Baldemar Lopez: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Baldemar Lopez

City: Elgin

Office Sought: Elgin City Council (2-year unexpired term)

Age: 37

Family: Wife, two daughters and our Chihuahua Coco

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Associates from Elgin Community College, Bachelors from the University of Illinois-Chicago, Law Degree from the University of Denver, Certificate in Entrepreneurship from City Colleges of Chicago.

Civic Involvement: Member of the Vista Health Clinic Advisory Board, Member of the Farmworker Landscaper Advocacy Project Board, Member of the House of Restoration Community Outreach Advisory Board, Restoration Community Toy Give Away Volunteer, Former Elgin Community College Student Trustee

Previous elected offices held: None

Website: lopezforelgin.com

Facebook: #baldemarlopezforelgincitycouncil

Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your community and how do you intend to address them?

We are one of few municipalities that continues to have increases in population and as Elgin grows, we need to continue providing the services that our residents disserve, such as our public safety needs and enhancing our commercial tax base to take the burden off our taxpayers. Our fire department is being stretched to an almost dangerous level. Now, I commend the City of Elgin for balancing its budget and setting money aside for a rainy day, but we need to increase our staffing levels so that lives aren't put in danger because of slower response times. Taxpayers are also concerned about crime. They expect the city to protect them. I would support more investment in after-school and neighborhood police patrols to protect our residents. In addition to addressing our public safety needs, we need to attract more businesses to enhance our commercial tax base. Doing so, will make it possible to reduce the tax burden on homeowners. Elgin has much to offer. We need to start that process sooner than later - be more proactive and aggressive in seeking that new investment.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

After finishing law school at the University of Denver, I could have settled anywhere in the country, but I chose to come back to this area where I was raised, to begin my career and eventually raise my own family in here. I have always had a strong conviction that people and community come first and that is what has driven my professional and personal life. As an attorney, I have represented the professional and personal rights of workingmen and women; and represented people and nonprofit organizations on a pro-bono basis. I also volunteered my time with several organizations throughout the years to help foster the educational growth of children and disadvantaged communities. My professional training and experience as an attorney and advocate have made it possible for me to develop a unique level of appreciation for collaboration and compromise - skills that will serve me well on the city council.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think you will be an effective in producing actions and decisions with your village board or city council.

I want every resident to know one thing that I will begin each day with a commitment to doing what is right for taxpayers and our city. Every elected official, at every level of government, has a special responsibility to work to improve the quality of life for those he or she represents - to spend tax dollars wisely with accountability and to help solve the problems that matter most to families. I don't have all the answers to the problems we face, and I will not make empty promises during this campaign. But I do commit to doing what is right and what is best for this community and to keep a laserlike focus on making sure that the Elgin City Hall is always on the side of those who have to pick up the tab for the policies it creates. Through the years, I have learned that it is best to be well-informed on an issue by doing my research and asking questions before advancing an idea/issue or trying to resolve a problem.

How would you describe the condition your community's budget, and what are the most important specific actions the town should take to assure providing the level of services people want?

The City of Elgin has managed to create a "rainy day" fund of over $30 million. That is commendable. But that surplus was generated by an increase in sewer and water rates; city sales taxes and a new gasoline tax that residents are forced to pay. The problem with government spending is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money, so I applaud the city's efforts not to engage in deficit spending. But in that process, we need to ask whether or not Elgin taxpayers are getting the full value in services for what they are paying for. Our local police and fire departments are underfunded and our fire department is arguably understaffed raising legitimate questions about the quality of public safety in our community. Some of our infrastructure is in disrepair in Elgin and there are investments that we should be making in order to attract more businesses - creating better job opportunities. Taxpayers in Elgin expect the city to provide the services they pay for at levels that insure safety for themselves and their families and, they should expect no less.

What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

By implementing Municipal broadband can offer internet services to our community at a lower discount cost. There are many benefits for the community that this can impact. It can be useful for our municipal workers to access more information while in the field, saving valuable time. Provide internet to low income families that normally couldn't not afford to purchase it. Allow children the access to research and assist with schoolwork. This would also attract more business to invest in the area. This will help foster the future economic and community development of Elgin.