JAMES MITROS
March 28, 2011 12:40PM
James Mitros, candidate Flossmoor Village Board. | Supplied photo
Updated: March 28, 2011 12:40PM
Office sought: Flossmoor Trustee
Name: James Mitros
Address: 1201 Golfview Lane, Flossmoor
Date of birth: 10/02/57
Contact information
Email: JCMITROS@aol.com
Web site: N/A
Facebook: Jim Mitros
Telephone numbers:
Please kept private: Home: 708-798-6086, Work: 708-474-7700, Cell: 708 542-1277
Education: Bachelor of Science, Management, Purdue University Calumet
Occupation, employer: V.P. Sales, Zegers Inc.
Please list all sources of income: N/A
Spouse, spouse’s employer: Nancy Mitros,
Children, age of children, children’s employer (if applicable):
Mary Erin (25) BS in Public Relations and English, Purdue Univ. currently attending Depaul University full time, working on her Master’s in Public Administration, Catherine (23) Journalism degree, Northwestern University, Evanston Il., currently a first year law student at the University of Notre Dame Law School, John (21) Senior architecture student Miami University, Ohio, Anna Mae (18) Freshmen, University of Illinois, Champaign, Materials Engineering.
Please list any relatives, including in-laws, who are employed by a government agency at the federal, state or local levels. What are their job titles and with what agency are they employed? None
What other elected offices have you sought? What year?
This will be my fifth term as Trustee.
Have you ever been arrested or charged with a crime? NO
Do you have any criminal convictions on your record? NO
Political (elected or significant appointment) experience:
Commissioner, Flossmoor Zoning Board of Appeals. 1993 – 1995
Trustee, Flossmoor Village Board. 1995 – 2011
In your view, what are the two most important issues facing your constituents? How would you address those issues?
1. Taxes are too high. We battle the need to raise taxes against the need to maintain city services every year by keeping tight control over spending. Interestingly, our bond rating actually improved over the last couple of years because of the excellent financial management and control by our staff and board.
2. Inability of communities (non home rule communities particularly) to keep up with forced unfunded mandates and uncapped pensions. On our part we continue to talk with local legislators seeking change and help.
Please explain something significant you would like to accomplish within the next two years if you are elected to the office to which you aspire.
Looking ahead, I would like to maintain or improve our current level of village services. Unfortunately, in light of the current economic circumstances, this is becoming increasingly difficult.
Please explain how you believe the office you’re seeking can help in creating local jobs.
I’m not really basing my run for Trustee as an economic catalyst or promising a victory will create jobs. If your question is what are my beliefs in terms of creating more jobs in the south suburban area I do have an opinion on what should be done. I believe we should lower property taxes on industrial buildings to make them comparable to Will County and Indiana’s much lower rates. Companies simply will not locate here because of the higher property taxes. Look around at the vast number of vacant buildings and then realize taxes are double what they are in Will County and Indiana. When faced with that difference it certainly does not require a lot of critical thinking to decide where you will locate your business or where you want to go if you can leave Cook County.
Do you believe the current way Illinois pays for education is working? If so, why? If not, why not? What would you change?
No. Current funding depends on where your district is located and how many stores and businesses are in your district. Using property taxes to fund schools creates school districts which are greatly disadvantaged in terms of funding. Education funding should come from a tax other than property taxes and should be equal for all students across the state.
Would you make any changes to the budget of the governing unit to which you are seeking elected office? NO
Are there any other issues you want to bring to the public’s attention? NO
