7 Days Out

Whatever it takes.

As I write, Election Day is exactly one week away, and at this time next week the polls will have just closed.  This campaign  that I've put so much time and energy into since I announced my candidacy in September is coming to an end.

This is my third run at Commissioner and with experience comes some advantages. I have a better understanding of how  government  works. I've  learned how to focus my message better.  I'm more comfortable in approaching and talking with strangers than I used to be, which has the side benefit of acquiring new friends I would never have had met if I  hadn't run for office.

Time also takes it's toll, the knee pain I wrote about two years ago when I was talking to voters outside the  post office has migrated to both legs. But out of adversity comes innovation, so I  have been going house to house by bicycle, which has drawn some notice.

You might ask why I have endured all of this discomfort and pain, why put myself through it?

Because I believe it is necessary.  

Democracy, even at the smallest scale demands our engagement, and even a little sacrifice to keep it alive. 

I'm willing to make that commitment, to serve the public as best I can. 

Seven days and counting, I ask for your support and your vote.

Christopher  Fischer

Press Statement for the Zion-Benton News

And here it is, inside the first page.

The following press release is scheduled to run in the October 6th edition of the Zion - Benton News.

Announcement

Christopher Fischer, a homeowner in Zion for over 20 years, and currently a Trustee on the Board of the Lake County Public Water District declared his candidacy for the office of Commissioner in the City of Zion.

Candidate’s Statement

In my first campaign for public office I wrote, “Even small governments make big decisions. Government exists to provide services that we cannot accomplish as individuals.  The decisions that our public servants make today will have a real impact on our quality of life tomorrow, and for years to come.” I still believe that, and since that first campaign I have seen some of my policy proposals enacted, participated in creating a new development plan for the city, and engaged in community building efforts across Zion. As a Trustee to the Board of the Lake County Public Water District, I have gained a deeper understanding of the functions and limitations of governance.

I invite the public to visit my website, www.fischerforzion.com to learn more about my proposals on Financial Stability in the City Budget, Economic Development, Enterprise Zones, Infrastructure Investment, Public Safety, and Property Tax Relief as Compensation for Nuclear Storage. I can be contacted at: fischerforzion@gmail.com with your questions, or suggestions. I look forward to hearing from you.

I truly believe that the people of Zion deserve a representative who is objective, independent, and committed to working for them and that is why I am declaring my candidacy for the office of Commissioner in the City of Zion to be elected on April 4th, 2017.

Sincerely,

Christopher Fischer 

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

Needed: A Long Term Solution

Nuclear Fuel Storage Casks staged for loading - Zion, December 2012 Author's Photo

 Today, I have been reviewing the press coverage of  Congressman Dold's bill, "The Stranded Nuclear Waste Act", HR-5632-press-release, and while I applaud the fact that this problem is finally getting some serious attention from our federal representative, I am skeptical that the bill will actually be passed during this session.  Beyond that, I don't feel that the proposal goes far enough to address the long term impact of the storage site on the City of Zion and the surrounding community.

The biggest fault is the fact that there is a seven year limit on the compensation. The reason given, is to prevent the community becoming reliant on federal dollars, and supposedly to prompt Congress to take action on the storage problem. Now, the projected $15 million a year compensation is not inconsiderable, but when measured against the projected lifespan for the nuclear storage casks of 50 years or more it's not that much. As for getting Congress to move on a problem because it might cost a few hundred million over a few years ignores history and reality. Even with a best case scenario, in which Yucca mountain opened tomorrow, I have learned that it might take up to 30 years to move all the stored fuel to another site. The fact is the fuel isn't going anywhere for quite some time.

The second problem I have is with the statement from Mayor Al Hill, that his hope is that these funds will allow the city to lower taxes, which will hopefully draw economic development, and kick-start a cycle of development that will improve the economy and ease the tax burden.  As a theory, I think that is a worthy goal.

I would like to propose a better idea, rather than hoping to lower taxes for businesses, let's actually lower the taxes for businesses!

In fact, I already proposed this idea over a year and half ago during my campaign for Commissioner. From my blog post: "Candidate Questionnaire Sneak Peek", Fischer for Zion - February 2015 

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.

 Since I made that proposal, there have been more cases where a business considering locating in Zion has instead gone to Wisconsin or elsewhere because Zion couldn't offer the kind of tax incentives to be competitive. No matter what the outcome of the proposed bill, we still need the leverage of an Enterprise Zone to compete with cross border competition.

Another issue that was mentioned in the press conference, is the increasing rate of poverty in Zion, reflected in the unbalanced proportion of rental property to homeowner occupied which is now 60% to 40%, and the highest number of Section 8 housing in Lake County.

To address the housing problem, and the long-term economic impact on the city, I would propose the creation of a special Homestead exemption for tax assessments that would be tied to the Nuclear Storage Site, similar to what I have proposed for the Enterprise Zone. Just like the existing special exemptions for Veterans and Seniors, this would be an additional exemption for residents living in Zion, Winthrop Harbor, and Beach Park, in order to compensate for the economic impact of the Storage Site. Added to that, there should be an additional incentive exemption for first-time home-buyers that would be available for the first two years in order to encourage conversion from rental properties to ownership.  After that, as long as they qualify for the standard Homestead exemption, they would receive the additional Nuclear Homestead exemption.

As I stated above, seven years of cash payments isn't bad, but before everyone gets caught up in what can be done with that money (which we don't have yet), let's not lose sight of the long term needs and how we can address them.

"Ridiculous and Stupid" A Letter to the Editor

Small Town Shenanigans 

 

There is a saying that goes something like, "If you aren't outraged, you aren't paying attention".  Over the past few years as I have campaigned around the city, and developed connections with different people I have begun to tap into the grapevine of local information.  These are the background stories, what's happening behind the scenes, the unofficial stories.  I don't refer to them or publish them because they are often shared in confidence, and can't be verified or given proper attribution.  But, every once in a while something pops into the public sphere that when you look at it, is so absurd on its face that it demands comment.  Such is the case regarding a recent hearing of the Liquor Control Commission in Zion, and what follows is the text of my letter to the editor of the Zion-Benton News.

To the Editor,

 

Like many others, my property tax bill arrived in the mail last week.  After reading through the various appropriations for the city and the school districts and so forth, I turned my attention to the front page of the Zion - Benton News and the headline; “Callie’s faces liquor license violation”.  Callie’s being the restaurant inside the Inn at Market Square on Sheridan Road.

The story that followed detailed the proceedings of a hearing before the Liquor Control Commission held on May 1^st at City Hall, chaired by Mayor Hill.  At first, the story only held passing interest for me, until I read the details of the violation and how it was determined.

“The Zion Class B liquor license requires that a restaurant have at least 50 seats, not including any at a bar. Zion Police Department's compliance officer, Sgt. Rick Brown, made arrangements for two sets of plain clothes officers to rent a room at the Inn at Market Square and go to Callie's and order a meal with alcoholic drinks on March 15 and again on April 15.

Sgt. Brown said the purpose of the compliance check was to watch the sale of alcohol, verify the count and location of chairs as well as to verify signage (display of license).” – Zion - Benton News 5/5/2016

What is being described isn’t a “check”, to ensure compliance, but an undercover surveillance operation with the intent to persecute.  If the purpose was to ensure compliance it could have been done in a single visit by one officer, with a clipboard and a checklist.  Instead, the man-hours of three officers and the cost of rooms, meals, and drinks were expended in order to count chairs.  Let’s not forget to add the legal fees and the cost of holding the hearing to the tally. That’s a lot of our tax dollars being used to catch a local business in a technical violation worth a whopping $1000!  On the scale of misplaced priorities this “sting operation” is off the chart, being both ridiculous and stupid simultaneously.

Zion is plagued by real crime, drugs, and gangs and this is how the City is spending it’s time and our money? 

I look at my tax bill again, and think that whoever authorized this farce owes the citizens of Zion an apology, and a refund.

Sincerely,

Christopher Fischer

Vote for One

Unopposed

It's Leap Day today, and the first day of early voting for the March 15th primary election here in Illinois.  Since today is an "extra day" I decided to take a vacation day from work and take care of a couple of errands, including going to vote.

And, I just won my first election.

I have been on the ballot twice before in non-partisan municipal elections, and the signers of my nomination petitions for those races were a pretty healthy mix of Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.  As I have said many times, decisions made by local government have more impact on our daily lives than anything happening in Springfield or Washington D.C., and maintaining that spirit of non-partisanship is key to making municipal government work for everyone.

However, municipalities, park districts, school districts, and water districts also have to operate in the context of the broader county, state, and federal government. This requires having an understanding of the political aspects of governance, and getting involved in the political process. As both a candidate, and as Water District Trustee I have had conversations with State and Federal elected officials on issues of local concern. I've also used those conversations as opportunities to push for a policy or initiative that would benefit the residents of Zion.

After the last election, I decided that I didn't want to sit on the sidelines for another two years waiting for another shot at Commissioner, so I volunteered to be the Democratic Committeeman for Zion Precinct 411.  I often get asked the following question:

WHAT IS A PRECINCT COMMITTEEPERSON?

Your job as a precinct committeeperson is simple: Find Democratic and Democratic-leaning voters, get them registered to vote and get them to the polls. The office of the precinct committeeperson is the most important position in the entire Democratic Party.

You can also be the most effective person in your area to get out the vote for Democratic candidates. People trust a neighbor, even if they’ve never met you, to give them objective information about candidates. You can pick and chose the candidates you support...or you can support the entire Democratic slate.

Every two years, in the primary election, you may run to be the elected committeeman for your precinct. An elected precinct committeeman is a Democratic Party official at the local level. Once you are elected, you have a voice in what your county Democratic Party does. You are also on the front lines in elections, invited to special events with top candidates and absolutely essential to winning elections!  - Lake County Democratic Party www.lakedems.org

 The late author Hunter S. Thompson said, "Politics is the art of controlling your environment."  It logically follows that in order to exercise that control we have to get involved in politics. I actually get angry when I hear people refuse to get involved, or even to vote because 'all politicians are corrupt', and 'it doesn't make any difference'.  It's the laziest attitude that I can imagine, and one that too often becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.  You want better people in office? Get up off the couch and volunteer on a campaign.  You want policies that reflect and respect your beliefs and values? Then get involved in a political party that meshes with your ideals, and make it better by adding your voice.

I decided to add my voice, so I am on a partisan ballot for the very first time.

I'm way down at the bottom, and as you can see, I have no opponent so I win by default.  Which is common in primary elections, especially for minor positions, or even for some higher offices.  It becomes more troubling when there are candidates in the general election without an opponent, and that is something that really needs to change.

In the meantime, as I said at the start, this is the first day of early voting and there are some offices where there is a contested primary, and if there isn't a primary challenge, there is an opportunity to learn about new candidates that will be on the ballot in November.

Meet the Candidates

If you are a Lake County voter, and would like to learn more about the candidates in the Primary Election, there will be a chance to learn more from them, or their surrogates at the following event.

Meet the Candidates on Thursday, March 10 at the Zion Benton Public Library, 2400 Gabriel Ave, Zion IL.  The event starts at 6:30 p.m. in Room A. 

Candidates participating or represented:

Brad Schneider - U.S. Representative District 10 schneiderforcongress.com

Nancy Rotering - U.S. Representative District 10 nancyroteringforcongress.com

Melinda Bush - State Senate District 31 melindaforsenate.com 

Nick Ciko - State Representative District 61

Mary Ellen Vanderventer - Lake County Recorder of Deeds

Mike Perillo - Lake County States Attorney  perillo2016.com   

John Idleburg - Lake County Board District 4  elect_john_idleburg_4@yahoo.com 

Preston Carter - North Shore Water Reclamation District 1  votesmartervotecarter@gmail.com 

Tammy Duckworth - U.S. Senate tammyduckworth.com 

Andrea Zopp - U.S. Senate andreazoppforsenate.com

Of course the Presidential candidates have their websites:

Hillary Clinton  hillaryclinton.com

Bernie Sanders berniesanders.com  

An informed voter is the foundation of our democracy. I encourage everyone to get informed, and vote for the candidates of your choice on March 15th.

A Comment on the Waukegan Coal Plant Permit

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency is holding a hearing on the Waukegan coal plant tonight, at 7 p.m. at Illinois Beach State Park Resort in Zion.

I have prepared a comment to present at the hearing, the text follows:

Good Evening,

I am Christopher Fischer, a twenty year resident of Zion, and I’m speaking tonight as a concerned citizen.

This is not the year 1902, we know that the sky is not limitless and we know that the lake cannot carry away everything we deposit into it. We cannot feign ignorance of the environmental and economic costs that will continue to fall upon the citizens of North East Lake County if the operating permit for the NRG Coal Plant is renewed as currently written.

Today, we who live here are paying the tab on an environmental legacy resulting from short-term decisions made over decades. Ignorance of the long-term toxic effects certainly played a role, but all too often economics and expedience were the driving factors in those decisions.

We know that expedience in the service of short-term profit is no bargain. The five Superfund sites in this area alone, testify to the price of expedience. It is long past time we stop subsidizing corporate profit margins at the expense of our health, quality of life, and ultimately with our tax dollars.

It is 2015, and we know better. Therefore I ask that the IEPA re-draft this permit to include the current air quality standards, and stronger inspection, monitoring and record-keeping protocols to ensure compliance.

Thank you for your attention.

Christopher Fischer

This is an issue that effects everyone in Waukegan, Beach Park, Zion, and Winthrop Harbor. If you live here, you should be concerned about the outcome of this permit process. If you can join me at the meeting tonight, I would love to see you there.

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

Library Forum - Extra Q&A

After the Candidate Forum at the Zion-Benton Public Library on March 15th, there were a number questions that had been collected from the audience that weren't asked because of the time constraints. So, those questions have been provided to all the candidates and they have been asked to respond by March 23rd with their answers.  All of the questions, answers and omissions will be posted on ZBGuide.com.

Here are the questions, as provided to me, with my answers.  I encourage everyone to look at the responses by the other candidates when they are posted on ZBGuide.com.

QUESTIONNAIRE STARTS NOW - (We've removed any limitations as to the length of your responses)

1. Are you willing to live by the character traits chosen by the ZB community, be held accountable to them, and hold other elected officials to the same standard?

A. I fully support the Community of Character initiative, and the traits espoused because I already live by them in my daily life. In my experience, leading by example is the best way to get others to raise their standards.

2. Please identify 3 things you wish to accomplish in order of priority if you are elected. 

A.  The highest priority is to reestablish fiscal balance in the City Budget; currently there is a projected 1.6 million shortfall that has to be dealt with and quickly. Next is to begin the process of applying for Enterprise Zone Status, as I have proposed, in order to jump start growth in our local economy.  Equal to that is pushing for grants or alternative funds to begin serious upgrades to our infrastructure.

3. We have a huge amount of mayoral candidates. Would it have been a wise leader to meet prior to and decide who to support if it were not you that was considered "able to win"?

A. Anyone who is willing to step up and run for office should do so, and present their qualifications to the public. Let the Voters decide. Ultimately it is up to each candidate whether to continue to run in an election or bow out gracefully.   

4. If you are not the winner of this election, what plans do you have to push the agenda that you are campaigning on?

A. I will continue to serve the public as a Trustee on the Board of the Lake County Public Water District, and as a member of the Comprehensive Development Plan Steering Committee. I also will continue to comment on public affairs through my Fischer for Zion Blog, as I have done for the past few years.

5. Did you serve in the military? If so, can you tell us about that?

A. After graduating from High School I joined the U.S. Army and trained as an Intelligence Analyst. I was stationed with the 3^rd Infantry Division, 103^rd MI Battalion in West Germany and then with the 224^th Military Battalion in Savannah Georgia.  I was also twice awarded the Army Achievement Medal for exemplary service. Most importantly I met my wife Christie (who outranked me), and we have now been married 29 years.

6. Are you in favor of term limits?

A. There already are term limits, they are called elections.  If you think someone should be voted out of office, get off the couch, run for office yourself, or support a good candidate, because that is what a participatory democracy is all about.

7. What distinguishes you from the other candidates? What experience and knowledge do you bring that sets you apart?

A. 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.  I also currently serve as a Trustee on the Board of the Lake County Public Water District, which provides water for Zion, Winthrop Harbor and the State Park. I have a deep interest in the areas of government and public policy, and I believe I can bring a fresh perspective to the issues facing the city.

8. What is your agenda? Why are you running for office?

A. Over the past several years I became more aware of the importance of our local government in our lives. With this awareness came a feeling that I had a duty to serve the public in some capacity.  After a great deal of thought and research, I decided that my skills and abilities would best serve the public on the City Council. I have now lived in Zion longer than anywhere else in my life, it has become my home and I want to help make it a better place to live.

9. Speak from your heart and plainly tell us your vision for Zion.

A. I want to see a revitalized city that is progressive, prosperous, and growing. I believe it requires new leadership that is able to tackle the many challenges we face in order to achieve that vision.

10. How will you improve communication between the city, its departments, and the community?

A. By being open to communication through as many means as possible.  The internet and social media offer a multitude of channels for communication and interaction.

11. What do you know about the 20 year plan for Zion and how have you been involved?

A.  I proposed a New Comprehensive Development Plan as part of my campaign platform over two years ago after I discovered that the existing plan had not been updated since it was passed in 1992.

I proposed that the city obtain a technical grant from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning, to create a new plan.  Wisely, the city did so, and I currently serve as a member of the Steering Committee. Information about the plan is available at Plan4Zion.com   As Commissioner, I will see that this plan is enacted, and not put on a shelf.

12. Where do you see this city five years from now?

A. I would hope that with a more active and engaged city government at the helm, we would start seeing improvements in, economic development, improved public services, and a lowering of property taxes on homeowners.

13. With a possible $1.2 million loss of state funding, what do you propose to do regarding the next Zion fiscal year?

A. A 50% reduction in the Local Government Distributive Fund (LGDF) would be devastating for the city. Such a loss would most likely result in severe cuts in services, impacting public safety and health.  As noted above the city already is facing a shortfall of $1.6 million, effective budgeting and aggressively seeking alternative revenue can be brought to bear on that issue, but I would lobby forcefully against a cut in the LGDF, as will every municipality where those funds are used to support essential services.

14. What businesses or industries do you plan to bring to Zion?

A. Businesses look for locations where they can operate and generate a profit. The goal of the city government should be to create conditions that attract businesses to locate here. 

I have proposed that the city to apply for Enterprise Zone status under the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.  Once granted, Zion would then have access to the taxing and regulatory tools necessary to help establish new businesses here and build long-term growth in our local economy.

Additionally, I propose that the City lobby our State Legislature for certain amendments to the Enterprise Zone Act, in consideration of our unique status as a host community for the Spent Nuclear Fuel Storage Installation, which will be located on the site of the former Zion Nuclear Power Station.  I propose amending the Qualifications for Enterprise Zones to include long-term nuclear material storage in the same criteria as an abandoned coal mine, or brownfield site.  I also propose amending the zone duration standards in the Act by granting Zion an automatic renewal of the Enterprise Zone status, until the spent fuel is moved to a permanent site by the federal government.  These amendments would be moderate first steps towards compensating for the detrimental effect of the nuclear storage site on the future development of Zion’s Lakefront.

15. What are you going to do about the abandoned properties in Zion and the property owners who do not maintain their property?

A. In my first campaign I proposed the creation of an Abandoned Property registration program. That program has since been enacted, and is reported to be working well in identifying the parties responsible for these properties and holding them accountable for their maintenance.

16. What opportunities do you see for building the Sheridan Road Corridor?

A. Plan4Zion has a number of suggestions for the area, including bringing in more integrated residential/retail establishments that would appeal to younger professionals and to retirees looking to downscale from a single family home. Angled parking and other traffic improvements will help make the downtown area more accessible for pedestrians and shoppers.

17. What are your thoughts about strip malls, and what would you do about vacancies?

A. Strip malls have their place, but I would prefer to see an emphasis on building shopping and entertainment centers that fulfill the goals of being environmentally friendly, and aesthetically pleasing as outlined in the new development plan.  Obviously, vacant storefronts are best filled with new businesses, but I would like to see a program, possibly in cooperation with the Lakeshore Chamber of Commerce to utilize empty spaces for pop-up art exhibitions or other events. It also could help the owner of the space advertise it to attract new occupants.

18. How do you propose to entice taxpayers to move to and/or do business in Zion?

A. By doing all that is possible to make the city an attractive, safe place to live and work.

19. What do you plan to do to reduce taxes? How firm are you on lowering the tax burden on home and business owners in Zion?

A. I covered that in my answer to question 14. Economic development is crucial to reducing the tax burden on homeowners; the Enterprise Zone can help us do that.

20. What will you do to make our city safe?

A. As a community, we need to take more responsibility as citizens to maintain the common welfare. Our police and fire professionals are here to help in an emergency, but we bear some responsibility too.  I talk about this in more depth in my video commentary on Public Safety is a Community Value. It can be found on my website www.fischerforzion.com, or at ZBGuide.com.  I intend to continue supporting community building efforts such as BridgeBuilders in cooperation with the Zion Police Department.

21. How will you address transportation needs to help people take advantage of (Wal-mart) jobs in surrounding communities?

A. I do know that there have been discussions about expanding Pace bus routes in Zion and through the surrounding area. Some of those suggestions are in the new development plan. We need to work with Pace to start bringing these changes about.

22. Do you think the make-up of the police department accurately represents the population of Zion?

A. I do not know, but if I happen to take on the role of Commissioner for Public Safety, that will be an issue to look into.

23. Regarding law suits around the Ball Field, what are you going to do to settle? Why are the persons involved not prosecuted?

A. I do not know the current status of the various legal challenges between the City and Grand Slam Sports LLC, so I can’t give a factual answer to that question, or the follow up question. 

24. Please speak to your viewpoint of a unified school district and its impact on taxes.

A. As a taxpayer, my thought is that if an expanded or unified district improves student performance and finds ways to reduce costs through consolidation of services and purchasing, then that would be great.  But, based on the conclusions of the Local Government Consolidation Commission ((20 ILCS 3987/) Local Government Consolidation Commission Act of 2011) in it’s report; often the combining of local governments and districts result in little or no reduction in costs, and should be treated on a case by case basis dependent on local needs.

25. What are your plans to improve the schools in Zion? How can you insure that each child receives a quality education?

A. Other than the city working to provide good public services and a safe environment, I think this question is more suited to the candidates for the School Board. It really doesn’t fall into the purview of the City Council.

26. How long have you lived in Zion, and based on that answer, how does that make you qualified to be mayor?

A. Obviously, I am not running for Mayor, but I would like to address the question of length of residency, with my own question.  How long is long enough?  Good people with good qualities come from everywhere. To set an arbitrary time limit for whether someone is qualified to do a job or not, and you lose a tremendous wealth of education and experience obtained in other places that could be of great benefit to the city. 

27. How long have you lived in Zion, and based on that answer, how does that make you qualified to be mayor?

A. See answers to 26 above, same question.

28. How has your experience prepared you to effectively serve as Mayor?

A. I will be glad to answer that if or when I ever run for Mayor.

29. Use this space to address anything else you'd like to say to the Zion voters.

A. See my closing thoughts in 31 below.

30. Question for ALL Commissioner Candidates Only: In that you also become Zion Township Trustees, with a $million plus annual budget, would you consider dissolving the township government and giving its responsibilities (and budget) to the city?

A. My answer to question 24 covers this issue too. I would have to see that there are real cost savings or efficiencies to be realized from dissolving the Township, without compromising the services provided before considering such a proposal.

31. Anything else you'd like to say can be said here.

I’ve often said, “Even small governments make big decisions.” Government exists to provide services that we cannot accomplish as individuals.  Zion is faced with many challenges; economic, financial, environmental, and social.  To meet these challenges, we need leadership with a fresh perspective, able to respond with innovative and creative solutions. Leadership that will act as strong advocates for our interests at all levels of government.  As I said in my first video commentary, “This isn’t small town stuff, this is big league stuff.”  For this city to grow and prosper, we need to up our game, play above our level, and work together towards that goal.  I’ve done the research. I have the drive and determination. I’m ready to get to work, for you.

I ask for your support and your vote on April 7^th, Thank You.

Candidate Forum - Opening and Closing Statements

Ready for the Candidate's Forum!

As a service to the public who were not able to attend the Candidate Forum today at the Zion-Benton Public Library, I would like to share with you the prepared text of my Opening and Closing Statements.  The entire forum will be available for viewing on our local cable access channel, and on ZBGuide.com.

Opening Statement

Good Afternoon. I want to thank Carol Dolin and the Zion Benton Public Library for putting this event together, and my fellow candidates for participating.  An educated public is the lifeblood of a Democracy, and hopefully this forum will help everyone make an informed choice at the voting booth.   New Leadership I’m Christopher Fischer, and 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, in Chicago. I have over a decade of management experience in the Private Security field, and I served in the U.S. Army as an Intelligence Analyst. My wife and I moved to Zion twenty years ago, and over the past several years I became more aware of the importance of our local government in our lives. With this awareness came a feeling that I had a duty to serve the public in some capacity.  After doing a lot of research, I decided that my skills and abilities would best serve the public on the City Council. So, I ran in my first election ever two years ago for the office of Commissioner. Since that election I have been given opportunities to serve the public as a Trustee on the Board of the Lake County Public Water District, and as a member of the Steering Committee for the new Comprehensive Development Plan. Some of the policy proposals that I made in that election have since been taken up by the City Council, and I would like to update you on their status. First, the aforementioned Comprehensive Development Plan was part of my campaign platform after I discovered that the existing plan had not been updated since it was passed in 1992. I proposed that the city obtain a technical grant from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning to create a new plan.  Wisely, the city did so, and now Plan4Zion is underway.  As Commissioner, I will see that this plan is enacted, and not put on a shelf. Second, I proposed the creation of an Abandoned Property registration program. That program has since been enacted, and is reported to be working well in identifying the parties responsible for these properties and holding them accountable for their maintenance. Third, I proposed a Rental Licensing and Inspection program to hold landlords and property management companies accountable. To ensure that the tenants are not living in sub-standard or dangerous conditions.  Also, to weed out the negligent owners, and slumlords damaging our community.  I give credit to Commissioner Hill for bringing such a proposal to the Council earlier this month. Hopefully, it will be adopted and implemented in the near future, because in my opinion it has been needed for a very long time. Now, I bring those proposals up, not to pat myself on the back but to illustrate a quality that I believe I can offer the public, the ability to recognize a need and propose a solution that is realistic and practical. With that in mind. To address the critical issues of high property taxes and the need for economic development I have proposed that the city apply for Enterprise Zone Status under the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act.  This status would grant us access to special tax and regulatory incentives for businesses.  New businesses will help create the revenue needed to reduce the tax burden on homeowners.  Further, I propose that the Enterprise Zone Act be amended to include the Nuclear Fuel Storage Facility in the same criteria as an abandoned coal mine, or brownfield site, and that the zone status should not expire until the spent fuel is removed from the lakefront.  I believe these proposals provide practical means towards growing our local economy while helping to reduce homeowner taxes over time, and obtaining some compensation for the detrimental impact of the nuclear storage site in our community. I’ve often said, “Even small governments make big decisions.” Government exists to provide services that we cannot accomplish as individuals.  Zion is faced with many challenges; economic, financial, environmental, and social.  To meet these challenges, we need leadership with a fresh perspective, able to respond with innovative and creative solutions. Leadership that will act as strong advocates for our interests at all levels of government.  As I said in my first video commentary, “This isn’t small town stuff, this is big league stuff.”  For this city to grow and prosper, we need to up our game, play above our level, and work together towards that goal.  I’ve done the research. I have the drive and determination. I’m ready to get to work, for you. I look forward to your questions, and hope that this will be an informative afternoon for all of us. Thank You. (Note that in the actual delivery, I ran short of time and had to drop the last two paragraphs. Live and learn.) Closing Statement First I would like to thank our hosts and my fellow candidates for participating today. Hopefully we are all the better for doing so. This election at its heart is a job interview, but I think it’s much more. Beyond education, experience, and tenure there is another quality we look for in our leadership.  Vision. Vision is the great driver of progress. Without vision: Experience becomes nostalgia. Education becomes outdated. Without vision, complacency slowly smothers us, until, everything, just, stops. The families that founded this City just over a century ago were drawn here by a vision. They and those that followed put their hands, hearts, and minds to the great task of making that vision a reality. They were building the future. We stand on the foundations that they laid, and now it is our turn to continue the work that can never be completed. Because the future is always just out of reach, just over the horizon. This election is all about the future. The people we elect will make decisions that will determine the future of Zion for the next twenty years. It’s a serious business, building the future, and we need serious people to carry it out. I couldn’t be more serious. Today, I have shared some of my vision for that future with you.  If you share that vision I ask for your support, and your vote. Thank You.