Fischer for Zion 2017

Back in Campaign Mode

Multitasking

I had the day off and I decided to walk over to City Hall in order to get a couple of miles of steps in, and to pick up a petition packet for the April 2017 Consolidated Election.

City offices are behind a security door, so you have to call the extension for the City Clerk to gain entrance. I dialed Diane Burkemper's extension, left a message, and then sat down to wait. Rich Ianson, the Director of Building and Zoning, came through the lobby, said hello, and let me know that Diane was out at the moment. So I called the extension for Sheryl Spooner, the Deputy Clerk, and told her I was there to pick up a nomination packet.  A few minutes later, she collected me from the lobby and took me back to the office.

I checked the packet to ensure all the necessary documents were included, and put my contact information on a notification list just in case any issues arise regarding the petition forms, or the filing process, so that the Clerk would be able to let me know.  Providing the information is voluntary, and sometimes it is useful to see who else has picked up a packet and get an early read on the competition. Except in this case, it seems I am the first on the list.  Sheryl was very helpful, and soon I was on my way home with my papers secured in a portfolio.

The Magic Number

If you have read some of my previous blog entries, you will know, that according to the Illinois statute, the required number of signatures to qualify as a candidate for the office of Commissioner is based on one percent of the total votes cast in the most recent Mayoral election in the municipality.

The formula: 2,197 Votes x 1% = 22

This is confirmed by the cover sheet for the packet, which lists the minimum signatures required as 22. I will probably collect between 30 to 40, just to give myself a safe margin.

The Calendar

 As of today, it is 197 days until the April 4, 2017 election.  September 20th, is the first day that petitions can be circulated, with the first day of filing on December 12th, and the last day on December 19th.  Voting by mail for this election starts March 13, 2017, followed by the start of early voting on March 20, 2017. Then, of course election day on April 4, 2017.

I will be making a formal announcement in the next couple of weeks and sending that off to the local paper. Also I am working on an updated platform to address a range of issues concerning the city and it's residents. If you are a registered voter, live in Zion, and would like to show your support by signing my petition, let me know and I will arrange to meet you. Or, if you like, you can find me at City Hall tomorrow evening attending the City Council meeting that starts at 7:00 pm.  I look forward to seeing you there.

Website updates are coming:  www.fischerforzion.com

If you have a concern of issue that you want to see addressed and discussed in this upcoming election, I want to hear it. Leave me a comment here, or email me directly at fischerforzion@gmail.com

Official Election Results and an Important Date

I should get a frame for it.

As a brief follow up on my previous post about elections and voting, I thought I would share the results from the March 15th General Primary Election. Now that the final results are in and the election has been certified, we can take a closer look at the numbers and see what they tell us.  Not in a big picture analysis, but just the little microcosm of Zion Precinct 411.

As you can see from the picture of my election certificate above, there were 194 ballots cast in the Democratic primary in Precinct 411, but that doesn't give us the whole picture. If we look at the official results, we see that there were 55 under votes, people who declined to vote on my unopposed race. 

PRECINCT COMMITTEEMAN Zion 411

Zion 411 (Prec-0411)

(VOTE FOR) 1

Christopher J. Fischer . . . . . . 137 100.00

Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 0

Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 55

That is about 28% of the voters who pulled a Democratic Primary Ballot in Precinct 411. Now some of that under vote might be due to my position on the ballot which was on the back, with only the County Board District 4 race above it. Some folks may not have even turned the ballot over, or they don't like only having one choice.  If we look at the other four precincts in Zion where a Committeeman was on the ballot, and unopposed, the percentage of under votes range as follows by precinct: 403 18%, 409 24%, 410 44%, 413 21%. So, 28% is about the average, and don't get me wrong getting 72% of the ballots is great. If I had gotten that percentage in my last race for Commissioner I would be celebrating my first year in office today.

Turnout Percentages for Zion on March 15, 2016

However, there is cause for concern, because Zion has a history of voter apathy. Looking at the percentages shown in the table above compared to the official turnout for Lake County of 44.20%  I think that concern is justified.  My hope, as the election season shifts from the primaries and conventions to the finish in November is that people will shake off their apathy and become engaged in the process. Because the fall election isn't just about the Presidency, it's about all the down ballot races for Senate, Congress, State Senate, State Representative, States Attorney, and several County wide offices, all of which are very important, no doubt.

The challenge for everyone like myself who believe in the importance of participating in our system of self-governance, is getting people who come out of hibernation every four years for the Presidential election to come out again to vote in the April election that follows.  As I have been saying for the past four years; local, municipal, and school board elections, the ones that get almost no attention at all, are the elections that have the biggest impact on our daily lives.  

The truth is that most of the taxes you actually pay will go to the governing bodies controlled by the people who will be elected in the Consolidated General Election in April 2017.

If you are upset that your property taxes keep going up while the value of your home drops, or that your street is turning into a field of potholes, or the schools are taking more money and the results aren't getting better, then you have to do more than vote on November 8th, you must mark your calendar for April 4, 2017 and get out the door to the polls!

I hope that you will join me.

473

April 7, 2015 Election Results

This election is now in the books. 

After six months of campaigning, standing in front of the Zion Post Office for twelve Saturdays in a row, and knocking on over 2,000 doors all the while going on foot throughout the city in the snow and the cold for another three months, talking with hundreds of people and passing out literature. After carefully crafting opening and closing statements, detailed factual proposals, and posting videos on YouTube.

After all this outreach, and speaking and effort, listening to homeowner after homeowner decry the high taxes that they have been paying, and how they don't know if they can stay in this town.

After all this, 473 citizens had the courage to vote for something new, a vision for the future.

13.55% of the votes cast for the office of Commissioner were given to me, and to those people I am deeply grateful for the validation they gave to my efforts.

I had hoped to repay them with the next four years of dedicated service, but that is not to be.  Now that this election is finished, I will place my focus on serving the people of Zion and Winthrop Harbor as a Trustee of the Lake County Public Water District, and do my best to ensure that their water service is as safe and affordable as possible.

Beyond that, I will not speculate. The future is always filled with opportunity and possibility, we just have to have the courage to work for it.

Thank you for your support, and as always I look forward to hearing from you.

Christopher

Election Eve - The Power of Choice

Good Morning. Today is Monday April 6th, the day before the election.  It's early, my dogs, who have their own agenda woke me up just after 5:00 am, and before I head out for a final day of planting signs and walking to another 300 houses I just want to share some thoughts about the choice you have tomorrow at the polls.

Zion Precinct Map

Two years ago on election eve I wrote about the power of ideas to move people to action, and that core belief has continued to drive me through all the months of campaigning; the walking, speaking, and hours of door-knocking throughout the fall and winter all over Zion.  I spent all that time and endured the harsh weather because I believe in the importance of this election, that the choice we make tomorrow will shape the future of this City and lives of the people who live here.

It's that important.

Local government is mostly unknown, ignored, and invisible to the average citizen, until they see the quarterly bill, or take a close look at their property taxes. The elections for those offices get even less attention, and the choice is often reduced to simple name recognition.

I have read and listened to what my competitors in this race have been saying regarding their reasons for seeking office and their proposals, and with all due respect for their willingness to serve I don't believe they are up to the job.

The office of Commissioner is not a hobby, something to fill the time during retirement. It's not merely a title to be conferred upon someone just because they are nice, popular, and grew up here. It's a position that carries real power, authority, and responsibility for the quality of life for the 23,000 people in this city.

It's that serious.

As I have said before, I couldn't be more serious about taking on this job and the challenges of building a new future for Zion.   I have the vision, I've done the research, and I'm ready to get to work. To do that, I need your vote tomorrow.

The choice is yours.

Sincerely,

Christopher Fischer

Avoid the Rain - Vote Early!

Next Tuesday, April 7th is Election Day, and the forecast is less than great. So, why not vote while the sun is shining?  

Early Voting continues this week through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm at Zion City Hall, 2828 Sheridan Road.  The last day for Early Voting is this Saturday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, and the weather is supposed to be great.

Don't Wait! Go Vote!  Because Every Vote Counts!  I hope to be able to greet some of you at City Hall on Saturday, but I will be focused on going door to door to try to get people out to vote.

This election is too important, and I need your support and your votes.

If you have any questions, or comments, I would love to hear from you at fischerforzion@gmail.com

Thanks!

Chris

Candidate Questionnaire - Sneak Peek

When I started this blog, one of my goals was to help demystify the processes behind elections and local government. With that in mind, I just completed responding to a set of questions sent to me by the Zion Benton News for their candidate profile. I don't know yet when it will be published, but I thought I would go ahead and share it with you now, to give you a sense of the format.  I have done some edits, removing a section on personal information, and adding the Q and A identifiers. The two questions on taxes and economic development are really parts of the same issue, and that is why I gave one answer to both. Enjoy! If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. - Christopher Fischer

ZION-BENTON NEWS/BARGAINEER

DIVISION OF UNITED COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION

2711 Sheridan Road, Suite 202; P.O. BOX 111

ZION, IL 60099

847-746-9000; Fax 847-746-9150

Dear candidate:

The Zion-Benton News will run candidate profiles for local government offices in the April 7 election in the next few weeks.  Please take a few moments and fill out the questionnaire below. We ask you return the completed form as soon as possible. If you have not already submitted a photograph, please include one with this form.  If you need a photo, contact our office at 847-746-9000 to arrange to have one taken.  Return the completed form by E-mail to mona@zion-bentonnews.com or mshannon@kenoshanews.com., or mail or drop off at 2711 Sheridan Road, #202, Zion, IL 60099.Thank you.

ELECTION INFORMATION

Qualifications:

To the public I offer the experience and judgment acquired in over thirty years of professional life. For the past sixteen years I have been employed within Human Resources at the American Medical Association.  I also have over a decade of management experience in the Private Security field, and I am a U.S. Army veteran where I served as an Intelligence Analyst.

Q. Previous government/community involvement?

A. Currently I serve as a Trustee on the Lake County Public Water District Board, which oversees the operation of the Filtration Plant providing water for Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and the Illinois Beach State Park. In the 2013 election, a new development plan for Zion was part of my campaign platform, and today I am a member of the Comprehensive Development Plan Steering Committee which is bringing that very idea to life.  I also support community building initiatives such as the Bridge Builders outreach program with the Zion Police Department, and the Coalition for Healthy Communities, Community of Character campaign.

Q. Why are you running for this office?

A. I have diligently studied the functioning of our city government for the past few years, and I see that it is confronted with a number of serious challenges. Meeting those challenges requires new leadership that is able to bring a fresh perspective to the tasks at hand. I will bring this quality to the City Council as Commissioner.

Q. Briefly explain how would you address the high taxes in Zion? 

Q. Briefly explain how would you address economic development in Zion?

A. I propose that the city apply for Enterprise Zone Status under the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, to give us access to special tax and regulatory incentives for businesses.  I also propose that the Act be amended to include the Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility in the same criteria as an abandoned coal mine, or brownfield site, and the Enterprise Zone status should not expire until the spent fuel is removed from our Lakefront. These proposals provide practical means towards growing our local economy while helping reduce homeowner taxes, and obtaining some compensation for the detrimental impact of the nuclear storage site on our community.

Q.  Briefly explain what other issue you consider very important for the city of Zion?

A. To address the growing costs of our aging infrastructure, I propose developing a regional water and wastewater infrastructure improvement project in cooperation with Beach Park and Winthrop Harbor that would qualify for funding under the federal Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Authority. Obtaining alternative funding to fix our infrastructure needs should be a high priority for the city. To see all my proposals I invite the public to visit my website, www.fischerforzion.com to learn more.

New Leadership - A Video Commentary

Here is what I hope will be a series of commentaries about the April General Consolidated Election and some of the many issues facing Zion.

Above all, I want to inspire some real communication with my fellow Zion residents and get their input on what we need to do to move Zion forward.

Please feel free to comment here, or send me an email to fischerforzion@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you.

Getting on the Ballot - Fun Facts

When I started posting on this blog, in conjunction with my first campaign for office, one of my goals was to help demystify the electoral process, and try to make our system of self-governance more accessible. With that in mind I felt it was time for a short post about the process of getting nominated for office.

Another step in the process.

Today, I made a quick trip down to the Lake County Clerk's Office to file my Statement of Economic Interests. A stamped copy of the statement is required as part of petition packet that I will submit on December 15th, to get on the ballot for the General Consolidated Election next April.

I like to get things out of the way early if I can, and since I have a meeting of the Lake County Public Water District tonight, I took today off work to run some errands, and this was one of them.  For those who might be curious, I had nothing to declare on my statement, no financial or business interests that qualify for disclosure.

How many signatures?

Perhaps the first question that comes up when considering whether to run for public office is how do I get my name on the ballot?  The basic requirement is that the prospective candidate must gather the signatures of a certain number of registered voters that live in the area to be represented. Depending on the level of government, the office sought, and whether a primary election is required, the required number can range from a few hundred to several thousand.

So, I am running for office again, and in conversations with people who hold office, have run for office, or are just interested, the question often comes up; how many signatures do you need, minimum?

The answer almost always comes as a surprise to them; ten (10).

When I first ran for Commissioner, I was advised to get twice as many signatures as required, in case anyone challenges the validity of the petition. As of today, I have twenty signatures, so I am pretty much set for this round.

In a city with a population over 23,000, how is it that a person can petition to run for the office of Commissioner on the City Council, with only ten qualified signatures?

The answer lies in Illinois State Statute 65 ILCS 5/4-3-8. As quoted from the 2015 Candidate Guide, for the Commission Form - Municipal; Signature Requirements: Equal to at least 1% of the total vote cast for mayor at the last preceding mayoral election of the municipality.

If you are mathematically inclined, you realize that means that there were only 1000 votes cast in the last Mayoral race four years ago. Mayor Lane Harrison ran unopposed in that election, and whether the low turnout was due to satisfaction with the mayor's performance, or general apathy among the voters, the result is a general lowering of the bar for office seekers in the next election. This will encourage a number of people to become candidates, who might not otherwise seek an office. By the way, the same signature requirement applies to candidates running for the office of Mayor in the April 2015 election too. 

I expect that there will be large number of candidates for both Commissioner and Mayor in the April election. Determining which ones have the qualifications and temperament to effectively serve the people of Zion, will ultimately be the responsibility of the voters.

Let's help them make an informed decision.  This is the part of the campaign where I ask for your help in getting the word out to the public that there is a alternative to the status-quot in the coming election.  I am running for Commissioner because I believe that I have the qualities and determination to make our city government work better for everyone.  Go to www.fischerforzion.com and check out my campaign platform, follow the campaign on facebook and also on twitter.  Talk to your friends and neighbors; tell them that local government effects their daily lives more directly than anything else, and they need to get involved in the process to make a difference.

As always, I look forward to hearing from you, either in the comments, or email me at fischerforzion@gmail.com

Fischer for Zion 2015 Press Release

With the publication of the following press release on the ZBGuide.com website, and later this week in the Zion Benton News, my candidacy in the April 7, 2015 General Consolidated Election is now officially announced.

New Leadership for Zion

Announcement

Christopher Fischer declares his candidacy for the office of Commissioner in the City of Zion in the April 2015 election.

Candidate’s Statement

Our city government is confronted with a number of challenges; including tight budgets, aging infrastructure, and providing quality public services.

Meeting those challenges require leadership that is objective, independent, and able to bring a fresh perspective to the tasks at hand.

I will bring those qualities to the City Council, and that is why I am announcing my candidacy for the office of Commissioner in the City of Zion.

Visit my website, www.fischerforzion.com to learn more about the campaign, and contact me at: fischerforzion@gmail.com if you wish to ask a question, make a suggestion, or volunteer.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Christopher Fischer