PLATFORM
"Ever since I earned my Citizenship in the Community merit badge
from my late father on my way to becoming an Eagle Scout
I’ve wanted to find new & better ways to give back to the community
in which I’m also thankful for having been raised!
I plan to be an involved, determined, honest and direct Village President
with a strong sense of exhibiting leadership. I also hopes to provide
one more alternative choice for change as someone who’s a proud resident
hoping to advocate on your behalf!"
ISSUES
Keep Video Gambling Out of Schaumburg
I stand alone as the only candidate committed to keeping Video Gambling out of our community! This is something that has been creeping into surrounding villages but I don't view something we don't currently have and all can unite against as lost revenue, especially when the potential income for the village is not nearly enough to make the risks involved worth it since we should be creative enough to find revenues or savings to more than cover that small amount. For more on this, click:
Volunteer Diversity Commission
Schaumburg represents a vat array of diversity not reflected in our current leadership. That is why I am proposing establishing a volunteer Diversity Commission to assess this issue and propose solutions for the benefit in all our community!
Equal Pay for Equal Work
I was also raised in a home where toward the end of my dad’s life my mom was the major & then sole bread-winner so I’m highly sensitive to the need for equal pay for equal work. I would therefore enforce policies ensuring income equality not just for village employees but also for vendors bidding on projects within the village since this is an issue we need not wait for the state or federal gov’t to act on when we can start making impactful improvements in this important area at the local level!
Access to Mental Health Services
Ensure we do what we can to do our small part to increase our State’s rank in regard to mental health services. Schaumburg may already do better than most villages in our state but we can always strive to do better to not let anyone slip through any cracks in our system. Promoting access to services for people with both developmental & physical disabilities will be an important focus as well, including not turning a blind eye to the scourge addiction can become in a community if not addressed with open minds and hearts.
Attract Tech Startups to former Dominick's location
I am the only candidate who wants to bring in a tech startup hub into the former Dominick's site on Roselle Road, while other candidates say there’s not much we can do about it. The idea is to solve this situation where only a short term sublease of the property is available with the hope these small businesses grow in time to branch out and setup shops of their own.
Transparency
Investigate and share information, such as why there is still a portion of the village's tax levy that goes toward paying for the Convention Center when it is reported to be profitable.
Inclusion and Responsiveness
Work with Village Board and Staff to be even more approachable than they are now in order to better listen to the concerns of our citizens & businesses alike without a bias toward or against anyone or any issue.
Innovation
While fully aware of the limitations of what can and has been done in the past by the Village President, Matt hopes to bring creative solutions to the table for any issues we may have. These include working with the Schaumburg Business Association and commercial property managers to come up with creative ways to attract even more businesses to any empty storefronts and using the increased sales tax revenue to lower Schaumburg's share of your property tax levy.
Animal Rights
One area of concern I've heard from the community is about the rights and protections we have in place for our beloved pets. I hope to both communicate better what rules are in place and enact/enforce protections for our furry, scaled or otherwise beloved family members. I also know we need to explore humane options for relocating troublesome coyote and skunk populations in our community so I plan to explore that as well.