January 29, 2009
"I want to restore residents’ trust and confidence in Village government."
Tom Cauley
An interview with Tom Cauley, the endorsed candidate for Hinsdale Village President
Q: Why are you running for Village President?
I am committed to working hard to obtain the most value for Hinsdale residents out of every tax dollar. Hinsdale is facing unprecedented hard economic times, and we have very serious infrastructure problems that have been neglected for too long. Many of our streets are crumbling and many streets, yards and basements become flooded with virtually every hard rain. I would like to use my financial experience to help marshal the Village’s limited resources to meet the basic needs of residents and to fix our deteriorating infrastructure.
I also want to restore residents’ trust and confidence in Village government. The Board needs to work more collaboratively with residents to solve the issues the Village is facing. We need to make the process of Village government more open and transparent, and make an extra effort to notify residents of issues that are before the Board that may affect them or their property. Much of residents’ frustration at Village Board meetings stems from their belief that they have been denied the opportunity to be heard on an issue. It is essential that residents believe that they are part of the process; the “us against them” mentality that led to so many contentious Board meetings over the past two years is counter-productive.
Simple steps can be taken to make the process of government more open. For example, earlier this year I requested that the packets of information that Board members and committee members receive in advance of meetings also be made available to residents in advance of meetings on the Village web site. This change has greatly increased residents’ awareness and understanding of issues that will come before the Village Board and committees, and has increased the input from residents on important issues. I would like to take more such steps to increase residents’ involvement in the process, because, in my view, the best resource the Board has when tackling a tough issue is input from residents.
Q: What do you see as the greatest challenges facing the Village?
There is no doubt in my mind that the biggest challenge over the next several years will be to balance the budget, while at the same time making much-needed infrastructure improvements. Village revenues have declined sharply as a result of the recession, while market declines have dramatically increased the funding requirements for the Village’s pension plans. We are in for several very lean years. The Board will need to make tough budgeting decisions to minimize any disruption in Village services, to maintain our parks and to do what we can to fix our roads and sewers.
Q: In your bio on the Caucus web site, you say "Hinsdale is a great place to live, and [you] would devote [your] time and energy to preserving and enhancing the character of our village and quality of life of its residents." Could you elaborate on what you and your family value about Hinsdale?
Tom and Sharon Cauley with their family
My family and I value Hinsdale’s small town charm. My wife Sharon and I fell in love with Hinsdale during one of our first visits here twenty years ago. It was a snowy winter day, and people were ice skating at Burns Field. It reminded me of a Norman Rockwell painting. So many areas of Hinsdale, such as the downtown and KLM, make Hinsdale unique and very special.
Q: Some have characterized you as the "smart growth" candidate. How do you plan to preserve the unique qualities of Hinsdale while ensuring that it thrives going forward?
To me, “smart growth” means that the Village government encourages new development, which is clearly essential to the vitality of our community, while at the same time following the Zoning Code. In my view, to increase sales tax revenues, the Village should encourage commercial redevelopment in those areas of the Village that are currently zoned commercial, such as in the Central Business District and along Ogden Avenue east of Washington Street, so long as any such redevelopment complies with the Zoning Code. Any proposed redevelopment that seeks to change existing zoning regulations should be fully vetted in the public forum. Zoning changes should only
be made when both the rights of adjacent property owners have been fully considered and when there is a consensus among residents that the proposed zoning change is in the community's best interest. Over the past two years, many residents have become angry with efforts to make significant changes to the Zoning Code to accommodate a single development project, even though those proposed zoning changes did not have broad community support. The certainty provided by consistently following the Zoning Code protects the value of all of our properties, as well as the small-town character of our Village. Any changes to the Code should be the result of a slow, open and thoughtful process
Q: You are slated with an experienced group of candidates. Do they share your commitment to fiscal responsibility and smart growth?
I have spent time with the other Caucus candidates, Doug Geoga, Bob Saigh and Laura LaPlaca. They are all intelligent and thoughtful individuals who have the best interests of Hinsdale at heart. They are all keenly aware of the need for fiscal responsibility in these tough economic times. Likewise, they are all aware of the importance of encouraging new development, and are sensitive to the importance of maintaining the integrity of the Zoning Code.
Read interviews with candidates previously featured in the Hinsdale Monitor You Choose 2009 series. (Click on photos below to link to each candidate's interview and biographical information.)
Candidates for Village Government |
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President |
Board of Trustees |
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Tom Cauley* |
Doug Geoga* |
Laura LaPlaca* |
Bob Saigh* |
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| Mike Woerner | Bill Seith | Craig Chapello | |
Cindy Williams |
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| * CCandidates who have been endorsed by the Hinsdale Village Caucus and Hinsdale First. | |||
| NOTE: The Hinsdale Monitor does not have a profile on Presidential Candidate Cindy Williams, who did not respond to our invitation to be interviewed. | |||
What is the Hinsdale Village Caucus?
Serving the community for 75 years, the Hinsdale Caucus has provided a non-partisan method of identifying and supporting the best candidates for local elections.
More about the Caucus and other Caucus-endorsed Candidates on the Hinsdale Village Caucus web site >
What is Hinsdale First?
Hinsdale First is a political committee registered with the Illinois State Board of Elections. "[Hinsdale First] was formed in 2008 to advocate for the adoption by our Village government of policies and programs consistent with the platform of our organization," according to the web site.
More about Hinsdale First >
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