Election 2013: Robert Giurato for First Ward Alderman of Des Plaines

The following information was provided by Robert Giurato. Patch provides a platform for candidates to share their messages, and does not give endorsements. To share your message with readers for free, add it to the Local Voices section on Des Plaines Patch.

Name: Robert Giurato

Position sought: First Ward Alderman of Des Plaines

Campaign contact information. Please include any or all of the following: website, email address, phone number, Facebook page, Twitter account, mailing address, etc.

Email: giurato1st@comcast.net

Phone: (224) 578-3268

Age: 64

Family Include as much info as you like (names, ages, number of children, etc.):

Married for 40 years.

Education Include degree(s) and school(s):

Bachelor of Science degree, Civil Engineering, University of Illinois, 1971.

Occupation: Civil Engineering

Political Party: N/A

Official name of your campaign committee (if you have one):

Giurato for Alderman

Previous Elected or Appointed Offices:

Des Plaines Plan Commission 1995-2001 

Is there any additional experience you believe qualifies you for the position?

Volunteer in numerous causes over the last 40 plus years. This is the next step.

What would your priorities be if elected to this office?

Flooding, Metropolitan Square, Infrastructure: All three areas need significant attention to help the lives of the first ward citizens as well as all of Des Plaines.

What are the most important issues facing Des Plaines and what would you do as alderman to address them?

See above.

What is one of the most important issues facing residents in your ward, and what would you do, if elected, to address it?

See Above.

How do you believe gaming tax revenue collected by Des Plaines should be spent? What should it be spent on?

Infrastructure improvements.

There have been a number of proposals to expand gaming in Illinois. If elected, what would you do to protect Des Plaines’ interests with respect to gaming?

Add my voice to those who are trying to stop the expansion.

The city has $58.3 million in debt in the capital improvements fund, the tax increment financing funds and the water and sewer fund. Approximately $4.4 million in the capital improvements fund will become callable in 2013. If elected, would you support refinancing this debt or paying it off immediately, and why?

Always better to pay it off. The longer you delay it, the more you will ultimately pay.

Downtown Des Plaines has a low occupancy rate in the retail spaces in the Metropolitan Square development. If you are elected alderman, what would you do to address this?

Try to get more visibility for the mall. The old Des Plaines mall was hidden by a parking garage, and so is the new one.

The Des Plaines Police Department is involved with a number of lawsuits, including, most recently, accusations that a former commander falsified records. If elected alderman, what would you do to address the litigation? What would you do to gain the public’s trust in the Des Plaines Police Department?

If policeman broke the law, they need to face the same justice system that an ordinary citizen would face.

Why would you do a better job representing Des Plaines than your opponent?

That would require me to criticize my opponent. Let's say I live in a single family home and will be more accessible to the citizens of the ward.

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