Michael Schiestel, 4 years: 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: Fox River GroveWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Fox River Grove Village board, 4-year termAge: 39Family: Married for 13 years with twin 7 year olds- 1 boy and 1 girl.Occupation: Project Manager for Detail Kitchens, my family's business.Education: Bachelor of Science in Aviation Flight Operations, University of Dubuque, 1993Civic involvement: Member and Chairman of the Fox River Grove Planning and Economic Development Commission (PEDC)Elected offices held: None.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: No.Candidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I am running for Trustee to increase my involvement with the village I live in. I have been involved with the PEDC for seven years and I am interested in taking the next step to help my community.Key Issue 2 Candidate did not respond.Key Issue 3 Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I come to the table with no specific ""Agenda"" items, but with love for my community and a dedication to make it the best place for the residents and our children to call ""Home"".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.I would love to answer this question by claiming that our sales tax is too high, but being actively involved in a family run business for the past 13 years and growing up in that same business I realize that although taxes hurt, without them the services we take for granted suffer, which in turn affects the productivity and profitability of a business. If local sales taxes can stay where they are I would be very happy.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.In talking with friends and neighbors, public safety seems not to be much of a concern, but public works certainly does. Fox River Grove has been researching and discussing plans for a new public works facility. Residents are extremely concerned about the cost of such a project in times where they are struggling to just feed their families. This is a difficult issue to resolve in one paragraph, but what I feel needs improvement is the communication of facts and the involvement of the community as a whole. For years this has been an agenda item for the village board, yet only when residents read a short story in the paper do they acknowledge it. I would love to see more residents at village meetings and in general getting involved with this great village we live in.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?As a newcomer to the municipal budget process I really cannot comment about specifics.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?Candidate did not respond.