Malcolm Chester: 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: Des PlainesWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Des Plaines City Council Ward 6 Age: 66Family: Charles Chester, Father Mary Carol Chester (McClelland) Mother Georgia Marsh Wife Jessica Wesley Daughter Cameron Chester SonOccupation: Lawyer/ConsultantEducation: Brown University BA Political Science Tufts University MEd. Child Study IIT Kent School of Law JDCivic involvement: Member Des Plaines Economic Development Commission Former Chairman Keep Chicago Beautiful Former Chairman, Illinois Clean and Beautiful Former Vice Chairman of the Illinois Health Care Cost Containment Council Former Board Member Project Leap Former Board Member Rolling Meadows Chamber of Commerce Former Co-Chairman of the Illinois Product Liability Project Former President of the Illinois Soft Drink Association Winner U.S. President's Public Service Award. Winner Whitman/IC Industries Chairman's Award. Winner Chicago United Way's You did it award.Elected offices held: Elected to the Lake Forest CaucusQuestions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?Education, Training and Experience. As a former Vice President of Public Affairs, Pepsi General/Whitman, I directly interfaced with local and state governments and the US government for my company. As Director of Energy and Environmental Programs for IMA I was the voice of manufacturers on these vital issues in the state. As a practicing attorney and consultant, I have represented a variety of clients with state and local issues. I also served as a publicly elected member of the Lake Forest Caucus, where I reviewed all the candidates for elective and appointed office in that city. In total, I have more than forty years experience in dealing with governments from the inside and the outside.Do you approve of the direction in which Mayor Bogusz is taking the city? Why or why not?I supported Matt when he ran for Mayor and walked some precincts for him but I am disappointed that he has chosen to confront many council members rather than working with them. All council members and the mayor need to work together to solve our problems. I support his 0% property tax increase which follows the precedent set by Marty Moylan.Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?I support zero based budgeting, which forces city departments to build budgets from the ground up rather than using the previous year's budget. This process draws a clearer line between necessary expenditures i.e. salaries and discretionary expenditures such as the new electronic signs for fire stations. Each of the discretionary items should be examined by the council and the mayor and a decision made as to whether they should be maintained.What is the single biggest problem in your ward not getting enough attention right now and what do you propose to do about it?Airport noise. New airport flight patterns have dramatically changed the quality of life for many 6th ward residents and depreciated the value of their property. All governments representing these residents including Des Plaines need to step up to the plate and see what can be done to give these residents relief.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I would like to establish a Keep Des Plaines Beautiful Chapter in Des Plaines. This national organization with affiliates all over the country provides environmental education curricula for our schools, organizes litter clean ups on our roads and in our parks and will encourage and promote the recycling efforts already underway in our community. I was Chairman and founder of the Chicago Chapter.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I would like to do more to promote economic development in our community through the use of existing businesses as ambassadors to businesses looking to expand or relocate in our area and to existing businesses to stay in the area. Also, I would like to do everything I can to prevent the expansion of casino gaming in Illinois, which would harm the Des Plaines Casino. I have opposed and worked against this expansion in the past.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Pope FrancisWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Hard work in both school and at work will bring you success in life.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have continued on my path to obtaining a Phd. in Child Study/Psychology at Tufts and used my training to help children.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Fiction writing and political science. I have self published 7 books and enjoy politics.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Life is like a mirror. How you treat other people is often the way you are treated.