicated to promoting open and honest communication in Villa Park while paying specific attention to the delicate balance between the need for revenue and the danger of over-taxing local businesses and the residents.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.With our streets crumbling around us, it is important to allocate as much tax monies to the Village for street repairs. With that being said, under the current Village President, taxes have greatly increased, placing a burden on our residents. It is the responsibility of the Village Board to evaluate the tax income levels and see if any changes need to be addressed. I believe that we can eliminate the eating tax.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 recent years, Villa Park has had an influx of drug activity and it is an ongoing challenge that our Police Department faces everyday. Since the installation of the new Police Chief, the new administration has been able to return to DUMEG and we once again have the resources essential to combating this growing problem. The program provides us with Intel for our undercover officers that are unknown to drug dealers, which improves the effectiveness and safety of our law enforcement. This, coupled with the experience of our Police Chief and officers, allows us to make great strides in the reduction of drug trafficking in our town. Drugs will never go away unless there is less demand, but if we continue to make it hard to buy or sell within our town limits we are making advances. In these tight economic times municipal budgets have to be prioritized.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?Although at this point there are minimal reductions that can be done, the Village Board does its share to reducing our budgets. The manpower of all Village Departments are at the minimal levels which allow the Village to continue to function. The talent of our Village staff allows them to work with fewer people while continuing the productivity of a fully staffed department. As a cost saving measure, I would like to see an increase in fuel economy vehicles used in town. I would like to see more money put into the fire department for additional staff and vehicles. Our Fire Department equipment is aging and are the most expensive equipment that the village owns. The Village has no real funding to replace any of them. In fact, the last ambulance we replaced was actually refused by the board. I fought for a new one for months before the board realized that a falling ceiling in an ambulance is not good for anyone. We purchased a new ambulance and funded it by increasing the fee slightly.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?To utilize the cert and cpa programs during events or emergencies within our town. With reduced manpower this could reduce the cost of call back within all departments. It also increases the awareness of Village issues to the community and allows residents to contribute to the condition of the community