George Dunham: 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: SchaumburgWebsite: being developedOffice sought: Schaumburg Village Board Age: 66Family: Married to Diane 4/15/73. One married adult daughter. One grandchild.Occupation: Human Resources Consultant / Executive Recruiter s/eEducation: Attended University of Tulsa, Oklahoma 1966-70. Public Administration major, Political Science minor.Civic involvement: One of three founders of Lexington Fields South Homeowners Association in 1979. Appointed to Ad-Hoc Committee on Residential Development 1983 and 2002. Plan Commission member 1989 - 1991. Schaumburg Business Development Commission since 1991. Past Chair of Health Human Services Committee, past member of Transportation Committee. Member of Schaumburg Regional Airport Advisory Committee since 1995, and Chairman 2000 - 2003 and 2007 - 2008. Chair Finance, Legal, and General Government Committee, member of Public Safety Committee and Planning, Building and Development Committee. Appointed to National League of Cities Public Safety and Crime Prevention Policy and Advocacy Committee in 2013.Elected offices held: Elected Village Trustee 1991, re-elected 1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Experience and dedication to task. Comprehensive knowledge of village government gained from extensive involvement. My only focus is on village government, and I have no intention to use the position of village trustee to leverage a future race for state or federal office.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.No one likes paying local taxes. However, that said, village sales and property taxes at current levels are necessary to fund the level of services Schaumburg residents have come to expect. I am on record as supporting annual reductions in village property taxes as much as possible in keeping with our promise to our voters. An improving economy evidenced by strong sales tax revenue at current levels, paid by those who patronize our wide variety of retail establishments and restaurants regardless of where they live, allows for continued reductions in village property taxes and contributions to our Capital Improvement budget.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?Schaumburg provides outstanding police, fire, emergency medical, and haz-mat services. The Schaumburg police department was the first in Illinois to receive a CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) rating, and is on track to receive its ninth re-accreditation in 2015. Schaumburg's fire department maintains a Class 2 ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating, which is superior for a community of our size. Going forward, training in both departments is pro-active and is constantly being evaluated, updated, and conducted to meet future challenges.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Schaumburg's budget is under constant review. Village departments are tasked to carefully consider all expenditure requests based on necessity and benefit to the community, and to actively look for trade-offs that enable money-saving substitutions.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Land is available on village hall grounds for a variety of public uses. When feasible, I would like to begin long-range planning for creation of a colorful municipal outdoor flower garden that would be designed and maintained by volunteers.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?To continue reducing local property taxes every year as promised to the voters. To retain Schaumburg's AAA financial rating by Moody's and Standard Poor's. To maintain an appropriate and responsible reserve fund balance to address emergency situations and/or unexpected changes in economic climate. To continue Schaumburg's tradition of "progress through thoughtful planning" to allow appropriate residential, commercial, and industrial development that will maintain and enhance village revenues and make our community the best place to live, work, play, and shop. I also strongly support continuing partnerships with school and park districts, and the township, to increase service, educational and recreational opportunities for all our residents.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Dr. Edwin Strong, Professor and Chairman of the Political Science Department at University of Tulsa when I was a student there.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Realizing that decisions made in haste and directions taken without careful consideration have unexpected and lasting consequences.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have taken a different educational path, possibly leading to a more technical career.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Geometry was my most favorite subject, however English composition was most useful in forming the basis for whatever communications skills I now possess.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Carefully consider what you think are good decisions in the short term, and imagine how they may affect your future in years to come.