Anise Hesson: Candidate Profile

Back to North Aurora Village Board

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:BioQA Bio City: North AuroraWebsite: n/aOffice sought: North Aurora Village Board Age: 45Family: I have one son, Michael, who is 12 years old and attends Jewel Middle SchoolOccupation: AccountantEducation: I have a Bachelors Degree in Accountancy from DePaul University in Chicago. I also have any Associates Degree in Arts from the College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL.Civic involvement: North Aurora Mothers Club (NAMC)2005-Present; President of NAMC 2011-2012; Member of the North Aurora Days Committee since 2008; Member of the Goodwin School PTA from 2008 - 2014; North Aurora Police Department Pension Board Clerk 2012 - Present.Elected offices held: NoneQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have lived in the Village since 1996 and I've been involved with the Village and the community for the past 10+ years in various capacities. Being a member of the North Aurora Mothers Club, I've worked closely with the Village to plan events such as the Parade, the Community Dinner and North Aurora Days. I feel that I have a good working knowledge of how the Village Government works and also have a good understanding of the community as a whole. I am a team player and a hard worker. I would like to bring my experience and knowledge to the Village Board and hope to make a true difference in the town that I live in.What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.North Aurora's sales tax rate is at 7.5% which is much lower than the surrounding towns - Aurora is at 8.25% and Batavia is at 8%. I think this would be a very good incentive for new businesses to come to North Aurora. As far as property taxes go, I feel they are high but so are all the property taxes around us.Rate the efficiency of your town's police and fire coverage. Are the departments well prepared for the next decade? What, if anything, should be changed? Do you have specific public safety concerns?I feel that both our fire department and our police department are more than prepared for the next decade. Our fire department has a training facility in the Village and we also have 2 fire stations to better serve the community. Our police department has a state of the art facility with a gun range. The police have done an excellent job creating programs to get the citizens involved including the Citizens Police Academy and the CERT program. For our town's size, I feel very safe with both of our police and fire departments.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Candidate did not respond.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Candidate did not respond.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?North Aurora is small tight knit community. I would like to see more community involvement in all aspects of the Village. Starting with plans for a new community center. We also need to bring more businesses to town - hoping to develop/rejuvenate the Rt 31 corridor and continue to expand along Orchard Road. I hope to improve communication between the Village Board and the community.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Candidate did not respond.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To work hard and do the best you can in all aspects of life and work.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Candidate did not respond.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I tell my son to get involved as much as he can. One person can make a difference but you have to involved.