Jesse Rojo: 2025 candidate for Barrington village board

Bio

Office Sought: Barrington village board (Vote for 3)

City: Barrington

Age: 29

Occupation: Executive director of the Evanston Early Childhood Council and coordinator for the United Palatine Coalition

Previous offices held: None

What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it?

The three biggest issues facing Barrington are community safety, downtown walkability, and sustainable growth.

Community safety is the most urgent. I will push for pedestrian gates at train crossings and recruit crosswalk guards to protect our children. Long term, I am committed to completing the Route 14 Underpass project, which has been in progress for over 15 years.

To improve downtown walkability, I will enhance sidewalks and collaborate with nonprofits to host more community events. While the Village is advancing projects like the Park Avenue plaza, I want greater community input, especially from nonprofits.

Finally, while preserving Barrington’s small-town charm, we must embrace sustainable growth. I will seek grants for family-friendly programs and invest in small businesses to revitalize downtown — ensuring Barrington remains a safe, vibrant, and welcoming community.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

Thanks to the fiscal responsibility of our current board, the village is in a strong financial position, entering 2025 with a $50.1 million budget. This is important, as we have several upcoming projects that will require significant time, effort, and financial resources. It is also important to monitor the status of federal funding to local municipal governments and how that may negatively impact Barrington.

With that said, the priority now that I’m excited to contribute to is ensuring the implementation of an underpass to help mitigate any traffic concerns and ensure sustainable growth for the village.

In the meantime, for the sake of community safety, I also hope to prioritize funding and efforts to ensure pedestrian gates at train crossings.

With regards to putting projects on the back burner, I’m excited to bring my nearly 10 years of nonprofit experience to this position, so we can increase grant writing as well as nonprofit collaboration, and therefore ensure that we can expand village programs without raising taxes. This is something that has been done successfully in neighboring villages, and I’m excited to bring that to Barrington.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

The most important infrastructure project that has to be addressed is the Route 14 underpass. We have to dedicate as much of our efforts to complete this project (which began over 15 years ago), so as to mitigate traffic concerns, and ensure sustainable growth in Barrington.

In terms of funding, while this project is complex, the vast majority of funds will come from non-village sources. A welcomed relief to Barrington families.

I don’t see the need to cut projects or programs. Instead, I’m excited to bring my nonprofit experience to collaborate with other nonprofits and have increased grant writing so that we can have more programs for the families of Barrington without having increased taxes.

While aesthetic projects like the new plaza on Park Avenue are certainly a worthy goal, my concern first will be to ensure that families are receiving the services that they need which will be done through nonprofit collaboration. At the same time, we have to create a more vibrant downtown through programs that attract people, especially young families.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board.

First, during my eight years of service in the U.S. Army Reserves, I worked with people from all walks of life. Through this experience, I learned that finding common ground is possible as long as people make the effort. I am eager to bring this mindset to the village, as I believe that while our politics may be divided, our people are not — and I am excited to demonstrate that at the local level.

Outside of the military, I have extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, where I have collaborated with multiple organizations that share similar goals. I look forward to bringing this collaborative approach to the village, ensuring families are connected to the resources they need. On top of this, my experience in the field has shown me how to meticulously manage a budget, maximizing efficiency and results.

I am thrilled to bring my experience into managing the work of the village. I will strive to ensure that the village is without wasteful spending, prioritizes transparency and integrity, and is aligned with the hopes of the families of Barrington.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I hope folks will vote for me for trustee because of my dedication to service, my nonprofit experience, and my belief in unity. Even more I hope that folks don’t just vote for me, but vote for my vision for change, my vision for a Brighter Barrington:

• Reduce local tax reliance with strategic grant writing so as to expand programs — without raising taxes

• Support small businesses with technical support, collaboration, and community outreach

• Streamline community services by partnering with local nonprofits

• Enhance downtown walkability with more crosswalks and safety measures

• Support our veterans through housing affordability, priority hiring, and mental health outreach

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

One new idea I am excited to bring to the village of Barrington is increasing nonprofit collaboration and strategic grant writing. By doing so, we can efficiently connect families with essential resources and expand programs — without raising taxes. I believe this approach will help Barrington fulfill its promise of being a welcoming and supportive home for families.