Greg Schwarze: 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: Carol StreamWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Carol Stream Village Board Age: 48Family: Daughter McKenzie 19 Daughter Lauren 18Occupation: Firefighter/Paramedic with the Carol Stream Fire District. Also served as Carol Stream Fire DistrictEducation: Bachelor of Science degree from Illinois State University. Multiple Fire Science Certifications and State Licensed ParamedicCivic involvement: Carol Stream Village Trustee (2007-Present); Carol Stream Rotary Club (2010-2013); Lions Club (1995-1999); Youth Softball Coach (2000-2012); Youth Basketball Coach (2001-2012); Carol Stream Character Counts Coalition (2004-2009); Carol Stream Seniors Team (2004-2009); Sunday School Teacher (2001-2006): Church Council Member (2004-2005);Elected offices held: Carol Stream Village Trustee (2007- Present); Bloomingdale Township Precinct 43 Committeeman (2009-2013); Carol Stream Professional Firefighters Local 3192 Secretary-Treasurer (2003-2007); Steward (2012-Present)Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I think the first and best reason is to take a look at the financial accomplishments made during my 8 years in office. In the history of Carol Stream, no elected board has had more struggles financially than we have had during my tenure in office. But hard work was put in by the Board and Village staff and tough decisions were made. We were able to combat the incredible loss of revenue a few years ago without enacting a village property tax, and without sacrificing the basic services provided to our citizens! We also didn't dip into our reserves. I believe the experience I've gained during these tough economic times, will give me an advantage in dealing with the tough economy decisions the next 4 years. On a more personal note... I really and truly care about the people of our community! As a Carol Stream Firefighter and Paramedic, and after serving 7 years as the Fire District's Public Education Coordinator, I have a very real understanding of the people that live and work here. Whether I have been invited into homes and businesses to teach fire safety or CPR, or have had to visit during terrible emergency situations, I have had opportunities to see and hear concerns from all walks of life from our community. I will always listen to the concerns of everyone I meet. I will try to put myself in their shoes and make the best informed decision I can make.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.Carol Stream does NOT have a Village Property tax. The majority of our revenue comes from sales tax. We have been able to persevere during the toughest of economic times without enacting a village property tax. I will continue to support a ZERO property tax.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?As a firefighter/paramedic, I work closely with our police officers regularly and I can tell you that we have the most professional,best trained, and dedicated officers in the entire area. The respect and care they have for the residents they serve is worn on their sleeves. Because of the excellent training, top notch leadership, and forward thinking policies, the police department has excelled and remained proactive and prepared for the future. My only concern is making sure we are appropriately staffed. Our police department seems to do more "with less" than many comparable departments. We need to make sure we continue to staff appropriately to keep our men and women in blue safe along with the people in our community. The Fire Department is not managed by the Village.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Because Carol Stream does not have a secure revenue source (no village property tax), there is little waste in the budget. Our staff and elected officials have done an incredible job over the past few years to work with a balanced budget, even as the revenues dropped by millions. There have been no layoffs, no borrowing or dipping into the reserves. Because of this the budget is tight and appropriate to meet the needs of our residents.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I would love to see Carol Stream re-brand itself. Because we have no village property tax and rely heavily on sales tax, it continues to be extremely important to bring in new businesses that earn sales tax. The Community Development department has done an incredible job bringing in business, and they deserve recognition for that. I'm interested in seeing what more we can do to attract business.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Because we rely so heavily on sales tax, it is so important to remind residents to "Shop in Carol Stream". I will continue to push local shopping to the forefront of the public's conscious.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My Deputy Fire Chief Robert Hoff. He shares his capacious knowledge and experience, but more importantly he teaches the importance of firefighting brotherhood.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Love and the importance of family.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?My failed marriageWhat was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My degree is in psychology. It has given me tools to work with others, even when there are differing viewpoints.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Even in the best of circumstances, relationships take hard work and much effort.