Lionel Mott: 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: HampshireWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Hampshire Village Board Age: 73Family: Judith Mott WifeLinda Mott Daughter-Hampshire residentOccupation: Real Estate Broker/AgentEducation: Graduated Heidelberg Tech. Australia.Attended Harper College, IL. - 3 + years to learn to speak, read and Write German Language.Civic involvement: Hampshire Lions Club Member 5 years +Hampshire Coon Creek Country Days Festival member since 2009Elected offices held: None - Became a USA citizen June 10th 2015 now permitted to run.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?The flexibility I have being a Real Estate Broker allows me time to take on this task uninhibited. My family has grown and have moved on. Therefore I have time to better serve the Hampshire community. I belong to The Lions Club and Hampshire Coon Creek Festival committee, very worthwhile volunteer organizations that contribute great services to Hampshire. Everyday as a Realtor, I study Hampshire details of housing, People, taxes, cost of living, schools and many other general aspects of living here. I need to know this well to do my Job. This local knowledge and my learnt skills will assist me in representing you as a Trustee. I have many years of experience travelling around the world representing the company I worked for communicating with all levels of employees, CEO's to everyday workers. I gained a lot of knowledge in communications and working with people, I attained high recognition from many countries because tasks I was assigned were successfully completed. That is a trait I have aspired to my whole life giving 100% + effort to anything I take on. I have always been competitive. In Australia I Played football, soccer, tennis and Golf, (which is still my passion) I believe this is where I obtained my ongoing desire to succeed in everything I do. Applying this drive and attitude to a Hampshire trustee position will allow me to expand my activities for the good of all. I have an open mind and unbiased personality.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 see and deal with property tax questions everyday for clients selling and buying Hampshire Real estate so I'm well attuned to the affects and feelings of what property taxes mean to people already living here and those considering coming here. For its size and population, which is mostly residential, I consider Hampshire's property taxes (14.5 %) higher than the National average high but still reasonable considering the small percentage of Commercial and industrial businesses here to share the cost. Future growth in expanding business activity is important; they will provide a bigger portion of the taxes needed to run the city reducing the burden on the private sector. Schools and education receive the largest percentage of our tax income, very necessary for future development. Local sales Tax is in line with other surrounding areas, some higher as you go towards Chicago and some lower as you go beyond Hampshire. Lower gas prices mean a lot to workers travelling out of Hampshire, most inner Chicago suburbs have higher tax contribution factors. To attract more businesses and residents to Hampshire we need to provide incentives to encourage them to do so. Keeping our property taxes in line is a significant influence when families are deciding is Hampshire an affordable place to live. Kids need to be fed, clothed, schooled and housed, High taxes imposed on families will force people to consider going elsewhere.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?The police and Fire departments do a great job for the city, its residents and businesses. However, the village of Hampshire does not govern the fire department, they are a well run entity on their own . Their services cover a large district including Hampshire and surrounding areas. Statistics show Hampshire's living environment as having a very favorable living environment with lower crime rate and less other social problems than the National average. An important factor for families and businesses choosing to make this their home. As the community grows so will the requirements of the police and fire departments to keep up with it by constantly monitoring their needs including modern up to date technology and equipment necessary to stay ahead of the game. Today we are well positioned with these services. Keep doing what you're doing, its appreciatedWhere, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?Balance the budget - A balanced budget is always a great start. If its not in place, then efforts should be made to do so. A general practice for businesses is to build a cushion factor into a budget. There are always unexpected costs, there is always room for adjustments, prioritizing where resources will be directed for each project, from must happen, necessary, important and nice to if we can. A suggestions for consideration is to have each department starting from the top down, be mandated to forward a proposal to cut 5% to 10% from their departments budget. This is not an unreasonable request, its an alternative to cutting out large chunks or maybe whole projects.What is one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?We need more commercial and industrial businesses in Hampshire, announce a program, open to all (Non city employees) offering a monetary stipend to person(s) who bring a business to Hampshire.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Senior citizens who have grown up in Hampshire and want to stay in their Hampshire homes are struggling with the cost to do so. Thought needs to be given on how to assist them. With their reduced income in retirement, residents want to stay by their children and grandchildren, Reduction incentives would help make this happen.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Queen Elizabeth, at age 26 in 1952 became Queen, now at 90 old is longest reigning monarch of England. What a remarkable achievement.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Having great parents setting an example for myself 2 brothers and a sister on what life is really about.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?repeating the the life i had it has been very full-filling.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?woodworking, mechanical and electrical engineering, secondly 9 years in boy scouts attaining Queen scout level equivalent to Eagle scout USA. great learning environments.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?A good education is a must. apply yourself diligently. Also do it now, don't look back and later saying I wish I had done........?