Todd Scalzo: 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: WheatonWebsite: http://toddscalzo.comOffice sought: Wheaton City Council West District (4-year Term)Age: 34Family: Single. Parents still live in Wheaton. Three brothers. Nine nieces / nephews.Occupation: AttorneyEducation: The John Marshall Law School, Chicago, IL University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL Benet Academy, Lisle, IL St. Michael School, Wheaton, ILCivic involvement: Downtown Wheaton Association, Board Member / City Liaison Wheaton Chamber of Commerce, Member DuPage Mayors Managers Conference, Legislative Committee DuPage County Bar Association, Local Government Committee, Past Chair DuPage Justinian Society of (Italian-American) Lawyers, Past President St. Michael Church Wheaton Sport CenterElected offices held: Councilman, West District, May 2009-PresentHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Financial stability. Keeping the City's spending and revenues in line to ensure structural financial stability for the foreseeable future. Wheaton has balanced its budget without raising taxes for the last 3 years. The City has also received Moody's highest bond rating (Aaa). However, due to the fiscal crisis in Illinois State Government, the City would like to become less reliant on State funding. This is a difficult challenge that we hope to address over the next 4 years.Key Issue 2 Quality Infrastructure. Keeping our roads, sidewalks, water and sewer systems properly maintained and sustainable into the future. Working with utility companies such as ComEd to provide better service to Wheaton and respond to residents during storms and power outages.Key Issue 3 Effective Efficient Services. Providing services such as police, fire, public works, administration, engineering, planning zoning, building code enforcement, finance, IT, communications, and the library in the most effective manner and at the lowest cost.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I'm unopposed. I'm well aware this doesn't mean everybody agrees with me or has no complaints. But I think I've done a good job over the last 4 years; I'm honored and humbled to serve another 4 years; and I remain enthusiastic for the job and optimistic for Wheaton's future. My individual record includes: (1) attending 174 out of 175 City Council meetings and 9 out of 9 parades; (2) proposing Wheaton Grand Theater referendum; (3) opposing modification to original Courthouse Square Plan; (4) supporting Special Service Area #7, which funds Downtown Wheaton Association events such as Vintage Rides, Dickens of a Christmas, Chili Cook-Off, Taste of Wheaton, etc.; (5) putting City expenditures on-line; (6) re-routing Pace bus 747 off Hale St., making it safer for children of Southside Historic Neighborhood; (5) brokering a storage agreement with the Center for History, saving it $5K per year; (7) calling for conciliation during budget dispute with Wheaton Public Library; and (8) starting Wheaton's Annual Downtown Chili Cook-Off;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.Wheaton's local sales tax is just right. It is $0.01 per $1.00, which is the average for communities in DuPage County. For Fiscal Year 2012-13, the local sales tax is projected to collect $3.7M, accounting for 10% of the City's general fund of $38M. Since 2009, the local sales tax has helped the City balance its budget without raising taxes. At the same time, I don't believe it puts Wheaton businesses at a competitive disadvantage.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.Thankfully, Wheaton is a very safe community and I don't get approached too often with public safety concerns. One regular complaint is traffic enforcement, including speeding and street parking. When approached, I refer those matters to the Wheaton Police Department, which has always responded promptly by sending patrol cars to the affected area.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?The budget can always be trimmed by streamlining our existing operations. Thankfully, the City is constantly working on this, even though it doesn't make the headlines. Our City Manager, Assistant City Manager, and department heads have impressed me with their streamlining efforts. Recent examples include reviews of our vehicle and building replacement programs, which ensures that the City will get more out of its assets. On the other hand, I support the City's restoring modest funding to the Center for History (somewhere in the $50K / year range).What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?While I don't have any ideas that "no one is talking about yet," I have an opinion on 2 ideas that everybody talks about: 1) Vehicle underpasses in downtown Wheaton. This idea has been bandied about since Wheaton's founding, yet always gets dismissed as cost prohibitive. Of course, I understand this. But the City should at least establish a "railroad commission" that studies the issue, comes up with a long-term plan, and makes recommendations to the Mayor City Council. At that point we can accept or reject it. 2) Bring back the name, "Cream of Wheaton." Although the Wheaton Chamber of Commerce and Wheaton Park District have made great improvements to our annual summer festival, I respectfully call on them to change the name back. It's the one we all grew up with and which always set Wheaton apart. I have yet to talk to anyone who disagrees.