Steven Thoren: 2025 candidate for Elgin city council
Bio
Office sought: Elgin City Council (Vote for 4)
City: Elgin
Age: 69
Occupation: Fundraising auctioneer
Previous offices held: Elgin City Council since 2021
What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the city council respond to it?
Like many cities, Elgin faces a challenge with the lead water line replacement to residents and businesses and the homeless issues. The lead lines have a mandate timeline and federal funding help is diminishing. As a council, we will need to work responsibly to address this important health issue without the funding affecting other areas of importance.
As for the Elgin homeless issue, we are very fortunate to have a homeless coordinator on the city staff who specializes and works with the homeless for support and help. Homeless is not just Elgin, but I believe we can be a leader in how we address it.
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?
Our finances are in very good shape. We need to be proactive moving forward as our requirements and needs continue to grow, but with federal funding and grants shrink. Elgin is very luck to have a city manager (Richard Kozal) who understands the needs in detail and has a very good working relationship with every department which results in excellent work. He has kept the taxes down as the city expenses grows.
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 lead pipe replacement is number one. Not only is it very important for our residents’ health, it is mandated and we are the leader in Illinois (even ahead of Chicago).
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 city council.
I work well with everyone. I exhibit a positive attitude at all times. I bring my hometown values in often when making decisions that affect many different residents and neighborhoods. I am a professional public speaker which is helpful when expressing my thoughts to colleagues and discussing topics including speaking effectively to the public.
What makes you the best candidate for the job?
I love Elgin. I am born here, attended U-46 schools graduating from Larkin High School, and graduated from Elgin Community College. I care about our town and the people who live here. I have a sense of pride of where I came from and where I live. I want to help the town and its residents in every way I can. Elgin is my city and your city.
What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
I recently addressed this with the no-solicitation ban. I witnessed a man in a wheelchair in the median on Route 31 almost get struck by an erratic driver. I felt the need to address the issue. I met with the city manager, the city attorney, and the chief of police. I learned the only way to address this successfully was to implement an “all or none” ban. Then I witnessed a second incident at the same location. This time a man was standing in the median with a sign, a semi truck was approaching from the south and the driver leaned out the window and dropped some dollars bills for him. The money blew past him into the southbound lanes and as he quickly turned to retrieve it, I thought I was about to see him get struck. He stopped himself in the nick of time.
This event prompted me to meet with the Elgin firefighters union and I shared my story. Being the concerning professionals that focus on safety as a priority, they agreed to collect at stores. The ordinance was created, brought to the council, and it passed unanimously.