Michael Reiser: 2021 candidate for Deer Park trustee
5 candidates for 3 seats
Bio
City: Deer Park
Age: 58
Occupation: Health care advertising with TBWA\Worldhealth
Civic involvement: Boy Scouts
Q&A
Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state and federal authorities?
A: Giving a voice to the Village is THE reason I'm running - as that relates to confronting the pandemic however I would listen to science-based voices instead. Wearing masks, social distancing following State, Federal and CDC guidance is the only way to confront this issue. Unfortunately we were not given consistent guidance from the beginning and we've had to deal with the fall out ever since.
Q: Did your town continue to adequately serve its constituents during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.
A: I believe the Village did the best they could under the circumstances. I DO feel that the Village was unprepared for a major disruption from a revenue standpoint. Having all the Village's eggs in the sales tax basket has caused financial trouble that should have been seen or prepared for. The Great Recession was only 10 or so years ago. I believe hard discussions need to be had about buoying revenue for the future.
Q: In light of our experiences with COVID-19, what safeguards/guidelines should you put in place to address any future public health crises?
A: Revenue safeguards need to be put in place regardless of their popularity. In the instance of another shutdown hopefully lessons will have been learned and much quicker action can be taken. Federal and State guidelines need to be followed immediately and cuts to serviced to help businesses in need to be enacted as soon as the shut down occurs.
Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?
A: That's a good question - Not being an incumbent and involved with the budget as intimately as this question begs, I would look to less essential services in the budget - Parks and other services that don't bring revenue into the Village could be furloughed to help funnel needed moneys to more essential services.
Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what infrastructure project can be put on the back burner?
A: Again, I am not an incumbent but based on the information I've pulled from meeting minutes Roads and drainage projects as well as Village events have postponed until budgets can be brought into control. I think the immediate plan should be focused on revenue and how the village can create new and less volatile revenue streams without overbuilding the area. People moved here for the quiet, bucolic atmosphere, not to be overcrowded with strip malls and traffic.
Q: Do you plan to address businesses that don't adhere to the governor's order to close or restrict business?
A: Yes. Federal, State and CDC guidance need to be adhered to - I truly believe if we had simply had single-line guidance from the beginning we would have been in much better shape now. If businesses don't follow these guidelines they should be warned then fined.
Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance your board/council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?
A: The issue isn't whether I agree or not, the issue is that the Village Board didn't ask the Village if THEY agreed or not. It would have been an easy thing to send out a survey or put a nonbinding referendum on the ballot - we have an election coming up soon, don't we? Instead, they pushed the issue through without a great deal of research or consideration of what the Village felt. The Village did hold a public forum where the views of the people were decidedly against changing the zoning and yet the board still voted 4-1 in favor.
Q: What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?
A: Deer Park Police Force. Kildeer has one - Why can't we? Traffic mitigation is another - Deer Park has turned into a bypass for Rand Road and that needs to be addressed.