Alan Farkas: Deerfield Village Board Candidate

Name: Alan L. Farkas

Campaign Website: DeerfieldCaucusParty2013.com

How long have you lived in Deerfield: 7 years

Are you an incumbent? Yes. I have served one term on the village board.

How long have you served in your office: 4 years.

What political accomplishments are you most proud of?

Throughout these difficult times, we've kept Deerfield strong. Property values are high. Homes are selling. New residents are coming in and building. Our services are superior. The infrastructure is intact and well maintained. We've modernized our communications and our meetings are now streamed and available on our website. We enacted a strong ordinance that allows us to remove nuisance properties.

Our police and financial departments have won awards and broad praise. The new wastewater treatment plant is going to serve our village well for decades into the future, and we have taken a similarly responsible, forward thinking approach to identifying and remediating breaches throughout our drainage system. I have been a strong voice in all of these efforts. Overall, I tend toward being fiscally conservative but socially progressive.

What professional accomplishments are you most proud of?

I have been a successful, accomplished attorney for 20 years. During this time, I owned and ran my own law firm, and more recently merged into a larger law firm where I am now an owner. I have helped many individuals and companies navigate through the treacherous waters of litigation, but I have also helped build many businesses.

Recently, I helped a local children's hospital establish a helipad on its rooftop which will be used to transport critically ill children to obain life saving care. I have also helped develop, buy, and sell real estate as an attorey and as a broker.

I serve on the Board of a charitable foundation that awards scholarships to students persuing careers in aviation, and I am the Chairman of the Legal Advisory Council of the EAA, a 170,000 member aviation association.

What are the three most important issues facing the Deerfield Village Board?

1. Maintaining a strong tax base. This involves attracting new business, maintaining existing businesses, and keeping our high property values.
2. Avoid tax increases. In other words, continuing to do more with less.
3. Maintain infrastructure. We all need our bridges, streets, utilities, etc. to function and look good. This is important so we get value for our taxes and so that new businesses and residents continue to think highly of Deerfield.

How do you distinguish yourself from your opponents?

I am the youngest qualified candidate. My family and I are in frequent contact with the younger families that live in Deerfield and/or consider moving to Deerfield. These are the families in our parks and schools and they are the future of Deerfield. I project the youthful and vital aspects of Deerfield's character.

I am also the only lawyer on the Board. The training and experience I have reading and understanding contacts, ordinances, cases, and laws is invaluable to our position. Finally, I have 20 years of real estate experience–buying, selling, and litigating residential and commercial property.

What is your professional background?

I have been in private practice as a lawyer since 1993.

What is your educational background?

I have a B.A. from the University of Denver (1990) and a J.D. from Washington University School of Law (1993).

What other information would you like to sharE?

It has been an honor to serve the Village as a Trustee. I plan to live here for a very long time. I want to do my part to keep Deerfield strong and the best way I know to do that is by serving on the Board. This is best place to utilize my skills.