Wheeling Township Supervisor Candidates Debate Campaign Pledges, Future Goals and More

Arlington Heights Patch sat down with the two candidates for Wheeling Township Supervisor; incumbent Mike Schroeder (R) and challenger Issues discussed included the promise by Democats to lower taxes, qualifications of each candidate, goals to further the township and more. 

The candidates were asked to alternate the order of their answers when posed questions posed by Arlington Heights Patch. Answers were timed and limited to three minutes. 

Why makes you the best candidate for supervisor?

Schroeder: I am a former village trustee and mayor of Arlington Heights, and have a number of involvements in the township, including the Northwest Community Hospital Dental Advisory Board, past Arlington Heights Park District Foundation member and District 214 Foundation Board member. I have managed and dealt with budgets and levies from the Village of Arlington Heights. I know how to make a difference because of my strong involvement in our community, and that has garnered not only an increase in volunteers, but in donations to the township as well.

Arenas:  I spent 32 years at an airline, managing multi-million dollar equipment, in my days as a union officer, I served on a master executive council, as a union negotiator with a $225 million contract, and worked to allocate those monies appropriately, I also ran an office of three employees. All of these things are life experience, whether or not I am the best compared to Mike, my life experience is such as it is.

What are the major issues facing Wheeling Township?

Arenas: Financial stability in government is always a concern, our slate believes the current reserve is too high. We would seek to reduce the levey or otherwise reduce the reserve. I’m not sure residents know about the township, I would like to promote what the township does, I think the incumbents have done a good job with good intent, and so are we. I do believe there is a status quo mentality.

Schroder: Our transportation service is a priority for the township, our board has treated it that way and has delivered 26,000 rides to our seniors. This is critical in keeping our senior population independent and able to stay in their own homes in many cases-we are dealing with our most frail population. I have consistently gone before groups including the Wheeling Village Board, Arlington Heights Rotary, and members of the area chambers to be out there talking about the services the township provides. Another important service is Meals on Wheels; we have worked hard to provide 19,000 meals for seniors and done so by partnering with 25 faith communities and 150 volunteers to keep costs down while providing these dire services for people who truly need them. 

During the campaign, there has been a pledge by Democrats to lower taxies levied by the township. Do you agree or disagree this is necessary/possible? If so, give specific proposals on how you will lower taxes, or if not, why you think the township is running as efficiently as possible.

Schroeder: It is disingenuous that signs around town say Democrats for Lower Taxes. The township controls less than 1 percent of a person’s property tax bill, and we are providing so many programs that have already been mentioned. We are able to do this, through the utilization of our large volunteer base. The township has taken many steps to ensure we stay at less than 1 percent of your tax bill. For transportation, the cost for the township to provide a ride is $17, and we ask seniors for a $2 donation each way. We have a lease agreement with PACE where we pay $100 a month that also helps to keep our costs down. 

I would like to see the Democrats talk about how they are going to lower that less than 1 percent – to say they are going to lower property taxes and rebate money is irresponsible. The property tax bills breaks down as follows: 67 percent is from the public schools, 10 percent is from Cook County, 11.5 percent is from Arlington Heights. All of the services we provide, again, equal to 1 percent of the property tax bill.

Arenas: 1 percent of the levy was increased three times over the last four years, the state comptroller recommends a reserve that would last three to six months. That is the area we would look at. Any relief is welcome. Misinformation, that depends how you weight that information. If it is 1 percent, we can reduce that. We will try to reduce it. We would most likely reduce or suspend the levy.

What is your position on the proposed elimination of the road district/Highway Commissioner position?

Arenas: We believe this should happen. The 450 families that are served would still be served but the responsibility would be transferred to the township board, that doesn’t mean you abolish services. There is a feeling that there would be money saved. There are only 1.5 miles to go before by state statute, the road district would vanish. What you do is get together in a room, you talk to legal council, talk to the people who would be absorbing that responsibility. Whether or not money can be saved, that remains to be seen. Our slate strongly feels that way, but if money couldn’t be saved, we would have to rethink.

Schroeder: I think there is a lot of miscommunication about this. I respect Fred’s opinion, but as supervisor you are treasurer of the township road funds. A couple of years ago, it was determined that the money allocated to take care of unincorporated roads doesn’t transfer to the township board. With all the talk about this, it can’t happen. I’ve been working in a bi-partisan way with a number of supervisors in the immediate area, and you can’t just take those responsibilities to the board.

If we could have, we would have done it a long time ago. That’s been my goal, we had 9.3 miles and now we have 5.2. We’ve steadily been working with engineering to ensure all unincorporated areas that could be annexed into municipalities have been. But, to give up your responsibility without knowing how those remaining areas would be taken care of, is foolish. If we knew the levy would transfer to the board it would be one thing, but right now that is not possible. If it were abolished, we would still have to hire road managers and people to perform administrative duties.

Abolishment of township government entirely, has been a bubbling issue as of late.  What is you opinion on that?

Schroeder: The Township is a safety net, our goal as a board is to have unduplicated services. Nobody provides transportation to seniors or the disabled; we have tripled the size of the food pantry with one person on staff and 36 volunteers. We are able to keep our costs down by recruiting, training and retaining volunteers. If the township were abolished, who would provide these services?

Arenas: I agree with what Mike says, the township is a safety net. It provides what nobody else does. The question hangs out there, if it was absorbed by other government agencies, the services would be diluted. I wouldn’t trust any  other agency, I think it is money well spent. There are people who rely on it, and these are people who would suffer if township were not there providing those services. 

Schroeder [rebuttal]: When asked about how to reduce taxes, Fred says he will get together with the board and see what they can do. There are five voting members on the board, and one of the problems is that the four trustee candidates have never in 12 years attended a township meeting. They have never volunteered their time, and have recently filled out numerous FOIA requests that have made our staff run around, when the majority of the information is available on our website. I just don’t understand how they can say they will reduce property taxes without ever attending a meeting.

Arenas [rebuttal]: You don’t become an expert until you get involved. I know that some of these folks have been involved in the community in other aspects, Mike doesn’t think it amounts to a hill of beans. We all start some place, with no reservations. We are not going to raise taxes.

Senior programming and what ideas do you have to enrich the overall program.

Arenas: It pays to advertise, it’s hard to get the word out about anything. We need to communicate with the community about what is offered. The township puts out a great newsletter, but it’s not enough. All agencies should be pressed and harnessed to get the word out, all social programs are works in progress. You can never be done tweaking or examining it. We have to work at it, to get the word out.

Schroeder: From our perspective, we are always trying to add new programs. We are part of the TRIP program, which I am the chairman of, and we have begun to work with five different townships so that when medical rides for seniors or the disabled are needed and cross over township boarders, we are able to offer that service so it is affordable for our riders. When Mount Prospect dropped its Meals on Wheels program, we were able to pick up and help those people who were dropped. We provide the Friendly Visitor Program, health visits from the township nurse, provide a senior health insurance program, rules of the road and safe driving resources for our seniors. We have also started a Paint-a-Thon, where we go out and work with seniors who don’t have the money to paint their homes and partner with District 214. We have done so many things to expand our senior program and continue to look at new ways.  

Democrats have proposed forming an Economic Council. Explain why this is necessary as a township function, and if not, why.

Arenas: The township board already has a program for this, there is some energy among our slate to create an umbrella organization to tap into chambers in the township; nobody is going to argue that it can’t be better. We see a lot of empty storefronts, restaurants close. We’d like to create an organization that would create businesses, it is something that is evolving and would be a work in progress.

Schroeder: Fred said he thought there was an organization like this already, there is not, because it is not relevant to township government. We are a social safety net, that is our mission. We are members of every chamber of commerce in the township, and I am a member of the Arlington Heights chamber. We want businesses to thrive in our community, but that is the responsibility of chamber of commerce and the villages. I think an economic council is not relevant to township government and what we are supposed to accomplish.

Taxes levied by the township, reserves.

Schroeder: Democrats have said that Republicans have raised taxes three times over the last few years. Again, you are dealing with less than 1 percent of your property taxes; we have held our levies relatively flat over the last five years. You are looking at individual years; with all of the services provided. Take your total property tax bill; take 1 percent of that, and that is the township portion.

Arenas: For me, my 1 percent is $73.50, and any increase that is not necessary is not necessary. It is not a king’s ransom, and we know that. When you have $4.6 million in reserves, it is for a rainy day. Well, it’s raining. I can’t say what we should do with that money, possible rebate it. Money does not sleep, and it could be trifled away. Perhaps rebate it, or suspend the levy.

Schroeder: One of the problems we have, if we abolish the reserve, if we abolish the road district – the reserve depletes quickly. The State of Illinois is slow paying their bills, social service agencies rely on funding from the township. My question is why when you’re responsible, and have a balanced budget and healthy reserves, are you seen as the problem? We are doing everything we can to keep our expenses low. The cost for the food pantry was $80,000, we got grants to cover those costs. It would be irresponsible not to maintain healthy reserves in this economic climate.

Arenas: We believe the reserve is excessive, if we can reduce that I will take it and I think most people in the township would as well. We would try to administer the office as fiscally responsible as possible.

Final thoughts from both candidates.

Arenas: The Democrats have fielded a full slate for the first time in memory. I think the people who are in office now are doing a good job. I think new ideas and a fresh perspective are in order. I have nothing bad to say; a new goal, energy and ideas could fulfill and advance the mission of providing social services that are vital to the recipients. The focus of the township is our township, it is vital to keep the township healthy, vigorous and alive for the people we serve.

Schroeder: I welcome Fred and the other seven members of his slate into the township to see what we are doing. This opportunity gave us the chance to tell people what our new ideas are, and I didn’t hear any new ideas from Fred. My experience as a business owner, former trustee and mayor, and my strong involvement in our community has prepared me for this responsibility to efficiently address the budget. I have an  understanding of the issues, and a strong historical perspective of the township. I believe my connections in the community have increased volunteering and donations here in the township, and that will continue.

Early voting is still available until April 6. For information on voting locations, visit the Cook County Clerk website. 

The general election is on Tuesday, April 9 from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m.