What Matters to Me
Ready to Serve
I will serve you, the residents of this great community, with integrity, transparency, and a deep commitment to addressing the issues that matter most to you.
Fiscal Responsibility
Fiscal responsibility for St. Charles city government is essential for ensuring the long-term health and success of the community. It enables St. Charles to deliver essential services, manage public resources wisely, and plan for future growth, all while maintaining a balanced budget and avoiding unnecessary debt. By being fiscally responsible, St. Charles city council members can improve quality of life, promote economic growth, and build a more sustainable future for residents. Ultimately, it is a commitment to making the most of public funds while ensuring that the needs of today and tomorrow are met.
Economic Development
Economic development is not just a policy goal—it’s the engine that drives a city’s future. For St. Charles city government, promoting a healthy economy ensures job creation, improves public services, fosters social mobility, and enhances the overall quality of life for residents. It strengthens St. Charles’s resilience, attracts investment, and makes the city an attractive place to live, work, and visit. Ultimately, a strong and diversified economy is key to the long-term success and sustainability of the community, allowing it to thrive and adapt to future challenges.
Transparency
Transparency in our St. Charles city government is not just about making information available—it’s about fostering a culture of openness, accountability, and active citizen involvement. It enables residents to be informed participants in their community, builds trust in government institutions, and leads to more responsible and effective governance. Ultimately, transparency strengthens the relationship between local government and the people it serves, ensuring that decisions are made in the best interest of the community.
Collaboration
Collaboration is essential in all levels of our St. Charles city government because it fosters a cooperative environment where diverse perspectives and expertise can come together to address the complex needs of the community. Effective collaboration enables elected officials, city staff, and residents to work as a cohesive team, ensuring that decisions are well-informed, balanced, and responsive to the concerns of all citizens and I feel we can do better.
Greenspace Preservation
Preserving green space is not just a matter of beautifying St. Charles—it’s an investment in the health, well-being, and future of its residents. For St. Charles, it’s essential to prioritize the protection and expansion of parks, green areas, and natural spaces in urban planning. These spaces contribute to cleaner air, improved public health, greater community engagement, economic vitality, and environmental sustainability. By preserving green spaces, cities can create more livable, resilient, and equitable communities for all. Prioritizing the preservation and expansion of parks and bike paths ensures that St. Charles remains a vibrant, livable, and forward-thinking community for all residents. By investing in these areas, St. Charles can create a legacy of environmental stewardship and well-being for generations to come.
Vital Topics
There are a lot of upcoming conversations and decisions that require honest leadership and real solutions.
I’ll approach these topics with discernment, logic and reasoning, while also collaborating with and understanding our residents’ needs and perspectives,
Charlestowne Mall
The Charlestowne Mall has been a significant eyesore for years, plagued by numerous code violations, a lack of progress, and no clear plan for redevelopment or improvement. In January 2022, an opportunity to redevelop the mall was presented to the Planning and Development Committee by S.R. Jacobson | Lormax Stern, yet it was dismissed in under 45 minutes due to unrealistic expectations and personality conflicts with the developer.
Rather than prioritizing the redevelopment of Charlestowne Mall, as part of his platform in 2021, my opponent voted in favor of annexing unincorporated property zoned for single family homes in DuPage County and approved the construction of approximately 350 apartments at a development known as The Springs. This decision will not only complicate future efforts to revitalize the Charlestowne Mall property, but it will also create additional economic challenges. Please read the pdf attachment below from S.R. Jacobson | Lormax Stern.
The Real Deal: “Urban Street Group backs out of Charlestowne Mall purchase” (9/27/24)
Letter from Charlestowne Mall Developer to City of St. Charles (9/7/21)
Property Taxes
My opponent has voted to raise property taxes for four consecutive years without conducting a thorough public review of the budget beforehand to justify these increases. This lack of due diligence is concerning. While some of the funding has been directed toward pension obligations, there has been insufficient transparency regarding the allocation of the remaining funds—specifically, which projects they are intended for and the rationale behind these decisions. This raises important questions about fiscal responsibility and accountability.
2021 raised Property Taxes 4.97%
2022 raised Property Taxes 3.39%
2023 raised Property Taxes 3.00%
2024 raised Property Taxes 1.7%
Former Police Station Property and Downtown Development
While this issue does not directly affect the 2nd Ward, it impacts all residents who pay property taxes. Four developers presented proposals for large-scale projects at a key location, including a seven-story hotel, over 300 apartments, a convention center, and a $20 million revenue-bonded TIF (which contradicts the city’s pay-as-you-go TIF policy). Additionally, these proposals included giving away all the land and buildings, including the iconic Municipal Building, for free.
Many residents have expressed support for a more modest development, such as a small restaurant, outdoor amphitheater, farmers market, a transfer to the Park District, or a boardwalk design for small business startups—ideas that have been well-received by the community. Over 1,800 residents voiced opposition to the proposed seven-story hotel through petitions, emails, and other forms of feedback.
Currently, a geotechnical analysis is being conducted at the site, and this information, along with the full proposals, should be made available on the city’s website under “Case Studies and Initiatives” for public review. While my opponent initially spoke in favor of this large-scale project, he ultimately voted to reject it due to public pressure.
IMEA (Illinois Municipal Electric Agency) Contract
Nearly all of the residents I have spoken with are opposed (including myself) to approving this proposal without conducting proper due diligence. For instance, obtaining competitive bids for comparison and making necessary revisions to the contract, such as including the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), would ensure that the IMEA continues to serve the best interests of its members as technology evolves in the future. Additionally, carbon capture sequestration, which is still in its experimental stages and would involve billions of dollars in costs, presents significant risks to IMEA members and ratepayers.
There is no opposition to the IMEA itself; rather, residents are advocating for more thorough evaluation before committing to a 20-year extension, especially considering that the contract does not expire for another 10 years. The city is required to notify the IMEA five years prior to the contract’s expiration, and the IMEA’s request for earlier notice is to allow time for financial preparation in securing resources at favorable rates.
Some have suggested bringing in an experienced consultant to provide additional guidance to staff and elected officials, ensuring a more informed decision-making process.
Water and Sewer Rates
In 2024, my opponent voted against a 5% increase in both water and sewer rates, instead supporting a significantly higher rate before the completion of a new utility rate study. This approach did not prioritize the most fiscally responsible and affordable solution for residents. Moving forward, more effort must be made to secure grants from sources such as the EPA to help offset the costs of necessary infrastructure improvements, reducing the burden on taxpayers.
CHURCHILL FOR CITY COUNCIL, 2ND WARD 