Arlington Heights Trustee Candidate: Joe Farwell

Name, age, length of residence in Arlington Heights.

Joseph C Farwell, 48, 21 year resident of Arlington Heights

 Educational and/or professional background, community affiliations, both public and private, other experiences you feel qualify you to run (or seek reelection) for village trustee.

• Bachelor of Science, Finance, Marquette University, 1986
• Juris Doctorate, John Marshall Law School 1991
• Arlington Heights Housing Commission, 1997 – 2001
• Arlington Heights Senior Housing Needs Assessment 2001 - 2003
• Arlington Heights Downtown Masterplan Taskforce 2007 – 2009
• Northwest Municipal Conference Legislative Committee 2003 –
• Precinct Captain for Republicans of Wheeling Township 2001 -
• Owner of Farwell, Farwell & Associates, P.C. 21 years
• Arlington Heights Chamber of Commerce, 10 years
• Parish Member, Our Lady of the Wayside 22 years
• Christian Family Movement 1993 – 2007
• PADS volunteer, 17 years

What are the reasons you chose to run for Arlington Heights trustee?

 When I was re-elected four years ago, this nation was on the cusp of what turned out to be one of the most difficult economic times in our generation.  During that time, our focus as village leaders went from how we lower our budget, to how we provide the same basic services without raising our tax rates.  As a Board, we reviewed each potential budget reduction and its potential ramifications if cut.  BY doing this, we assured that whatever budget cuts were made, the impact on the delivery of services to residents was a minimum.  As we believe the economic forecast to be possibly brighter, I want to continue to look at our budget in the same way these past several years has taught us.  Not, what is the least amount we can afford to spend, but rather what can we possibly cut and its ramifications to services.  While both conservative and fiscally prudent approaches, the latter is a far better tool at keeping taxes to a minimum.  I want to see the reduction of some of the taxes raised in recent years as we get back to a normal, right-sized economy.

I also want to continue to represent Arlington Heights as a member of the Legislative Committee on the Northwest Municipal Conference.  Our committee has raised several issues as a lobbying body to our state legislators.  Several of these issues I have special concern over: the state and municipal pension crisis, and to continuance to curb the sate issuance of funded mandates.  These two issues have direct and significant impact on our local budgets, and hence, our residents taxes.

What are the top 2-3 issues facing the village of Arlington Heights, and how do you plan on addressing them?

Issue 1: I believe our greatest issue in Arlington Heights, as well as all municipalities in Illinois is the unresolved pension crisis in Springfield.  Leadership in Springfield has failed to sufficiently  address the looming pension crisis.  This one issue has resulted in 11 credit downgrades in this state alone, making it more expensive to issue bonds and may be the cause of a statewide bankruptcy. The amount Arlington Heights is required to contribute in its municipal, fire, and police pension funds each year is driven by Springfield. While Arlington Heights continues to fund its required amounts, many municipalities, as well as the state, fails to do the same.  A majority of the 1.3% tax increase proposed this year is for our pension obligation alone.  Unless resolved, this issue will continue to increase, at an increasing rate, making it impossible to provide other essential services without increasing our tax revenue greatly.  Fair and thoughtful reorganization of our pension system must be handled immediately. This is why I find my role on the Legislative Committee of the Northwest Municipal Conference so important.  I continually push, as your Trustee, for such change.  I understand how without addressing this concern, many communities, including our own, will suffer greatly its residents, its infrastructure, its schools and its businesses.  
Issue 2: I believe keeping our fiscal budget in line, although related to my first issue, is equally important.  We must make sure that our short term budget decisions do not negatively impact our long-term infrastructure.  We have been successful at extending the useful life of our computers, our cars and other such items, but we must make sure that while we have made similar decisions on extending the life of our roads, we do so in such a way as we do not end up creating a much larger crisis in the future.
The way to keep such events at bay is to constantly assess what an essential service is, and to assure essential services remain funded at the expense of tailoring those services which are not deemed as essential.  Two years ago, our board did just that by closing the Youth Center.  While a very difficult decision, it proved to be required to help stay within our budget and to deliver more essential services without increasing taxes unnecessarily.  As a result, the center has been leased to a group who serves our youth, thereby privatizing our youth center.  While a difficult decision, it was one which needed to be made for the benefit of all of us.
Issue 3: We must continue to foster a community environment conducive to business growth and development.  By altering the role of our business development planner position, currently held by Mr. John Melanaphy, the village has been more aggressive in trying to find new businesses to locate in our community while maintaining the success of our current business citizens.  
Such support of our businesses include two of our largest employers in Arlington Heights: Northwest Community Hospital and Arlington Park Race Track.  I believe we should do everything possible to foster continued success of Northwest Community as it continues to navigate the difficult terrain that is Obamacare.  We must also support, in every way possible, the reinstatement of internet wagering recently rescinded by Header Madigan which directly impacted Arlington Park.  We must also support thoughtful implementation of slots at the track.  Many people do not know that when casinos were introduced in Illinois, virtually any business was allowed to apply for a license, except rack tracks.  Over two decades later, tracks are still barred from fair competition with its main rival, casinos.  By allowing slots at the track, we are simply leveling the playing field. 

What improvements, if any, would you like to see in the way that the village of Arlington Heights is run?

 For the past several years, we all have been in survival mode economically.  As we continue to achieve a firmer sense of fiscal stability, its time to take what we learned in this crisis and continue to apply it as our role as Trustee.  I would like to open more formal relationships with our school districts to investigate if there might be any economies of scale with cost sharing within our budgets.  This is something we currently do with the Arlington Heights Park Board, and with the Arrington Heights Library Board.  At the very least, we will have a better understanding of each of our budgets and their constraints while searching for new opportunities to save money in possible cost sharing.

We have learned during this time of recovery the importance of fostering an environment conducive to business development.  I want to make sure Arlington Heights is business friendly.  While our success rate for luring businesses as the new movie theater, two car dealerships, Floor Décor & More and developments as Arlington Downs tends to speak for itself, I want to make sure all businesses; big and small are able to walk through the process of opening a business in the easiest and quickest way possible.

Biographical Information: family, children, upbringing, religious beliefs, etc. (optional).

I grew up in Oak Park with parents and three sisters.  I am married for 23 years to Nancy Farwell, and have three daughters.

Additional comments, any other relevant information to your candidacy you would like voters to know about you.

I can sum up my tenure  as your Trustee in three statements:
I listen to and represent every resident of Arlington Heights.
I try to save every tax dollar I can.
I have often said Arlington Heights is a special place, unlike any other.  I am honored to have made Arlington Heights my family’s home town.  With this in mind, I want to see Arlington Heights continue to be the best community in the state of Illinois.