Gary Pilafas: 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: Hoffman EstatesWebsite: http://www.votepilafas.comOffice sought: Hoffman Estates Village Board Age: 46Family: Michelle Pilafas - Wife Austin Pilafas - Son Joshua Pilafas - Son Jonathan Pilafas - Son Caleb Pilafas - Son Susan Pilafas - Mother James Pilafas - Father Tonja Pilafas - SisterOccupation: EngineerEducation: Bachelors Degree - Aviation, Southern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Palatine Township Zoning Board Hoffman Estates Park District Community Representative Hoffman Estates Veterans Commission Hoffman Estates Art's Commission Hoffman Estates Sustainability Commission Hoffman Estates Emerging Technologies Commission Schaumburg Bikeways Advisory Committee Hoffman Estates Sears Centre Ad Hoc CommitteeElected offices held: Village Trustee and Deputy MayorQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?What makes me the best candidate for the job is my ability to collaborate with several different private and public group to continue growing Hoffman Estates to greatness. I am currently the Chair of the Villages Finance Committee where I was able to collaborate with the Citizens of our Volunteer Capital Improvement Board and other Elected Officials on an 8-year capital improvement plan that has dedicated funding sources for storm water flow and retention, Public Street reconstruction and resurfacing and large capital rolling stock like Snow Plows, Fire Trucks, etc. As the Chair of Finance the Sears Centre Arena reports to me and I have worked on a daily basis since March of 2010 to ensure that the Arena is operationally profitable as well as working to pay off the capital debt of our loan as soon as possible to ensure that the Arena is not an additional burden to our tax paying businesses and residents. I currently serve as the Chair of the Emerging Technology Commission with a group of technically savy volunteers where we analyze, discuss and recommend new technologies that will potentially have both a positive and negative impact on our Businesses and Residents. I serve on the Arts Commission, Veterans Commission and Platzkonzert Commission which keeps me very integrated with the Residents of our Community. I coordinate and schedule CEO lunches with the large Enterprise businesses in Hoffman Estates which keeps me abreast of all of our business concerns and developments.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.My opinion of the present level of local sales and property taxes in Hoffman Estates is that they are just right. In my tenure as the Chair of the Finance Committee the Village has not raised property taxes. In terms of Sales Taxes the Village has also not raised our Sales Tax. What I voted for in 2013 was an increase in the taxes on packaged liquor, petrol and utilities which provides dedicate funding sources towards the street revitalization plan, rolling stock capital replacement like Snow Plows, Fire Trucks, etc. and storm water flow and drainage.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?In the past year we have hired 7 new Firemen which has the department at full manning. One of the positive changes that I voted for was to require new candidates to already be certified Paramedics. This positive change allows for the new hires to require less training time before they can perform their duties as hired. I also collaborated to coordinate meetings between our Village Manager and the Executive Board of our local Fire Union to help draft and pass a new 6 year contract which eliminated all pending arbitrations and litigations which were potentially very expensive for both the Village and the member Union. In the past year we have also hired several new Police Officers and are at full manning. One of the positive changes that I voted for was a new schedule for the Police Patrol Officers. This was a change that raised the level of our Police coverage which was also something that the Officers wanted. I also voted on a multi-year police contract for both of our Police Unions. In summary, I believe we are well prepared for this next decade. Other than our continued efforts around regionalization at this time I don't see any need for changes. I also don't have any specific public safety concerns.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The current budget is very trim and provides the correct balance between supporting essential services (Police, Fire, and Public Works) as well as continuing to grow the Community of Hoffman Estates to greatness around Economic Development, Code Enforcement, General Government functions as well as the continued support of the Hoffman Estates volunteer commissions. One area that the budget does not currently give enough money is the Capital Improvements around Water. Due to the drastic water rate increases imposed by the City of Chicago through the recession the Village chose not to immediately transfer this burden to the residents and businesses of the Village. Due to this decision a water rate study is underway that may require some catch up in the Capital Improvement Plan over the next few years.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?One of the ideas that I have that no one is talking about yet is a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) that covers the boundaries of the Village of Hoffman Estates in the form of a meshed cellular network. A system like this could elevate the levels of our essential services that the Village provides by providing faster data to first responders. The DAS technology could also allow Hoffman Estates businesses and residents to leverage the DAS that would allow for secure data transfer for multiple uses. This is a next generation technology that is going to potentially be radically disruptive in terms of next generation communications.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?One of the largest issues that is important to me as a candidate for this office is transportation. Many of our residents who need employment also need transportation. This need includes our regular population as well as our population with Special needs. I am working with High School District 211 who is in the process of moving their Adult Transition Program (ATP) to Hoffman Estates at their Hoffman Estates High School location which has no mode of public transportation for this population of resident. I am initiating discussions with our Village of Hoffman Estates Transportation Department as well as PACE to investigate if we can re-commission PACE route 555 now that the ridership has increased on the other Hoffman Estates PACE routes 554 and 610. Another issues that is very important to me is the reduction of the Village's debt, the refinancing of our current bonds and the increase of our financial rating. All of these issues will need attention during the next four years.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.A current leader who most inspires me is Bill Hybles from Willow Creek Community Church.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The biggest lesson I learned at home growing up was to respect everyone that I come in contact with and to work hard through life.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?If life gave me one do-over I may have chosen a different career path in either law or medicine as these are both passion areas.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject in school that has helped me later in life is religion which strengthened me as a person for all that I encountered.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Work on building a strong faith that provides you with strong convictions that will provide you the proper navigation through your lives.