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Politics & Government

2012 Election Profile: John Purcell

Kendall County Board Chairman John Purcell is seeking re-election in District 1.

Address: 458 Landmark Ave., Yorkville
Campaign contact information: 630-553-1900.
Age: 43
Family: Wife Jacquie; Step-son Alex - Sophomore at YHS; 19 month son Benedict; 7 month daughter Molly.
Education: YHS Grad.  BS in Business Adams State College, Colorado.
Previous elected or appointed positions: Currently serving as an elected member of the Kendall County Board.  

Candidate Questions

1) What can you do to foster economic development in Kendall County? What level of cooperation do you think is necessary with municipalities to accomplish this?

Three key factors in fostering economic development are:     

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A)  Equally distributed taxes which are as low as possible.  Tax rates that apply equally to all businesses and individuals are preferable to those that are biased to any particular group or organization.       

B)  A sound highway system.  From the County's perspective, maintaining the current system through an annual resurfacing plan as well as expanding capacity where needed such as the expansion of Orchard Road, the upcoming intersection improvements at Ridge Road and Illinois Rt 126, or the long-term plan of an expanded Eldamain Road and Bridge corridor are vital to moving goods and services to / from businesses and customers.       

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C)  Minimizing Bureaucratic obstacles.  Though most development in the County is in municipal limits, any interaction with the county, whether through the Planning, Building, and Zoning Dept, Highway Department, or other departments should be as efficient as possible. An individual or business should be able to have positive discussion with County employees laying out expectations early in any developmen process regarding the County's expectations for a project to proceed.  

2) Would you support a 0.75 percent RTA sales tax to locate a Metra stop in Kendall County?

At this time, I do not support an increase in the County Sales tax for Metra. The County's current population levels and density do not warrant taxing residents an additional $6 million + dollars per year to support Metra.

3) What lessons did you draw from the dog bite incident and its aftermath? Do you think the changes the county has made at Animal Control are adequate?  

It is vital that staff at the Animal Control facility follow Board established policies and procedures.  The Board has hired individuals who understand the importance of the County's organizational structure, and adhere to the policies and procures set forth. With any successful organization, policies may change if / when necessary.  

4) Do you think the redistricting process was fair for people who live in the county’s larger municipalities?

The County's redistricting was fair to County residents.  Few people were moved from their current district to a new district.  Previously divided precincts were made whole, and the variance in both total population and registered voters is minimal between the districts.

5) Aside from the issues discussed above, what issue or problem do you think the county board should address, and what action would you take if elected/re-elected?

An organization's budget should be a key factor in any decision elected, appointed, or hired officials make.  Understanding the financial impact a decision has, whether positive or negative, should be attempted, particularly in these trying economic times.

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