Daniel Buffy runs for the mayor of West Chicago in the unified elections on April 1.
the biography
The office sought: mayor of West Chicago
City: West Chicago
Age: 50
Occupation: (Dual Therapist) the priest and the owner of the small business
Previous offices held: Nothing
Why do you nominate this office? Is there a specific problem that motivates you? Also, what makes you the best candidate for this position?
In 2023, it became well known when a new inspector failed on the apparent and searched, and I was fined for $ 20,000. While sitting in the West Chicago Municipal Court for a period of seven months, I saw dozens of neighbors fining them up to 1500 dollars for trivial cases. I saw senior fining them for the presence of bird feeding.
When I looked, I found that 98 % of the cases decided by this court were found responsible. I also saw a gap in yawning between the interests of the population and the interests of the city hall. While the community demands a revival in the city center, customer -friendly services and water bills, City Hall focuses on the fine of the population and the purchase of real estate to build a new city hall ranging from 20 to 25 million dollars.
The first job of any leader is to pay attention to the people they serve. The mayor should be an expert in understanding and setting the priorities of people's needs. I run because I listen to the people of the West Chicago, and I care about their needs and I think I can bring the changes in need.
What is the most serious problem that your community will face in the coming years and how should the leaders respond to it?
I recently walked with a visitor, referring to my favorite places to drink coffee and take Gorditas. Regardless of a few precious stones, it was clear that the majority of storefronts were vacant. This is the symptoms of a serious issue that west of Chicago needs to be addressed.
In 2004, we received funding from Kerr McGe (which exceeds $ 14 million) and which was to be used separately from cleaning, for the public benefit. This box was drained by 2023 with very little to show it.
West Chicago purchases real estate for 20 years, and currently has 55 properties in the city center. It is removed from the tax lists, which costs these characteristics millions to preserve them, which is a process of withdrawing on our local economy. The result is the city center depressed and struggles.
A new approach is needed. The leaders of the main development city hope to rely on West Chicago has not been fulfilled for more than two decades. The longer we are waiting to change the path, the greater the problem.
How to describe your community financing status? What should be higher priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be reduced?
The financial evaluation of society exceeds a balanced budget issue. Residents are frustrated because Wego has the highest effective tax rate in Dupage. Business owners are concerned that customers go to other societies. The elderly are struggling to pay the water and sewage bills sharply.
In a comparative study of 12 surrounding cities, West Chicago ranks tenth in the size of the operating budget, and finally in the average income, but first in compensating 10 positions of joint staff ($ 1.49 million). We must rent the best people we can, but we should not surpass surrounding societies such as Wheaton by 16.5 %.
The city plans to spend between 20 to 25 million dollars on a new city hall, while its budgets include only $ 125,000 annually for its activation program in the city center. These priorities are far from touch. A small part of the city's hall money, which has invested responsibly in the incubator programs for new companies and grants to current small companies that bring life to society and collect tax revenues.
What do you see is the most important infrastructure project that you must address? Why and how should it be paid? On the contrary, during these unconfirmed economic times, what is the project (the two projects) that can be placed on the back stove?
Public safety should be the priority of our infrastructure projects. City -owned Brownfield should be finished on Washington and all radioactive tubes are removed. The pipeline replacement program should also be a top priority. The city needs to restore public confidence through transparency.
Politicians waited until we were forced by the Environmental Protection Agency to address the lead tube issue when they should have been transparent and possibility. The main replacement projects in the streets that have been conducted in the past few years may include the replacement of pipes. Now some of these new streets will be torn again within a few years. Preparing to face issues can help us coordinate our long -term infrastructure projects.
West Chicago has also had pedestrian deaths in the past two years. This represents about 20 % of pedestrian deaths in Dubaj Province. Large gaps are needed in pedestrian transit paths (such as Road 38 and Road 59) and bicycle corridors must be installed.
Describe your leadership style and explain how you think it will be effective in producing effective procedures and decisions with your city council.
The New Life Church has led a dual -language church in the garden and home care at reasonable prices as president over the past 25 years. I have also trained hundreds of athletes and operated dozens of volunteer programs.
I think those who know me will describe my leadership style as building a team that focuses on the relationship with direct, and focus on asking the right questions. A problem must be determined before it is solved.
It is difficult to priest a small church for 25 years without caring for people. It is difficult to develop business for 25 years without being ready to make difficult decisions.
I think permanent organizational change should address three areas: condemnations, construction and culture. It is a process in which we must clarify our convictions (who we are and why we exist), evaluating and controlling our structures (systems, policies and programs that we create) and transform the company's culture (actual positions and actions that characterize the way that distinguishes things.)
What is the good idea that you have to improve the society that no one is talking about yet?
Our multicultural society is not a responsibility but it is one of the assets; Power to adopt. My family moved here and raising our children here because we love diversity and dual language schools. We have the best taco and corditas sandwiches in the province.
Where the national policy feels divided and divided, in our hometown we can start building unity. He has an amazing heritage. Our history can be informed by railways. Through the waves of German, Irish and Mexican immigrants who did hard work to make this city what it is. Hug it. 53 % of our society speaks Spanish. Celebrate it. Let's celebrate the railway days, July 4 and September 16.
Migratory societies begin companies. Let's tend to uniqueness. Let's build a small commercial market that celebrates. Many small companies cannot buy a $ 700,000 building, but they can withstand the costs of renting a space in the small business market or a dining hall. Let's build small and work from there.
