Paul Scott: 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: BloomingdaleWebsite: Under DevelopmentTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: BloomingdaleTownshipMattersOffice sought: Bloomingdale Township Supervisor Age: 65Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: RetiredEducation: BA UIC Chicago - Criminal JusticeCivic involvement: DuPage County Branch NAACP - Assistant Secretary and Executive Committee Board MemberACT-SO (Afro-Cultural Technolgical and Scientific Olympics) Competition Judge Recruitment CoordinatorUnity Partnership - DuPage County Chiefs of Police Association Liaison. Assisting with establishing and rebuilding trust between police departments and citizens from marginalized, disaffected, and misunderstood communities, through proactive engagements including both police and community education initiativesElected offices held: NoneQuestions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.VisibilityValue GrowthImprove Visibility - Few residents have any idea what the purpose of the township is; how it serves residents; what it could do based in law; or, how to fairly evaluate its importance in the context of its intended role. The Township should actively promote its role, services, and resident participation in it using technology and other modern outreach methods. Increase Value - Townships are broadly viewed as "another example of unnecessary government that should be done away with"; or, it is argued that Township functions can be better provided through existing, more efficient government. This could be true. The Township should work with villages to assess synergies then strive to increase value to residents. Townships can be much more than a basic resource. The role of the Township should be redesigned given our changing challenges especially the need to compete for growth. Promote Growth. We chose our community because it offered quality of life advantages commensurate with the cost to live here. Population or business losses change that calculus. It costs those who remain more to sustain the quality. Tax reductions are one way to seek realignment of the value proposition. Tax increases are another alternative. A third way is accelerated growth. We are 113,000 residents linked through health and safety concerns, transportation and roads, education, entertainment, job opportunities, and more. The Township can promote villages and quality of life advantages, while encouraging citizen involvement through volunteerism. We are a very resource rich, culturally diverse community.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?The primary responsibility of township government should be to maximize township value to the largest number of citizens possible while meeting obligations under the law as efficiently and effectively as possible.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?The decision to dismantle should be fact based and analyzed carefully. For example, part of the township purpose and value is to embody grassroots government. Citizens are encouraged to contribute their skills, talents and ideas to the preservation of or enhancement of quality of life. They are also one of the most cost effective, efficient government forms in existence. Available resources and services must be promoted and expanded. That we don't use township government as it was envisioned as a communication link to the county, state and federal bodies reveals great opportunity for value enhancement. We can with little cost here strive to be a population of 113,000 residents actively working toward providing a very attractive, welcoming, growth oriented community to new comers seeking similarly envisioned quality of life. Villages are more linked today than we realize through cooperative agreements. Townships should be cheerleaders for the area and the people they serve identifying and expanding resource linkages that redound to the broadest base of residents.Are there any township offices that should be eliminated or consolidated?I have identified none at this time. I think all offices should do a better job of increasing their visibility and value and of helping to promote township growth.Can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?No. Not at this time. I have become aware of opportunities that the Township might exploit with village involvement that can benefit residents. Presently, by all outward appearances the township seems to be operating in a fashion aimed at maintaining the status quo. There also does seem to be rather sizable cash reserves in place which could allow for trimming taxes. I don't at this time fully understand the reason for these reserves. Generally speaking, I prefer the idea of spending collected funds to promote increased value while maintaining responsible reserves. Then, returning any excesses to taxpayers. More than $380,000 in tax collections was unused during the year ending March 31, 2016. I would oppose excessive collections and promote more accurate budgeting as a general rule.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?There are three things: mental health, diversity, and civic engagement. I believe we are experiencing a significant mental health crisis as a nation. This is manifested in increases in suicides, drug use and abuse, arrests and other police encounters, PTSD and military service related reintegration, and disturbing increases in antisocial behavior. Illinois is well behind the nation in addressing these challenges based on key economic measures. The need for improvement in both the state and county are well documented. Township growth will come from more diversity. Our diversity index is slightly higher than the national average which bodes well for our future. To accommodate continued growth we must celebrate our diversity in all of its forms while promoting more and better understanding and acceptance. Township government generally gets bad reviews. We must demystify it and encourage openness and more participation. We have many possibilities for promoting the township. The township show should be on the road regularly through social media, schools, and libraries, at Village Halls, and elsewhere, encouraging resident involvement. We should have regular town hall meetings featuring our county, state and federal elected officials. I believe they will come if we promote a 113,000 person citizen population. We should also open up Township offices with events, programs, and services that appeal to a broader population segment than is the case at present.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Senator Elizabeth WarrenWhat is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Everyone can help somebody. You can start with a blank slate and write your own life path no matter what your starting position.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Learning about and working to solve health and science problems.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math. Helped me with understanding that there are factual answers to questions and systematic methods of problem solving. Also realizing that retries may be necessary.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Make lots of mistakes. Learn from and don't repeat them and remember you can always quit later.