James Kemper: Candidate profile
Bio
Name: James Kemper
City: Hanover Park
Office sought: Village Trustee
years Age (on Election Day): 54
Family: Sandra (wife), Amanda Rodriguez (daughter), Steven(son), Micheala (daughter-in-law) and Allison (granddaughter)
Occupation: Plumber/Plumbing Inspector
Education: Vocational
Civic involvement: Chairman Finance Committee, Chairman Citizens Corps Group, Board Liaison to the Sister Cities Committee< CERT Team Member, Cultural Inclusion and Diversity Committee Member, Illinois Plumbing Inspectors Association, Knights of Columbus Member and American Legion Member.
Previous elected offices held: Trustee Hanover Park
Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? 2011
Website: www.hanoverparkunitedparty.org
Facebook: Hanover Park United Party
Twitter: NA
Issue questions
What are the most important issues facing your community and how do you intend to address them?
Infrastructure, roads and sidewalks. Keeping up with repair and replacement has been difficult so we have tripled the replacement budget for 2019. The real issue is maintaining that budget for future fiscal years, we need to research other avenues of funds other than the motor fuel tax that we depend on for road repairs, this will determine how we will approach the next fiscal budget. We are looking to increase development within the community in retail for increased sales tax revenues and by doing so maintain these and other services as well as lowering our property tax levy.
Continued safety of our residents. Our Police department is CALEA certified and have achieved the lowest part 1 crime rates making Hanover Park number 30 in the safest cities in the United States in 2018. We need to continue support of or police and give them the tools they need for success.
What makes you the best candidate for the job?
My Family moved to Hanover Park from Milan Illinois back in 1972, I was eight years old. I played sports and watch Hanover Park grow. I've seen Hanover Park go through good times and bad and right now Hanover Park is back on track for good times. I am glad to be part of the team effort. My love for my community and the people of my community and its diversity are what drives me to continue with a progressive attitude to continue the direction of our Global Community.
Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing actions and decisions with your village board or city council.
Sometimes I lead, sometimes I follow, this is a team effort, that's the style instilled in me during my time as a US Marine. The leadership skills I developed as a Marine have been helpful to me through out my time in the workforce, as a manager, a plumbing foreman and past chair for three years in my parish council along with the Founding Grand Knight/Past Grand Knight of St. Ansgar's Bilingual Council.
How would you describe the condition of 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?
Hanover Park has a strong budget, no property tax levy increases for three consecutive years, One thing that would help is more retail so that means more community development in retail and other businesses that will bring jobs to Hanover Park, to develop our new Town Center. This would also help us with not only maintain our current services but by also lowering our property tax levy.
What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
Trades. There is a shortage in all the trades and utilizing the Education & WorkNet Center to develop a link to apprentice programs.