Ted Koch: 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: Sugar GroveWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Sugar Grove Village Board Age: 41Family: Wife Beth, son Edmund, daughter BelleOccupation: bankerEducation: B.S. in Criminal Justice Sciences, Illinois State UniversityCivic involvement: Current Sugar Grove Village TrusteeLife Member of the Sugar Grove Historical SocietyCoach for many different youth sports including basketball, football and baseball.Active member of Sugar Grove Chamber of CommerceSunday School teacher at St. Mark's Church GenevaElected offices held: Was appointed to fill the seat left by the late Bob Bohler. Was sworn in in July 2015.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I was very humbled to be appointed to the position of Village Trustee. I believe my 25 years of real world business experience and deep understanding of municipal finances makes me the best candidate. I am a very hard worker who protects the taxpayers of Sugar Grove. I'm an advocate for senior citizens as well as a family man with children in our Kaneland schools. I am committed to Sugar Grove with a love for the community.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.I believe property taxes are too high. I actively look for ways to mitigate the taxpayer's burden such as bringing new businesses to Sugar Grove, creating alternate revenue channels such as leasing out empty space the village already owns and searching for items to cut from the budget by doing the village's work more efficiently and differently.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?Our police department is outstanding and I am very proud of their leadership and who they are. They have had to hire several part time officers during the past few years to help backfill their labor needs. If they need help with adding an additional full-time officer I want to find room in our budget to do so. If that means cutting back in another area, then that's what we'll look at.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Candidate did not respond.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Candidate did not respond.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Gene KranzWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Work hard, tell the truth and be kind.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. Being able to use other people's experiences for my own knowledge is priceless.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Work hard, tell the truth and be kind.