Frank Bucaro: 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: BloomingdaleWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Bloomingdale Village Board (4-year Terms)Age: 37Family: Wife Lauren 37, Son Frankie 9, Son Sammy 6, Daughter Mackenzie Rose 2Occupation: Funeral DirectorEducation: Worsham College of Mortuary Science. Graduated 1998Civic involvement: Board Member for the Bloomingdale Athletic Club, Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization, Illinois Funeral Directors Association, National Funeral Directors Association. Head coach Bloomingdale Bears youth football, Coach Bloomingdale youth baseball.Elected offices held: Bloomingdale Athletic ClubHave you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Keeping Village taxes and fees in check. No unnecessary Village spendingKey Issue 2 Providing incentives to attract new business and keeping existing business in town.Key Issue 3 Concerns for Seniors in town, Nothing bothers me more when I hear stories from the elderly that when they retired and thought they had done well for themselves, that they come to find out that they can no longer afford to live in their home due to taxes, fees, cost of living, etc... We, as a community need to see what can be done to help our seniors and actually listen to their concerns.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I have been a Bloomingdale resident practically my whole life, My parents moved here when I was 6 months old and I truly love this town. The small town feel Bloomingdale has is the reason I have stayed to raise my children here. I choose to run for Village Trustee because I want to do my part in helping make Bloomingdale a better place to live and to do business in. i have no personal agenda, and Im not running to replace any particular trustee currently on the board. I just think the Village board needs some fresh ideas. Some board members have been here over 25 years, most more than 10 years. Also, I have a young family, and there are a lot of young families in town that feel they are not being represented. I don't believe there are any current Village board members that have young school age children at home. If elected, I would be the only one. I manage a family owned Funeral Home in Lombard. My experience as a Funeral Director and dealing with families the past 16 years, in some of the most difficult times of their lives, has giving me such a great appreciation of life. I want to apply everything I have learned and help make a difference, no matter how small or large in peoples lives. I cant think of a better place to start, than in my hometown.Given the delicate balance between the need for revenue and over-taxing local businesses, what is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.In my opinion the local sales tax rate is just right. Dupage county is obviously lower than cook county, and with Bloomingdale being big in retail business, we dont have an issue with, lets say shoppers going to nearby Woodfield area in Schaumburg versus Stratford mall area in Bloomingdale to do their shopping due to our lower tax rate.Talking with your friends and neighbors, what seems to be their biggest public safety concern? Explain the concern as you see it, and discuss how you think it should be addressed.Internet safety. The Village, along with the Police Department have to find ways to help educate the parents and adults in the community on what to look for and how to help their children have safe internet access. I personally think the Internet is a fantastic tool for children. But it MUST be done safely. Also, we have had some trouble with break ins, and other residential crime, as have other local communities. I would like to see some kind of Text message or email Alert to go into effect in the community. It would bring awareness to the community on what is immediately happening in their area. Besides the Daily Herald, Bloomingdale does not have a daily or weekly newspaper anymore that deals specifically on whats happening around town.In these tight economic times, municipal budgets have to be prioritized. Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?That is an issue I have been studying, With Village personnel and the benefits that come with it being the biggest budget resource, its something that needs to be looked into. With that being said, I would never want to be apart of laying off Village staff employees due to budget restraints unless absolutely necessary. But, I would be in much favor, as Village staff employees retire, or move to other jobs, in seeing if their individual job requirements can be incorporated into another ones job responsibilities, or spread out into that particular department. On the other hand, I would not mind seeing the Village spend a little more on community based events. I am not sure on what the Daily Herald Editorial Board knows about the different school district boundaries that crisscross through Bloomingdale, but just one example is the Street I live on, Cardinal Dr. On my one neighborhood Street alone we have Three different public school districts on it. The north end of Cardinal Dr. goes to Erickson School District 13 (Bloomingdale), The middle part (Where I live) goes to Cloverdale School District 93 (Carol Stream), and the southern end goes to Blackhawk School District 15 (Glendale Heights) WIthout local community events or sports, these kids and parents, who all live on the same street would not have an opportunity to know one another. All they have in common is that they live in the same neighborhood and town. I would like to find ways in bringing the community together.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I am big on Volunteering. As a head football coach I stress the importance to the boys on my team on what it means to help others in need and those that have a hard time helping themselves. Whether its helping your little sister at home getting her shoes on, or shoveling your elderly neighbors walkway, not because I asked them too, because its the right thing to do. This past November, my team finished the season 11-0 and beat my cousins Bartlett Raiders team in the Bill George Youth Football League Superbowl, I was proud with the way my boys played and handled themselves with the upmost in sportsmanship, but what made me more proud, was a week later, when some of my boys volunteered in helping me and my C.I.A.C.O (Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization) in helping to fill over 400 "boxes of love" food baskets for the needy. It was great seeing them realize that they were helping other families, less fortunate than them, on having enough food to eat on Thanksgiving, Some of them since have asked me, When can we do it again? My point is, I would like to see some kinda of community youth volunteer group. It would help teach our children in taking some responsibility as well as pride in their community. Whether they help cleanup public ways, help in community projects, or just spend some time at the Senior living centers in town playing a game of checkers with the residents. After all, the youth are our future.