Rick Dudek: 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: CaryWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Cary Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 57Family: Married Wife-Jannet Son-David Daughter-DianaOccupation: Group Manager-Wells Fargo Business BankingEducation: MBA-DePaul University 1982 Bachelor of Science in Business Admnistration-DePaul University 1977Civic involvement: Kiwanis (Libertyville/Mundelein/Vernon Hills)Elected offices held: Village Trustee-Village of Cary (2005 to present) Village Trustee-Village of Mundelein (1995-1999)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I am committed to bringing quality new commercial development into Cary, both for the vacant parcels within our Town, as well as underutilized sites Village-wide. The Town deserves more choices for fine dining as well as casual eating, and seems ripe for a possible specialty grocery store as well.Key Issue 2 We need to strengthen the look, feel, and destination effect of our central business district, and the Maplewood School property represents a prime redevelopment site directly in our core Downtown District. The Board should be visionaries as it relates to the potential future use of this site, and not accept less than optimal redevelopment plans or uses.Key Issue 3 The feel of our Board has shifted in the last two years, from one of respect for each other as elected officals, to one that feels very uncomfortable at times and frankly, unprofessional. The residents deserve better, and I want to see our Board move away from issues of the past that nothing can be done about, and become much more focused on the challenges and opportunities that Cary faces today and into the future.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Having only lived in Town for 10 years, I do not have the connections to the past that can sometimes make decisions difficult. There are no special interests I need to serve, and it has always been and will continue to be my focus to be an independent voice of reason that will always support positions that best serve the residents and the long-term viability of our Town.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.I see no reason to raise our sales tax rate, if that is what you're asking, but it is incumbent on the Board to do all we can to attract quality new sales-tax generating development to Cary. Several of my Board colleagues support filling vacancies for purposes of just filling the space, and I feel this is not a way to bring long-term, quality businesses to Cary. One only need to look at Towns that use "transitional tenants" to fill vacancies, and the rate at which that space again becomes vacant is easily greater than locations where quality tenants had been added to begin with.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.I believe that most parents today are very concerned over the potential of a tragic event occuring at any level of today's school systems. The Board years ago recognized the value of having an officer present within our High School, and parents of these young adults feel much more comfortble knowing that should a situation arise, we have provided as best we can for a safe environment for our children.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?It is very easy to suggest more cuts can take place, and it should be pointed out again that the Village is running, and running effectively, with a workforce considerably down from when I entered office. Decisions involving consolidations, partnering with surrounding Towns for service, and outsourcing as appropriate have saved our residents hundreds of thousand of dollars and controlled taxes. Our management team is constantly looking for other opportunities for lowering operating expenses, and I am very confident we are a leader in McHenry County in seeking ever increasing efficiencies. We review expenditures constantly, and I feel that we are adequately supporting the needs of the Community as they exist today. Having said that, the Board is always flexible as to addressing any needs that arise unplanned, and our historic fiscal prudence allows us to be able to do so.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I wouldn't say it's one idea, but rather I would suggest that I tend to be more forward thinking than most and I am not one to simply accept the status quo or an easy "yes". So while some may talk about filling space with any type of business, regardless of perception, I focus on the quality of life we offer here in Cary, and challenge myself to be creative and strategic in my actions in order to protect what we currently have and attract businesses that will only enhance the look, the feel, and the financial viability of the Village of Cary.