Antioch hopefuls focus on goals

The candidates vying for Antioch village board spots have very different ideas on what they think the village should focus on for the next four years.

Incumbents Dennis Crosby and George Sakas, newcomer Mary Dominiak, former trustee Barbara Porch and former mayor Taso Maravelas are vying for three, 4-year seats in the April 5 election.

Each was asked in a Daily Herald questionnaire to state what they considered the top campaign issue in their board candidacy.

Porch, 54, the executive director of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce who served as trustee from 1999 through 2007, said it’s important for the board to reduce the tax burden on residents and businesses in Antioch.

“Antioch’s village board needs to be proactive and develop other revenue streams rather than expecting our residents to carry a heavy tax burden,” she said.

Maravelas, 70, a retired businessman who served as trustee from 1995 through 1999 and mayor from 2001 through 2005, said he would focusing on balancing the budget.

“I will work with the village administration and mayor to bring the bottom line back to black (out of the red),” he said.

Dominiak, 57, an assistant professor who serves on the village planning and zoning board, said the village needs to be a place where people can develop “memories and imagination.”

“I will work hard to assure the rich, warm history of Antioch as a wonderful place to live is linked to the future possibilities that will make Antioch fiscally strong and the number one place to live, work, and enjoy life in northern Illinois,” she said.

Crosby, 65, a business owner who has served on the village board since 2007, said his goal is to ensure Antioch runs with solid business principals.

“Including balanced budgets, high employee productivity, accountability, clear and measurable challenging, meaningful and attainable goals, respect, and clear and open communications with residents and the entire village team,” he said.

Sakas, 45, a city planner who has served as a trustee since 2009, said bringing in and retaining jobs is the most important issue for the village.

“The majority of American jobs are in small businesses,” he said. “Antioch has the benefit of many vibrant small businesses, but we can attract large corporations to locate here. We must be business and job friendly.”