Martin Bauer: 2025 Candidate For Arlington Heights Trustee
ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Ahead of the April 1 consolidated municipal elections, Arlington Heights Patch provided questionnaires to all candidates on the ballot.Eight candidates are running for four seats on the Arlington Heights Village Board. Current trustee Jim Bertucci will be on the ballot along with Martin Bauer, Colin Gilbert, Michele Hunter, Anargyros Karafortias, Bill Manganaro, Carina Santa Maria and Greg Zyck. Each seat is for a four-year term. Arlington Heights is publishing all responses submitted by candidates verbatim.Martin BauerTown/City of Residence: Arlington HeightsAge as of Election Day: 54Office Sought: Arlington Heights Village BoardCampaign website: www.BauerForAH.comwww.BauerForAH.comParty Affiliation (if a partisan race): N/ADoes anyone in your family work in politics or government? This includes any relatives who work in the government you're running for. NoEducationDipl.-Math., Mathematics and Business, University of Augsburg (Germany)M.Sc., Mathematics, University of Notre DameOccupationActuary (FSA, MAAA), Insurance Executive, 29 yearsPrevious or Current Elected or Appointed Officen/aThe most pressing issues facing our (board, district, etc.) are _______, and this is what I intend to do about them.Currently, the most pressing issue for Arlington Heights is to find the right path forward for the bigger development opportunities, with none bigger than Arlington Park. This will require a combination of vision and patience. While the opportunities are significant, so are the risks. Any large development will require a public-private partnership to collaboratively achieve the best possible outcome. However, the village needs to be vigilant and avoid the potential financial downside of large subsidies being spent in the hopes of economic gains that may or may not materialize. As trustee, I would insist on a full range of economic projections, including potential unfavorable “what if” scenarios, along with detailed analyses on traffic, impact on immediate neighbors as well as other parts of the village, environmental impact studies, etc. It is also important that we find solutions that benefit the entire community rather than benefit one group at the expense of another.What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?As an actuary, I’m an expert in math, finance and risk management. This will allow me to assess the economics of proposals as well as provide critical guidance in the annual budgeting cycle, including (but not limited to) pension related issues which continue to play a large and volatile role in the village’s expenses. Nobody else brings this skill set which is critical at this juncture in our village.Also, nobody has attended more Board of Trustee and Committee-of-the-Whole meetings than me (other than incumbent Bertucci), which allows me to fully understand the issues before the village and be effective on day #1.Lastly, I am used to working closely with our Board of Directors in my professional role and therefore understand the unique dynamics between the Board of Trustees and the professional staff.If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?Overall, Arlington Heights is a well governed community. The current board certainly hasn’t “failed” the community. But there are opportunities for improvement.First, over the past 15 years, Arlington Heights has developed a reputation as being somewhat difficult to work with, particularly with respect to new development projects. Staff is perceived by many developers as overbearing, which causes cost increases, delays, and in some instances Arlington Heights losing out on opportunities altogether. It is the role of the Board to oversee village staff, and I will work to instill a truly service oriented mindset across all levels of village hall.Second, the village’s disclosure of property tax increases has not been sufficiently transparent. In essence, increases in the village’s property tax levy have been understated by 1% for each of the past 20 years (until my comments at Board meetings forced a change in practice and improved transparency two years ago). I will insist on full transparency in all aspects of village government and on avoiding misleading statements to ensure residents have accurate information and can trust its leaders.Describe the other issues that define your campaign platformThe three core aspects of my campaign are a) fiscally conservative, b) business friendly and c) service oriented. Those are interrelated. Being truly service oriented (towards all audiences, residents as well as businesses, large and small) will result in a more dynamic business environment where businesses want to come to Arlington Heights (without requiring financial incentives) which will in turn help the community’s finances.Overall, I subscribe to a “less is more” approach to village government. We need to focus on the basics (police and fire protection, public works, and smart planning) but then get out of the way and let the smart residents and businesses in our community make decisions and succeed on their own. What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?I have been successful in similar settings before.Professionally, I work with a volunteer Board of Directors that oversees the non-profit agency I work at. I have successfully worked with the Board to implement significant multi-billion dollar initiatives. This has involved understanding and breaking down highly complex technical issues and working with key stakeholders to understand the tradeoffs of multiple possible approaches. In the end, the Board, with my assistance, understood the importance of protecting our constituents from potentially catastrophic financial consequences even though it meant giving up a potential financial upside.In my personal life, I have served as treasurer of a 99-unit condominium board for about six years. During my tenure, the board successfully embarked on a major capital improvement campaign, which involved balancing the need to prioritize and schedule critical maintenance (roof replacement, sidewalk renewal, parking lot resurfacing, balcony repairs, etc.) while being responsive to the realities of the condo owners’ limited financial means.Why should voters trust you?I have always conducted myself to the highest ethical standards. Professionally, I am subject to a Code of Conduct that requires the highest levels of honesty and transparency. I have followed similar standards in my personal endeavors such as when leading a Boy Scout troop as Scoutmaster.I am seeking the office of Village Trustee solely to give back to the community I’ve loved and enjoyed for the past 27 years, and my overarching goal is to ensure that the next generation (my young adult children as well as others’) can enjoy this community as much as my wife and I have been able to.If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?I would want to accomplish two things:First, I want to make sure that the Arlington Park development (with or without a Bears stadium) is well underway and subject to agreements that protect the residents of the village and its residents. In particular, I want to make sure that any financial risks sit primarily with the owners and developers of Arlington Park. This can be achieved by agreeing on clear success metrics (primarily with respect to reaching certain levels of new revenue) and making any incentive payments contingent on those success metrics being met.Second, I want to engage village leadership in a meaningful strategic discussion on the future of Arlington Heights. With most aspects of our lives changing (more work-from-home impacting office space; more e-commerce impacting brick-and-mortar stores; shift in living preference towards renting, particularly among younger residents), we need to take a step back from the day-to-day issues and think about what it means for Arlington Heights to be successful in the future. The outcome could be something like an “Arlington Heights Vision 2040.”What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?One of the most important mandates for public officials is to spend taxpayer dollars wisely. Being fiscally responsible is at the core of my campaign. We need to ensure that Arlington Heights maintains its strong fiscal position, particularly in light of the potential impact of other governmental entities’ budget challenges on our community by virtue of reduced assistance from the county, state or federal government.This involves carefully assessing any initiative brought before the Board of Trustees, being willing to ask difficult probing questions and saying “no” to certain initiatives even if they are well-intentioned on the surface but whose added benefit does not justify the added expense. It also involves clarity of purpose and asking whether the village is the best party to address a need or whether there are other governmental or non-governmental entities that are better prepared to do so. What are your thoughts on the crime rate in your community, and what more can be done to combat crime — especially violent crime — in town?The Arlington Heights police department has done a great job keeping Arlington Heights residents safe, and in my opinion, we do not currently have a significant crime issue. However, crime prevention is an ongoing issue that requires constant vigilance. In particular, enhanced police presence in certain hot spots is needed to avoid crime becoming a bigger issue going forward.What is your view of the city’s/village’s approach to commercial and residential development? As previously described, the village has a fairly rigorous approach to dealing with developers. While the intent is to maintain the highest possible standard, too many developers (and businesses more generally) feel that it has become too difficult to do business in Arlington Heights. This causes Arlington Heights to lose out on development opportunities that could benefit the community and result in delays or cost increases. Instilling a truly service oriented mindset across all levels of staff will help attract developers and result in less of a need to rely on incentive payments, which will help the village’s finances. We need to get back to being truly inviting and collaboratively work on commercial and residential development opportunities with owners and developers. When it comes to development, what are some key areas for improvement or additions you feel are most wanted by residents? What will need to be done to make this happen? I have heard from many residents a desire for Arlington Heights to become more bike and pedestrian friendly. In fact, in the village’s most recent set of strategic objectives, this has been called out as the second highest goal (tied with fiscal responsibility). This will require developing a suitable master plan and making the relevant improvements over time as roads and other infrastructure come due for rebuilding. However, this has the potential to further distinguish Arlington Heights as a modern and forward looking community. Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?No.The best advice ever shared with me was:If you feel passionate about something, get involved.What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?My sole goal as trustee is to continue to enhance Arlington Heights for the benefit of its residents and businesses. I want village government to engage in an ongoing dialogue and genuinely listen to the concerns of residents. I am always willing to admit that none of us know everything and that we all need to learn from each other. The article Martin Bauer: 2025 Candidate For Arlington Heights Trustee appeared first on Arlington Heights, IL Patch.
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