The following summary comments detail what I have supported and led as well as what I will support and lead into the future to keep the Village of Mount Prospect an viable and contemporary community for our current and future residents and businesses.  These policies keep our community desirable and our residential property values strong.

Budgets, Taxes, Spending

Budgets: Supported 30 fiscally conservative, balanced, and responsible budgets which have provided for the basic services needed and wanted by the citizens of Mount Prospect.

Tax Base: Supported the creation of a “Diversified Tax Base” over time which has protected revenue flows during times of economic downturn and reduced reliance on property taxes as a source of revenue with which to run our Village.

Direct Fees: Supported a “Diversified Fee Based” structure for some Village costs which directly relates to and pays for the service or product being provided and in many cases helps reduce one citizen from subsidizing the activities and related costs of another citizen.

Property Tax Levy: Fought to keep taxes low.  During the 2019 budget process with reserves well-funded, I prosposed and found support of a 0% increase (no increase) to the 2019 property tax levy.  I also propsed a 0% increase for the 2020 budget but could not find the necessary support

I believe there are two times when a 0% taxes increase …

Annual Spending: Have always reserved and exercised the right to vote against or for spending during the year regardless of the fact that funds have been budgeted and reserved.

Local Government Services

Basic Municipal Services: Support high quality and strong basic services for our citizens such as Police, Fire, Public Works, and Human Services which is the most primary purpose of local government.

Life Safety Services: Support “extremely” strong “life safety” services as this is the most important service our Village government can provide to citizens.

The Economic Downturn: Supported swift and necessary moves to reduce costs during the most recent economic recession which protected the basic operation of the Village, the General Fund reserve (Village’s Savings Account), and protected the Villages bond rating (and corresponding borrowing rate).

 Our Residential Neighborhoods

Protection of our Residential Neighborhoods: Helped create and support local ordinances such as the “Home Occupation” and “Commercial Vehicle” ordinances to preserve the delicate nature and fabric of our many residential neighborhoods throughout the Village.

Diversity

Diversity: Improving on and promoting all aspects of diversity in Mount Prospect is a stated and ongoing strategic goal of the Village Board and will continue to present ongoing challenges for our community to overcome.  Mount Prospect is a multi-cultural Village with representation from many cultures, races, and ethnic backgrounds.  As I have in the past, I will continue to embrace and celebrate diversity in our Village.  The fact is that a diverse Community results in a richer and fuller community because of diversity of thought, knowledge, opinion, and points of view that it brings.

Road Improvements

Road Improvement: Supported the Accelerated Road Improvement Program which will help prevent much costlier repairs and reconstruction of our local roads in the future.

Flood Control

Flood Control: Supported the Flood Control Program which has helped to protect our citizen’s homes throughout the Village.  We currently have two major projects in the northeast section of town.

Randhurst

Randhurst Reinvented: Supported the rebirth of Randhurst as a contemporary “lifestyle” shopping opportunity with no “direct” tax giveaways by Mount Prospect.

Annexations

Annexations:  I have and will support selective annexation when they make short term or long term economic sense to Mount Prospect.

Our Downtown

Downtown “Small Triangle” Proposed Development: I supported the 20 West Nicholas Development which was recently completed and is almost fully leased.  However, the record shows that I was vehemently opposed to the 2007 proposed Heimbaugh development of the “small” triangle” in our downtown by given the overall taxpayer contribution required, the inflated land purchase values required, the outdated 1970’s downtown mall development concept.

Downtown Retail: Supported a mix of retail product and service opportunities which have included smaller, more affordable spaces for local “creative independent” unique businesses to open and thrive.

Future Downtown Development: Support more private developer, market driven “government encouraged” developments for our downtown and less direct government driven and tax funded large scale planned unit developments.

  Kensington Business Center

Kensington Business Center: Support the expansion of potential uses of the KBC buildings beyond light industrial and office uses through changes to zoning within the development.

Traffic Flows and Safety

Traffic: Supported traffic studies to help improve traffic flows within and through our Village.

Stop Sign Program: Supported the Village-wide “Stop Sign” Program which totally reconfigured traffic control signage and the way we deploy stops signs throughout our Village with the outstanding result of decreasing traffic accidents by over 49%.

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Concluding Comment

 I have worked to be consistent in my decision making and ultimately my voting related to policy setting, ordinances creation, and zoning cases.  I have supported an open, honest, and transparent government process where decisions are made “in front of the cameras” for all Mount Prospect citizens to witness and comment to if they so desire.

No Village Board decisions are “predetermined” ahead of our Village Board meetings and no “vote trading” has ever occurred during my time on the Board.  “Citizen input” on issues facing the Village Board is encouraged and is highly valued, considered, and factored into each and every decision made by the Village Board.