advertisement

Phil Mathew: Candidate Profile

Oak Brook Park Board

Back to Oak Brook Park Board

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: Oak BrookWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Oak Brook Park Board Age: 30Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: Historian/professorEducation: B. A. Political science Benedictine University M. A. History Norwich UniversityCivic involvement: Various political campaigns,Knights of Columbus,Dupage Young Republicans,York Township Republican Committeeman's Organization,Downers Grove Township Republican OrganizationElected offices held: Precinct committeeman York Township Republican organizationQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?I am running to bring fiscal responsibility to the Park district, ensure that the parks in Oak Brook are being well managed and to bring a new skill set to the board. I am motivated by the use of taxpayer dollars in the district and want to see how it is properly managed.How do you assess the state of the district's finances? What, if any, changes do you propose to alter the district's financial picture, whether through cost reduction or revenue increases? Please be as specific as possible on where you would propose cutting or how you would propose increasing revenue.The Park district appears to manage their finances very well. They recently voted on a tax levy that did not increase taxes on taxpayers and I believe that is how it should be done. I am for reducing wasteful spending and against raising taxes. A tax levy should never give people a tax burden and I intend to keep it that way.What programs aren't paying for themselves? Would you keep, eliminate or change them? How and why?Candidate did not respond.Are there any unmet recreational needs? If yes, what are they and how would you propose paying for them?NoIf you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the park board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.I believe I can bring a new skill set to the park district. I have keen research skills and am good at analyzing data due to my graduate education. I am capable of making a proper assessment of the current state of the park district's revenues and expenditures and will work hard to ensure that the park district is fiscally sound.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Any leader who devotes his/her time to fixing problems with the state or communityWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Self-Confidence. It is the key to succeeding in life.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?It is impossible to redo the past. It is best to learn from ones mistakes and move forward. They make us who we are today.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?My favorite subject was history. It inspired me to go to graduate school and I use it in my professional work today.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Be courteous towards others and tolerate differences. It is what makes everyone unique.