Lauren Plescia: 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: VoloWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Volo Village Board Age: 37Family: I have been married to my husband, Christopher, for 10 years and we have three school aged children.Occupation: Stay at Home ParentEducation: B.A. in History and American Studies from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. M.S. in Natural Resource Management and Administration from Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire.Civic involvement: I volunteer at Big Hollow School in my children's classroom and am a member of the Citizen's Advisory Council.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?An ideal candidate for this position is one that truly embraces and believes in the future of community, as well as its development, growth and success. Volo prides itself on being "A Family Community" and as such, it is imperative that the voices and the interests of the families within our community are represented. As a mother of three school aged children, my role on the Village Board would be to advocate for our families, children and schools.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.The property tax in Volo is high and as a result, prohibitive to many potential home buyers. Volo is seated in a great location and has the potential to attract businesses whose presence in the community would help to reduce property taxes.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?Volo is patrolled by the Lake County Sheriff's Department. The officers assigned to our community are friendly, family oriented, and work closely with residents for the betterment of the Village. In addition to maintaining the safety of our community, these officers can often be observed going out of their way to interact with our children, taking these opportunities to teach and reinforce safety lessons. As a result of these observations and interactions, I am very pleased with our current police and fire coverage.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?While Volo does not have a large budget surplus, there are always alternatives to how budget models operate and how a community prioritizes its spending. As such, it is imperative that new ideas and perspectives are heard and considered.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Volo has much to offer to current and prospective residents; however, as a family community, the absence of a park district is to the detriment of the families that reside in the Village. If residents want to participate in classes and activities, they must register through park districts in a neighboring town or village. As we are not residents of these communities, Volo residents do not receive priority registration for classes which are often filled before we have the opportunity to register, in addition to being subjected to out-of-district fees. The Village of Volo should seek opportunities for collaboration with neighboring park districts in order to better serve our residents. One possibility would be to have the village reimburse residents for the out of district fees they incur from the other park districts when registering. As a former employee of the Chicago Park District, I have witnessed firsthand the benefits of park districts and their ability to connect residents and strengthens communities.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?As a proud resident of Volo, I wish to be an active contributor to the betterment of my community. I seek to lend my voice and insights to the areas that impact families the most: safety, schools, and the long-term prosperity of our village.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg serves as an example as to how women can balance personal and professional ambitions to while fighting gender equality.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The lesson instilled in me and my siblings is that grit and perserverance are essential attributes to being successfull in any endeavor.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Life's experiences are the foundation for who we become as individuals. Therefore, I would not choose to alter any events or experiences.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?The study of government helped instill a passion for human equality, social activism and democratic collaboration for the betterment and advancement of society.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I encourage my children to find and cultivate their authentic selves, embrace who they are as individuals and respect others for who they are.