Jim Patrician: Candidate Profile

Back to Kane County board District 23

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:Biostyle="display:block;border:0;">QA Bio City: AlgonquinWebsite: www.friendsforJimPatrician.comTwitter: Facebook: Office sought: Kane County board District 23 Age: 50Family: Spouse Tammy, son Cole (18), daughter Kelcey (16).Occupation: Employee Benefits AdvisoryEducation: BBA - University of Iowa (Major in Finance)MBA - DePaul University (Major in Finance) Civic involvement: Community Finance Committee - CUSD 300Commissioner - Algonquin Planning and Zoning Committee Chair Person - Algonquin Planning and Zoning CommitteeElected offices held: None at this timeQuestions Answers The county commissioned a study to determine which services are mandated and which are not in preparation for a deeper budget cut. Do you believe the county must continue to reduce costs? If so, which non-mandated services would you cut or reduce? Under what circumstances would you support a tax increase?I think it is prudent to conduct a thorough review of services to accurately determine which are most critical to the residents of the county. There will continue to be upward pressure on expenses due to inflation. In order to maintain the property tax freeze, we need to continue to seek ways to reduce expenses, eliminate waste, and improve efficiencies in all functions of government. This should be an on-going process and I believe that an effective manager can absorb 3-5% across the board cuts. I encourage the voters of Aurora to eliminate the Aurora Election Commission as a way to promote efficiency and cost savings, as much as $250,000 in overall net savings per year. I am pledged to oppose any tax increase, and do support continuing the Kane County Property Tax Freeze.The mandated services study said the law will require a reduction in the number of board seats as the county's population grows. Reducing the number of seats might also save money. What is the right number of board seats? How soon should the reduction occur?I have to admit that when I first considered running for a position on the board, I thought that there were too many seats. Since my district is #23 is was evident to me. I think the first issue is how effective the board can be with this number of commissioners and whether all voices can be heard. There is also a cost issues in terms of the expenses associated with each commissioner. I believe eliminating 5 seats would be a good start. It should happen soon so that the county can achieve the savings and begin the evaluation process to determine the right number of board seats. I think there should be an ongoing review process until the optimal number of seats can be determined. I would not want to sacrifice the ability of the residents to be properly represented, but we should strive toward a good balance that provides for reasonable sized districts as well.Do you support adding a sunset clause to any toll created to fund the Longmeadow Parkway?For years, it was my understanding that the tolls on Illinois highways would be eliminated once the roads were paid for. That obviously never happened. I would not want the same fate for the Longmeadow Parkway Bridge. I believe once the bridge is completed and paid for, that the tolls should be eliminated. I think it is important to be diligent in planning and understanding the cost associated with maintenance of the bridge to ensure it is properly funded now and in the future.Was ending the county's GPS and electronic monitoring program the right decision? If not, how would you restore the program?I believe the decision was short sighted. it will likely put more defendants awaiting trial into the prison system. And, it will put more dangerous criminals back into the community with less effective ways of monitoring them. Either way, there is a negative impact both from a financial and safety standpoint. I would recommend across the board budget cuts and increased fines and court cost to help restore the program.Do you support keeping the Aurora Election Commission?I do not support keeping the Aurora Election Committee. I think it is a perfect example of redundancy and waste in government. The responsibilities of this commission should be rolled into the Kane County Clerks office and the duplication of services should be eliminated. I believe this will save the county $250,000.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I believe it is important to maintain a healthy reserve level so the county is prepared for unforeseen expenses and economic downturns. This can help the county maintain the service levels residents have come to expect during any challenging periods. Attendance and participation is critical for the success of the county. It's my understanding the many of the subcommittee meetings are poorly attended and this is where the real work for Kane County gets done. Some members are collecting 100% of their pay while only doing 50-75% of the work. I also believe in strong communication to keep residents in my district aware of the issues that the board addresses and how it may affect them. I would accomplish this by encouraging email opt in for the free Kane County Connects newsletter. I will also collect emails and send my own updates to residents who want to be engaged. Finally, as a business owner, I think it is important that expenses do not outpace revenue. We need to find ways to help the Sherriff's department increase revenues and reduce expenses due to the fact that expenses in this department have outpace revenue by $4 million. I am a huge supporter of law enforcement and respect the work done by the men and women who serve our communities. We need to work together to reverse this negative trend while maintaining the current service levels and ensuring that law enforcement has the resource necessary to effectively do their important work.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Scott Walker for his ability to improve the financial position of the state of Wisconsin while fighting off attempts are an election recall.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?To never stop finding ways to improve yourself.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have taken up a musical instrument.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Economics because it provided me with a fundamental understanding of how our free markets operate.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Do what is right, not what is popular.