Frank Lazzara: 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:BioQA Bio City: Wood DaleWebsite: Facebook Alderman Frank Lazzara Wood Dale 1st WardOffice sought: Candidate did not respond.Age: 60Family: Married 39 years,children 2 girls 1 boy, 5 grandchildren. Parents mother and father in their 80's. 4 sisters. 7 nieces and nephews, and more Aunts, Uncles and cousins than I could count.Occupation: 30 years business owner. Transportation. High security delivery.Education: Graduate of Elmwood Park High School. Study business at Triton College 2 year Associate. Graduated from The University Of Hard Knocks. Opened my 1st business in 1979.Civic involvement: Knights Of Columbus Chamber Of Commerce Wood Dale Youth Sports Programs Sister City Sons Of Italy Law Enforcement Lodge Senior Citizens Club Sponsor Wood Dale Pet Showcase NESDRA Volunteer Homeless Shelters Make A Wish Foundation Breast Cancer WalkElected offices held: Student Council Member President 4 years Commissioner Wood Dale Youth Sports Programs 12 years Wood Dale Park Commissioner 8 years Wood Dale Alderman Ward 1.. 4 yearsQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Leadership, experience and honesty. 12 years of public service has giving me the connection and insight of our residents needs. Our forefathers have given us a gift. Our gift is to pass it forward to future generations. As we strive to improve on this gift, we must always remember to do this with love, truth and dignity. I have for years responded to my neighbors, I'm here to help and answer questions.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.Property tax always produces the required revenue for municipalities. A disadvantage to the taxpayer is that their liability is fixed, while their income is not. All taxing jurisdictions recognize that values of property may change over time. Thus, values must be redetermined periodically. Taxing jurisdictions provide a wide variety of methods a property owner may use to reduce tax. Homestead exemption, veterans exemptions, to name a few. Exemptions can be quite substantial. The current total local sales tax in Wood Dale is 8.250% Sales tax breakdown Illinois 6.250%....DuPage County 1.000%...Wood Dale 1.000%... These percentages speak for them self. It's easy to see were the funds are going to.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 can not say enough about our award winning first responders. Their mission statement says it all. They exist to promote safety and a feeling of security in the community by providing service in a fair, honest, prompt, cooperative, helpful, sensitive, and courteous manner to the satisfaction of our citizens. Rest assure this council will always help our police and fire coverage to be well prepared for now and decades to come.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The area that I would like to see more funds budgeted to would be our water fund. The raises from the City of Chicago and The DuPage Water Commission need to be offset. Our residents need some relief. We will be addressing this issue at or next budget meeting.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Our Wood Dale Vision Plan. With the construction of our new water treatment plant it positions Wood Dale to prosper from Interstate 390 corridor expansion.Our future growth from funds will enable us to improve our cities infrastructure, beautify and create a sense of place. All with out any additional taxes to our residents. Wood Dale can boast that along with the state, county and city, we have created more open land than any other town, city or village in DuPage county...Salt Creek in the very near future will have River Walks and Parks for all to enjoy. A gem in a friendly setting.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Of course the O'hare expansion and increase air plane noise. Our central premise is that both peace and an ecologically balanced environment are compatible with contemporary economic practices and growth. We are asking Chicago O'hare to create an environment conducive to peaceful coexistence.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope Francis.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Sharing must be a way of life, not an decree imposed by a person in authority. Sharing should be voluntary, not forced.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I really don't believe in do-overs. Each life experience has a purpose. Re-do anything would be to undo who you are and your life journey.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Social studies. You can go back in time. A chance to relive the past. I believe the fundamentals of success are leaned from our past.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be a gift to everyone who enters your life, and to everyone whose life you enter.