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Tom Broderick
Greater Oak Park Democratic Socialists of America
708 386 6007
Oak Park citizens have quite a field to choose from on our April 1st election. In the Village Board election alone, there are ten candidates running for three positions. In January, I asked several community members who are involved in activities such as housing, electoral, economic, education and peace and justice issues if they had questions they would like submitted to our Trustee candidates.
I put together a short questionnaire that could be answered with YES or NO and had space for a short elaboration. On February 7th, I sent the questionnaires (along with a self-addressed stamped envelope) to the homes of each of the candidates. I asked that they return them by February 20th. On February 15th, I sent out a reminder post card.
Robert Milstein, Barbara Mullarkey, Bruce Samuels and John Troelstrup answered the survey questions. Ray Johnson returned the reminder post card saying "It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. I'll be curious to see how Mr. Johnson deals with the Oak Park Independent Voters survey of about 40 YES and No questions.
I met Carolyn Hodge-West at the Green Line Ridgeland "L" station where she was handing out candy kisses. I introduced myself and asked about the survey. She told me she hadn't received it, so I handed her a copy with my return address on it. I did not get any surveys back from Carolyn Hodge-West, Bill Higgins, Mas Takaguchi, Eileen Fein and David Pope.
Nearly everybody who offered me questions, had the downtown TIF extension on their list, so I listed it as the first question. There are a couple of web sites that deal with the issue of TIF affecting education. I can offer up for your review: www.nea.org (this is the National Education Association and you can type TIF in the search box on the home page.) and www.goodjobsfirst.org (this is Good Jobs First and there is a detailed and lengthy publication on this site.)
The question about Fair Trade Certified coffee drew requests for more information from each of the responding candidates, with the exception of Bruce Samuels. Fair Trade Certification is an economic support system that tries to ensure that independent coffee growers receive a living wage price for product. The farmers are also encouraged to use sustainable agricultural methods during production. A couple of web-sites with additional information are: www.transfairusa.org and www.usleap.org.
Following are the survey questions and responses.
In Solidarity,
Tom Broderick
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Do you support ending the downtown business TIF districts and redirecting this property tax money to School Districts 97 & 200? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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Actually all taxing bodies receive a portion of the money. The school districts need an infusion of money. The TIF extension is based on a technicality and should not be done. The TIF has met its goal and should end in 2006. | |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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Yes, but the funds should be redirected to the Parks, Library and Township as well. | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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I support the decision of the Board as affirmed by the Boards of Districts 97 and 200. | |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Should the Oak Park Village dispense TIF dollars to small and/or local businesses instead of financing franchise development? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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If the current Board extends the TIF, or not, small businesses should receive priority over franchises. We need to increase funding sources regardless of the TIF. | |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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YES, but we should dispense with the TIFs (all of them). | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
BOTH should be recipients, because each business district area has unique needs and opportunities (within each TIF District). | ||
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Would you support a "living wage" law in Oak Park that would require all businesses that contract with the village to pay $9.05/hr with a yearly cost of living increase? (This matches Chicago's living wage ordinance. |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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Yes, but we should un-privatize public works and pay these folks even more. | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Do you endorse linking any future for-profit businesses or real estate development in Oak Park to substantial affordable housing commitments and living wages as described earlier? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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I would support impact fees and set asides for affordable housing, infrastructure, parks and wages among others. | |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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I agree with the concept. I am unclear about the definition of substantial. | |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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Yes, but Whiteco (Mr. White) shouldn't get any subsidies at all. He's one of the richest men in America. | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Would you support an ordinance that prohibits discrimination based on source of income, such as someone who has a Housing Choice Voucher, from being denied housing? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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I didn't even realize you could discriminate currently on this basis. I would vote to pass such and ordinance. | |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Do you believe that the Oak Park Village Board should pass a resolution authorizing Village police and other authorities to deny cooperation with Federal authorities in enforcing elements of the USA Patriot Act and other recent federal legislation aimed at curtailing civil liberties and increasing domestic surveillance? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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My instinctive answer is yes - but is a "resolution" sufficient to stop acts or would more substantial acts be necessary? Actually I think you would use an "ordinance" to have the impact of law. | |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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I'm working with a coalition of the Greens, OPCTJ and the Unitarian Universalist Church to do this. | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Would you support an ordinance requiring that all coffee sold in Oak Park to be "Fair Trade Certified" by the International Fair Trade Register? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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I agree with the concept. I have concerns re: ordinance enforcement. | |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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The Greens picked Starbucks in O.P. on this very issue. | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
(Mr. Troelstrup requested more information, but the timing of the questionnaire responses ran out before he had time to review the forwarded web-site information. Should you wish to review a web-site on this issue, please visit www.usleap.org) | ||
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Should the Village of Oak Park provide village-owned property for a support center, interim living quarters and cooling and heating centers for homeless individuals and families? |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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I'd like to see an intergovernmental effort to provide broad services e.g.. eye care, medical care, dental care such as you describe above - the Village should take the lead, including property for the support center. | |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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There should be job training/referral too! | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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Yes, unless a more central facility becomes available for West Suburban use. In which case, Oak Park can provide its share of support. | |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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Will you work to prevent the transport of high level nuclear waste through Oak Park for public safety and security reasons? (On the grounds that this simply extends the lifetime of the reactors that generate this material and does not substantially reduce the security or health risk to the public, as the waste must still be "cooled" for many years on site of each reactor.) |
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Robert Milstein, Citizens Alliance |
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Barbara Mullarkey, Citizens Alliance |
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Bruce Samuels, Citizens Alliance |
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Yes, why do we have a "Nuclear Free Zone"? | |
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John Troelstrup, Running independent of any party. |
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Ray Johnson, Open Party |
It is nearly impossible to simply answer complex questions with yes/no answers. I'm sorry I can't complete the survey as outlined. | ||
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David Pope, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Eileen Fein, Open Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Carolyn Hodge-West, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing.
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Bill Higgins, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. | ||
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Mas Takiguchi, Independent Party |
No response to survey or follow up mailing. |
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