Bob Getz: Candidate Profile

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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: ElginWebsite: Google Web Site: GetzForECCOffice sought: Elgin Community College School Board Age: 72Family: Married, three children with spouses and six grandchildrenOccupation: President, Practical Solutions Applications Serving VeteransEducation: Bachelor of Science, Loyola University, Chicago, 1965; Command and Staff Officers Course, Command and Staff College, 1983Civic involvement: Resolved problems with Elgin's Park District on bike paths, Elgin's Downtown Economic Development Group to bring residents downtown, Elgin and Kane County Transportation Offices to provide a Randal Road crosswalk and Kane County's Forest Preserve District/Corps of Engineers on environmental issues. Support our Veterans Three examples: Reuniting a Sailor with his Mother before she died. Obtaining a job and home for a former Soldier who was laid off. Assisting a former Marine with serious PTSD difficulties. At my Church, provided Religious Education Classes for 17 consecutive years, served on the Parish Board and was an active member.Elected offices held: Trustee, Elgin Community College (ECC), First Term 2003-2009, Re-Elected 2009-2015. Initiatives: Member of the Alliance for College Readiness, seeking to reduce the number of high school graduates not prepared for College. Member of the ECC Team Visit to the U.S. Department of Education briefing them on ECC's progress with College Access. Selected by the White House Community Leaders Briefing Series as a White House Volunteer to relay educational issues between the White House Staff and our Community. As a member of the U.S. Department of Education's Community College Summit, submitted a paper on our Veterans who would be attending college.Questions Answers With enrollment up at my many community colleges, it can be challenging to keep pace as far as available classroom/lab space, the number of qualified teachers and available course work options. How would you manage that?On the contrary, enrollments are not increasing at Elgin Community College. The number of students has decreased over the last few semesters. However, it is a minimal decrease which is not causing a problem. The reason for the decrease is the progress that has been made in the economy putting citizens to work after being retrained at our Community Colleges. In addition, Elgin Community College will open its Burlington Campus to our First Responders in the Spring of 2016. That will definitely provide an increase in enrollment. In addition, there is an initiative under consideration to allow Baccalaureates to be awarded by Community Colleges in Nursing and other technical areas. Should that be approved by the State's Legislature and Governor, the enrollment will again increase. Finally, the President's proposal to provide free Community College tuition for those attaining and maintaining specified grades over a two year period will definitely increase enrollment. With the overwhelming support it appears we see for this proposal, we need to immediately assess the impact.Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?I am a retired administrator from William Rainey Harper College. I have no family members employed at Elgin Community College.Is a tax rate increase needed and, if so, how do you justify it?At the present time, tax rate increases are controlled by state law. Each Community College taxing body is allowed to increase their local real estate tax rates by 5% or the Consumer Price Index - whichever is less. Other increases require the approval of the community's voters by referendum. It is highly unusual for a Community College taxing body not to submit a request to their supporting counties for anything less than that allowed by law. Since my first election in 2003, I have attempted to find a way to lower the ECC Real Estate Tax Rate to no avail. A few years ago, I came upon one way to lower the ECC Real Estate Tax Rate - Pay Off the Debt. The resultant payments required to pay for the accumulated debt of the College are submitted annually for inclusion in the Real Estate Tax Rates. If we could accelerate the payments for that debt, the Real Estate Tax Rate would be decreased by the counties as they determine the ECC Real Estate Tax Rates for the various Colleges. I believe my fellow Trustees need to work with me to develop this method of lowering the Real Estate Tax Rate for ECC and assist in finding other methods of holding back on the taxes we levy on our Community.Community colleges provide many services to a diverse population. Is there a service your college should be providing that it is not, or reaching a segment of the population that it is not?Yes! I see two areas where we can better serve our community. ECC and Harper College have hit the jackpot with their joint endeavor in Hanover Park's Education and Work Center. In our second semester, the classes were filled a week early. I predict a second jackpot will be hit when we open the Burlington Campus in the Spring Semester of 2016. I have already suggested that we begin to meet with the Mayors of our other communities across the district to determine their needs and support them with additional campus outreaches. As I've been saying for years, "We need to develop a â#128;~Ring Around Elgin!'" That's a College Ring that is available to all our residents. Next, we need to have that College Ring represent a Baccalaureate Degree. There is a second effort in process across the state to determine if Baccalaureates should be granted by Community Colleges for Nursing and Technical Degrees. Personally, I see that as a need for ECC to service its diverse population. That is a service we need to present to our Legislature for implementation at the first opportunity.What do you think of President Obama's proposal for offering two years of free community college education?First, we need to understand that this is not a proposal of free tuition for all two year Associate Degrees. It is a proposal for those who attain specified grade averages through their high school educations and maintain those grade averages in their college courses at a 30 hour or higher average each year. That is a limited group of high school graduates. It is my understanding that the funds to support this proposal will be provided with 75% federal and 25% state dollars. I'm not worried about the federal funds. I sat in the Gallery of the House when Speaker Newt Gingrich passed the no unfunded mandates law. However, I'm very worried about the state legislature which has burdened our Community Colleges with the unfunded mandate to pay for our Veterans' educational benefits and has reduced its funding for ECC from its responsibility of 33 and 1/3rd % to 8%. I believe it is an excellent opportunity for those who qualify to attain their Associate Degrees at the minimal cost but need to know in advance if the state is going to push the burden of funding down to the Community Colleges. Will they then authorize the Community College Taxing Entities to pass this cost on to our taxpayers with increased Real Estate Taxes?What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?There have been warnings - If the state loses its legislative action to reduce pension benefits, it will pass this cost on to the Community Colleges. We do not need to burden our local tax payers with another unpaid mandate. ECC's Bookstore profits needs to be returned to the students. That can be managed by lowering the 9% profit required by the College and developing other buy back options. Why make Associate Degrees any more expensive to attain. The efforts to Privatize ECC workforces needs to be eliminated. Privatization strikes at the very core of developing good employee relationships. It puts employees on notice that the College could care less for their performance. On the contrary, we need to develop an atmosphere of mutual respect and cooperation. The state's "Buy American" opportunity recently incorporated into the Community College Act needs to be incorporated into a very pro-active college initiative. While International Students are being invited to attend ECC from China and other countries, we must be vigilant that they do not displace local Community Students. The opportunity to share educational experiences with a world-wide student body is an excellent goal but we need to remember that our college is funded by our local communities for the education of our local students. Illinois students who cross Community College borders in Illinois have to pay a higher cost for their courses unless there is an agreement noting otherwise. There should be no additional cost for Illinois Students at Illinois Community Colleges.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Colin Powell - Secretary of State. "Fit no stereotypes. Don't chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team's mission."What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Make the right decisions even though they may be the most difficult decisions.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I don't have any regrets. I would do everything as I did it originally. I'm not one to look back but to move forward.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. It provides you with an understanding of how things develop - individually and world-wide. It provides one with a perspective.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Live your life to the fullest. Enjoy what you attain and work through the difficulties. Don't give up but drive on to attain the best.