Peter Grant: Candidate Profile

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:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: AntiochWebsite: http://electpetergrant.comOffice sought: Lake County board District 1Age: 59Family: Divorced, 3 Daughters and 2 Step Sons, 4 GrandchildrenOccupation: Retired Truck DriverEducation: Some College, no degreeCivic involvement: Member of the Village of Antioch Environmental Commission. Alderman, Felter's Association, Felter's Homeowners Assoc. AntiochElected offices held: Precinct Committeeman, Chairman Antioch Township Democratic OrganizationHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: noCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Property TaxesWe simply cannot continue down this road of skyrocketing property taxes to pay for everything under the sun.Over the past 4 years, property values have plummeted yet our taxes continue to rise.I will propose a cap on assesments and take steps to force County government to live within it's means and reduce the County portion to the homeowners tax levy.I believe that Lake County Government can and should set an example for all the taxing bodies including school districts. If every taxing body would just reduce their levy by a small amount until we get through this recession, we could all prosper as a community.Key Issue 2 JobsI propose to take steps to create jobs by making County government much friendlier to "small business" and promoting the Chain Of Lakes Recreation area.Part of the culture in Antioch are the Chain Of Lakes and the leisure dollars spent by the thousands of visitors to our area every year that make our economy viable. Lake County government claims to support small business when in practice they really seem to be doing everything that they can to put small businesses out of business.I will also be working on promoting the Chain by requesting that the Tollway authority post information signs on the Tollway directing travelers to the Fox Chain of Lakes at Rt. 132 and Rt 173.Key Issue 3 TransportationWe need to get our transportation infrastructure upgraded by building 53 and I will be advocating for building a full interchange at Rt.173 and I-94 so that we can attract more business into the Antioch area from Wisconsin. Rt 53 extension and more commuter service to Antioch. I will advocate for a more visible effort to advertise Pace van pools to help take some of the cars off of our roads.I will also be advocating for more Pace bus service in northern Lake County.Questions Answers The county remains in the black, but property taxes across the region are high. Should programs be cut to save taxpayers money? If so, which ones and why?I believe that County Board Commissioners should set an example for all taxing bodies in Lake County by reducing their part time salaries by 50%.This election is about how all taxing bodies in Lake County spend precious tax payers resources.How can we expect school boards and Townships to get on board to reducing what they spend if we are not willing to sacrifice ourselves'If elected, I will return 50% of my County Commissioners salary in the first year of my term to serve as an example to others to reduce their levies on Home owners in Lake County I will also propose that all County department heads take a 25% cut for the next fiscal year. If we are all willing to give up a little we can get through this tough economy.What should be done with the Fort Sheridan golf course? If no building or management proposals come back from vendors, do you propose abandoning golf? If so, are you concerned about a lawsuit? If you propose building a course, how should it be funded?I believe that the County can re-negotiate the terms of this agreement.I would like to see this land be developed into a traditional forest preserve. I do not support another tax payer supported golf course in Lake County.Statistics show that golf is declining in popularity.We should do an audit of all the Forest Preserve owned golf courses to see if they are viableThe Winchester House nursing home recently was turned over to a private company for operation. Should other county or forest district departments be privatized to save taxpayers money? Please explain.No!Winchester House was turned over to a for profit Corporation from Minnesota basically so that the County could reduce the pay of low wage workers from around $14 per hour to less than $10. per hourI believe that privitization is the wrong way to save money.I believe that privitization leads to the temptation of corruption and in the long run, we end up paying more for the same services that the County can provide for less money.I point to the Chicago Parking meter debacle as a prime example to show that privitization does not work!According to some reports, the City recieved 1/10th of what Morgan Stanley made on the parking meter deal.When you give up control of County run services to a for profit corporation you are turning over control to an organization who's main goal is profit over what's best for residents of Lake County.Is there a specific type of service or amenity that is lacking in your district? If so, how do you propose to provide and fund that?I believe that the Lake County Government needs to be more responsive to local small businesses in the 1st district.I will advocate for the reduction or elimination of Township government services that could be performed for less money and more efficiently by the County. I believe that Township property Assessors in Lake County are an example of a layer of government that could easlily be eliminated to save taxpayersmoney.In my opinion, Township assessors are too cozy with friends and family of their Townships and that we need a system that takes personal relationships out of the tax equation. I think that all Government should be much more transparent and therefore, after the Primary,I will be sending a letter, to County Board Commissioner Pedersen requesting that she agree to debate me on issues that affect all of the resdients of the 1st DistrictShould the county continue to pursue open space policies' Why or why not?As a Lake County Commisioner, I will be a strong advocate for "Open Space".In 2008 I was endorsed by the Sierra Club and as a member of the Antioch Environmental Commission, open space is a very important issue to me.How ever, I have some questions about prices paid for some of the recently purchased land, specifically Dutch Gap Forest Preserve. It was recently reported that the Forest Preserve will be purchasing land along the shores of Lake Marie at an average selling price of $33,000 per acre.With lakefront property selling for $33,000 per acre, it seems that $40 to $60 thousand per acre for farmland is very overpirced.Is the Forest Preserve is using the tax payers money wisely?