Michael Bielak: 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: AlgonquinWebsite: http://www.mikebielak.com/Office sought: Dundee Township Assessor (4-year Term)Age: 55Family: Married to Ronda, two adult children, Ashley and BrandenOccupation: Assessor Dundee TownshipEducation:Bachelors of Business Administration, Northwood UniversityAssociates Degree in Applied Science, Real Estate, Houston TXCertified Illinois Assessing Officer, (CIAO)Certified Assessing Officer, (CAE) International Association of Assessing OfficersCivic involvement: Involved in various after school programs prior to my children attending higher education.Vice Chairman, Dundee Township Republican Organization Past Treasure, Dundee Township Republican OrganizationElected offices held: Assessor, Dundee TownshipRepublican Committeeman Precinct #30Other Government Service: Harris County Appraisal District, Houston Texas, Supervising Commercial AppraiserCity of Farmington Hills Michigan, Assessor Level 1City of Dearborn Assessor's Office, Intermediate Supervisor - Data Collector Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 To provide the most accurate and uniform assessment as prescribed by the Illinois Statutes as efficiently as possible and on time. This is exceptionally difficult during these turbulent times when foreclosures and short sales have such a huge impact on the remaining inventory in the marketplace. Our office reviews and considers all sales activity that come through our office.Key Issue 2 To continue to make the public knowledgeable of the assessing process and the tax calendar timeline a priority. Open communications improve public relations and provide knowledge with due process regarding the assessment of their property. I am a proponent of yearly assessment notices being mailed to each taxpayer at the same time of year regardless if the assessment has changed or not. All taxpayers should be aware of their actual taxable value prior to the close of the appeal deadline for that year. A mere publication of a proposed equalization factor in the classifieds of an obscure newspaper is hardly a prudent attempt to notify the public of any proposed changes to their assessment.Key Issue 3 Candidate did not respondQuestions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.While I am interested and concerned about the overall township board and their operations, that is not the focus or responsibility of the Assessor's Office. That function belongs with the township supervisor, and the trustees. In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what? The assessor has no involvement with land acquisitions for the local municipalities. I do believe in less government especially when it causes duplication of services amongst state and local governmental jurisdictions. I do not foresee any new roles that a township should be taking on. What should be the primary responsibility of township government?The primary responsibilities should remain as laid out by state statutes. Those responsibilities include, funding the assessor's office, cemetery and the road district.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?Paper and printing costs have increased tremendously because of the increase in property assessment appeals over the last five years. Our office could have saved over five-thousand dollars in paper and printing costs if it did not have to produce six copies of our evidence for the Kane County Board of Review hearings. In our office, all of our paper correspondence is now scanned into our PAMS computer application and is available for immediate electronic retrieval.What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township?Property assessing is my chosen professional career. As your current Assessor, I have over 30 years experience in mass appraisal, property assessment administration and tax software support. I am an advocate for the residential taxpayer at the state and local levels, fighting for legislation that supports taxpayers rights.