Village Board Candidates Clash on Business Growth

Candidates for the Deerfield Village Board of Trustees offered their ideas for the community during a debate Thursday at the Patty Turner Center sponsored by the League of Women Voters showing disagreement about the best way to encourage business activity.

Four of the five contenders—, was unable to attend.

Farkas, Oppenheim and Struthers are incumbents seeking reelection. Nadler, a member of the Plan Commission, and Kayne, a former Trustee, are also seeking the three available seats. Mayor Harriet Rosenthal is unopposed for reelection.

After making opening statements, Oppenheim, Nadler, Kayne and Struthers answered questions before giving a final direct pitch. The inquiries were about the need for a youth center, street maintenance, time commitment to the job, services for senior citizens, safety of pedestrians and cyclists as well as improving the community’s business climate.

Though there was a lot of agreement between the candidates, the greatest difference came over the best way to foster commercial growth including the use of tax incentives. Nadler advocated an activist approach.

“I’ve been in conversations with people who could fill the Wonder! space,” Nadler said referring to some of his activities as a Plan Commission member. “There should be a single point person on economic development.”

Struthers was quick to challenge Nadler about his claim the Village needs to designate an individual to lead the effort to retain business and attract new enterprise. She argued the position exists. “Jeff Ryckert is the sole point of control,” she said referring to Deerfield’s senior planner.

Oppenheim let the gathering know what how she has educated herself about the local business climate so she can better legislate. By learning what existing companies like and do not like she knows what to do about retention and gaining new business.

“I check with members of the Chamber of Commerce. I meet with them to learn what businesses want to make Deerfield more business friendly,” Oppenheim said. “I frequent local business. We can all do something,” she added referring to personal action all citizens can take.

None of the candidates oppose tax incentives to attract commercial activity to Deerfield but all of them expressed caution. “I would not gamble,” Kayne said. “I want to know how much money we will be getting,” he added to the long term benefit to the Village for giving an incentive.

While everyone gave attention to filling vacant space at Cadwell Corners and Deerbrook Mall, Struthers gave a reason to offer assistance to Cadwell Corners because of it Lake County location. “Deerbrook property goes to Northbrook schools,” she said. Sales tax revenue from both developments is paid to Deerfield.

Patch has included a video of the closing statements made by Kayne, Oppenheim, Struthers and Nadler. Farkas provided Patch with of a video of what he would have said in his final two-minute plea to voters.

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