Candidate Response: Third Ward, Matthew Bogusz

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1. Is the corner of Miner and Lee, site of the Choo Choo and Masonic Temple buildings, an appropriate place to build a police station and an appropriate use of TIF funds?

I strongly believe that a much more appropriate location can be found for a new police station. We cannot push out successful businesses or historic buildings from our main thoroughfares. Further, this is not at all what TIF districts are created to accomplish, and should be reserved instead for attracting prosperous, tax-paying retailers. As alderman, I will work to find a location that keeps the city safer while preserving the integrity of our downtown.

2. Do you believe the Des Plaines Theater has the potential to act as a catalyst to attract more activity downtown?

The Des Plaines Theater is a monument to Des Plaines' history and could be an incredible force for bringing more shoppers into Des Plaines and making a better downtown for our city's residents. Right now, it cannot do that because we have not put the effort or investment into making it fulfill its potential. We must take a comprehensive look at all ways to reinvigorate downtown, and this is surely one of the central possibilities.

3. How do you think downtown can be made a more appealing and productive place?

Downtown ought to be the center of the entire city's activity, and that can happen if it is the center of the city council's attention. By investing in infrastructure improvements, providing strong city services, and fostering better city-business relationships, downtown can become the center for the kind of businesses that will provide more jobs, more places to shop, more tax revenue, and a better quality of life for Des Plaines residents.

4. Do you support the creation of a Heritage Commission and preservation ordinance to identify, evaluate, and protect Des Plaines’ historic resources?

I believe that by having a deeper understanding of our history as a city, we can better understand how to move towards an improved future, and by preserving our historic resources, we can maintain the qualities of this city that drew us all here in the first place. We must ensure that such historic preservation does not impede forward-thinking changes, but rather enhances the city as we move in a new direction. Such a commission would perform a valuable and laudable service for Des Plaines, and help ensure that we never lose our city's identity.

5. Do you support pursuing listings on the National Register of Historic Places for Des Plaines historic properties and districts, making them eligible for Federal tax credit programs?

Such tax credits are an incredible opportunity to utilize federal resources to improve Des Plaines without destroying the city's character. These tax credits are meant for investment in income-producing properties, and so can help us all work towards a city more prosperous while maintaining a city with historical integrity. They can help create a better downtown that uses our history as a draw for potential residents and business-owners.

More at the Cook County Clerk's Site
Matthew Bogusz' Campaign Page