Mike Baker, Elmhurst Ward 4 Candidate

ELMHURST, IL – Mike Baker is one of two candidates for the Ward 4 seat on the Elmhurst City Council.

Here are his responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name:

Mike Baker

Town of residence:

Elmhurst

Age:

64

Campaign contact email:

mike@BakerforAlderman.vote

Family:

Barbara, David, Brian & Claire (Brian’s wife), Steven (brother) and Layla (family dog).

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

Yes, one of my sons.

Education:

BA Bradley University

Occupation:

Sr. Account Manager for a media marketing company

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

None

The single most pressing issue facing the city is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing the city is balancing revenues with expenditures. I will scrutinize spending to ensure city expenses are warranted and responsible. Alderpersons need to be accountable to residents that provided city services are as cost effective as they can be. With growing utility rates, infrastructure needs and large building projects on the table, there are existing pressures to maintain our strong financial position. In addition, we need to be creative when looking for additional revenue possibilities that are beneficial to the city and not harming residents.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidate seeking this post?

I am Involved. I have volunteered and have been engaged in our community for many years. As a 36-year resident, I have taken advantage of many opportunities to be involved and know what it takes to make things happen. I up-to-date on what is happening in our ward and will be able to hit the ground running. I currently serve on the Board of the United Community Concerns Association, which provides food to families locally. In addition, I sit on the Executive Board of the Elmhurst Craft Beer Fest, handling media and serving on the team that brings donating brewers to Elmhurst. I have served church as President, Chair of a Sr. Pastor Search Committee and Chair of Audit. When flooding was a primary issue for our residents, I worked with the group that explored answers and solutions to our 4th ward flooding. The results have been life changing. I have been involved in community discussions on parking garages, train noise and economic development. My family is involved as my wife, Barb is director at 4th Ward based, Tree Town Nursery School. Her experience allows me the opportunity to assist with fundraisers and meet families, many new to Elmhurst.

Leadership. I served a variety of roles at Elmhurst Heritage Foundation, which raises funds for the 4th Ward based Elmhurst History Museum. I served as President, Chair of Development and currently sit on the board of the Elmhurst Craft Beer Fest. Under my leadership, we redefined the organization’s committee structure and developed a sponsor campaign for sponsoring exhibits, which raises funds for the history museum, as well. I have spoken on the Foundation’s behalf at City Council, receptions, PTA and ABC7 TV in Chicago.

Financial Responsibility. In each volunteer role I have had there has been a component of raising money or insuring funds are spent appropriately. This is an extremely important aspect of serving as alderman as the need to balance revenues with expenditures is paramount to a strong financial picture in the city.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have led organizations that have contributed to the community in many ways. Having this diverse experience has given me significant opportunities to work with people to reach consensus on issues. In my career, I have negotiated and dealt with well over 1,000 clients, negotiating contracts and adhering to the terms of those agreements. I know how important it is to keep your word. I’m confident my extensive experience working with people in business and volunteer capacities will help to provide me with tools to accomplish good work for our ward and city.

Are the city government's taxes too high, too low or just about right? Explain.

Elmhurst residents are fortunate to see increases in home values. With increasing home values, comes increases in taxes. Our tax rates would seem about right.

Through 2023, Elmhurst Total Tax Rate was lower than 26 other DuPage County communities. While at the same time, Elmhurst’s EAV of all its residential properties, showed we were 2nd in the county, meaning our total residential property value was second highest in the county. To be clear, we have a good mixture of residential, business and industrial properties which helps to keep our tax rate down. The city has been good stewards of the city’s finances as the city portion of property taxes have only gone up due to police and fire pension increases.

How do you feel about the downtown apartment and condo development in recent years?

It is a balancing act to allow multi-floor development while maintaining the character of the downtown. For the most part, I think these developments have done well and increased our tax revenue. The developments have been quality structures and look attractive. Additionally, these buildings have provided housing for many professionals, who may not have children and utilize public transit. They also provide housing for seniors who may wish to downsize. We need to build smart. I think we need to be very careful where these developments occur to not negatively affect the values of nearby single-family homes.

What is your view of the city's maintenance of its infrastructure?

Elmhurst is prioritizing improving infrastructure through investments in the water reclamation facility, stormwater projects, sidewalk improvements and road improvements. The city evaluates and prioritizes these improvements annually through strategic budgeting and seems to recognize the need to continue these upgrades. Water rate increases last year were partly designed to upgrade our water infrastructure which has pending mandates on phosphorus removal and lead pipe removal deadlines in the coming decade.

Has the city done a good job in handling stormwater issues?

Yes it has. I became involved and focused on city issues when flooding was the dominant issue in the 4th Ward. Once a plan was developed and utilized to address this citywide problem, progress was made swiftly. We hired the best people to evaluate and perform the work needed to be done. While some projects still need to be done, I think it’s important to not forget some reasons the flooding occurred, beyond the uniqueness of the storms which hit our area and could in the future. I think we need to prioritize our infrastructure, open space and responsible future building to keep our residents safe from flooding disasters. We need to partner with the residents to educate each other about areas of concern and future opportunities to minimize the destruction which comes from flooding.

What is your assessment of the police department's performance?

Public safety is one of my three campaign priorities. Our police department has done a fantastic job keeping our crime rate low and focusing on arresting those who commit crimes in town. The result of a strong police force contributes to making Elmhurst attractive to those looking to move to town or visit. Having graduated from the Citizen’s Police Academy, attending the neighborhood roll calls and touring the current police station, I have an appreciation for what the job demands of them. Our police are a dedicated team of individuals focused on making Elmhurst a safe place to live.

Does the city need a new police station? Why or why not?

Yes, a new police station is needed. It is imperative to recruit and retain the finest officers we can to maintain effective policing.

I want the best police department facility we can responsibly afford. That’s the key, we need to make sure a new facility is within our means and sensible to do. I assure you, if approved, I will scrutinize the project to protect our dollars and make sure they are well spent.

On my tour, I was able to observe many issues impeding the department from effective modern-day policing. Currently, there’s major HVAC issues, safety and security issues posing risk to personnel, lack of proper facilities for our growing number of female officers, lack of evidence space and the building is not ADA compliant. A study reported that the building has a space deficit of 22,000 sq. feet versus what is needed in a modern police facility. A new building would give our department a state-of-the-art facility, officers can be proud of and one that attracts new officers.

The funding proposal the finance committee provided a few weeks ago appears to be worth considering as it minimizes the impact on current residents and neighborhoods. We need to provide our police with the tools they need to keep Elmhurst safe. With responsible spending, an improved, functional police station will strengthen our community in years to come.

Do you support a property tax increase, in part, to pay for the new station?

The current estimate for a tax increase to offset the cost of the police station is $53 per year. I would support that level of increase to provide the modern police facility our department needs to keep Elmhurst safe.

What is your view of the city's decision last year to raise water and sewer rates by 28 percent?

I just paid my largest water bill ever in 36 years as a city resident. This increase prompted me to run for Alderman. Some residents I’ve talked to have adjusted behaviors to keep the cost in check. The increase last year was huge, but there is some good news, an increase is not expected this year.

Water is not a profit maker for the city, residents only pay what’s required to keep the system running. There are also several pressures on rates, including the City of Chicago raising rates on water, government mandates on Phosphorus removal from water and lead pipe replacement – all of which may lead to higher rates in the future.

To minimize costs in the future, we need to keep our infrastructure up to date to minimize the cost of paying for water. We all pay for water which leaks out of old pipes and never makes it to homes. The finance committee is also looking at tiered water rates which may save residents some costs. We can hopefully minimize increases by scrutinizing our administration of the water program and through constantly reviewing the efficiencies of the systems involved. In this case, perhaps more information passed along to residents in a timely fashion would’ve garnered greater support of more residents.

Should the mayor and aldermen take political contributions from city contractors or those with zoning or other matters before the council? Why or why not?

Political contributions and actions allegedly taken by some due to those donations contribute to a distrust of politicians among the electorate. We should not allow these contributions to not encourage or entice behavior which would appear to be impropriety.

Should the city allow video gambling or recreational marijuana sales in town?

From an economic perspective, both gambling and recreational marijuana would fail to bring significant numbers of people to town to enjoy Elmhurst. I’m not sure our family-friendly city wants these two activities prominent in our business districts. The market for each has proliferated to the point where the revenues generated probably wouldn’t provide a significant impact in our overall tax revenue. As recently as 2019, the City Council unanimously chose not to allow it. Perhaps, if these appear to be important issues to our residents, we should have a referendum to allow them to cast their opinion on these issues.

Should the city do anything to make housing more affordable in town? Why or why not?

Housing in Elmhurst is a sought-after commodity in any age group. Elmhurst is a destination for home buyers, a place people want to be, including seniors who wish to downsize. Likewise, property values have increased, benefiting residents and raising the cost to buy a home, making it especially more difficult or impossible to find an affordable home. There becomes a dichotomy between high home prices and affordable housing.

I would encourage further, appropriate development, which seniors and commuters may take advantage of. This year, Homes for a Changing Region will do a study of Elmhurst to suggest how Elmhurst might accommodate more affordable housing options. I want to show appreciation to our seniors for their years of residency in Elmhurst and one way to do that is to be diligent in exploring opportunities for seniors to continue to live in Elmhurst through their golden years.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

There is not.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

Since Barb and I moved to Elmhurst in 1988, we have always tried to participate in things which can make our community better. This involvement has helped us raise a family, enjoy local events with friends and see the growth of our downtown has experienced, much of which borders our ward. I always try to see the good in everything and it isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it is how I would serve our residents. Barb and I have organized intergenerational opportunities at our church including caroling to shut ins and a progressive dinner which took us to several homes throughout Elmhurst, things which build community. Serving as alderman would allow me the opportunity to build community with others to enrich their enjoyment of Elmhurst, too. Our city has much to offer and as I have in every other volunteer capacity I have served, I will work hard, be fair and listen to make wise decisions to benefit our community.