Mokena Village Trustee Candidate: Debbie Engler

Candidate Name: Debbie Engler

Age (as of Election Day): 65

Town/City of Residence: Mokena

Office Sought: Village Board Trustee

Party Affiliation: Independent

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education: Associates Degree

Occupation: 46-year employee of a Fortune 500 company currently employed as Group Operations Support for the Great Lakes Group, effectively interfacing with every level and every department from branch sales and operations up to and including senior executives.

Campaign Website: None

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office: 2005 President of the Mokena Chamber of Commerce, having served on every committee in the Chamber and some that no longer exist. Market Master for the French Market that was on Front Street.

Current Village of Mokena Trustee. First Elected in 2007, now seeking my fifth term.

What are the most pressing issues facing the village and what do you intend to do about them? To continue to provide quality core services to the residents of this village that they have come to expect, to be fiscally responsible to properly budget including funding our pension obligations as well as maintaining and improving our infrastructure.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?
Even though a Village Trustee is not a full-time position, I treat being a Village Trustee with the respect the job and our residents deserve. I devote the time and effort necessary to issues, meetings, and research, supporting the other trustees and getting their support along the way so that we can come to a consensus that ultimately benefits the residents

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform: There will always be opportunities for improvement. Village government needs to work to continue to create a better retail and sales tax scene that will support our schools and residents without seeing any additional tax burdens. We continuously need to keep making Mokena a place that people want to live in and shop in. We need to promote development. We need to try to keep our sales tax dollars here in our community and we need to find ways to encourage people from other communities to also spend their tax dollars here.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?
Part of The Friends of Mokena team that has tried to keep Mokena on track with past success. For example, over the past 10 years, we have kept the Mokena municipal portion of the Property Tax Bill the lowest of the 23 surrounding area communities. I have also been instrumental in attracting many new businesses to town.

Why should voters trust you? I’ve been around a long time — I’m a 30+ year resident and I’m not going anywhere. I’m active in the community. I call Mokena my home. Since first elected in 2007, I’ve tried to work on behalf of ALL Mokena. I think that trust is the glue that holds society together and I’ve tried to help stay the course in village government where it makes sense, making changes and making hard decisions along the way when necessary.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office a success?
Providing high-quality shopping experiences. More tax revenue from additional businesses. Keeping Mokena affordable. Protecting property values. Trying to do more with less, just like families are sometimes forced to do.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending, and the handling of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking? We need to continue to plan and live within our means that are already provided. We can accomplish this by continuing to attract businesses to enhance our tax base.

Do you support the Illinois assault weapons ban, and would you support a local assault weapons ban in this community? Before I offer an opinion, I am waiting to see what the courts decide.

Do you support Black Lives Matter, and do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality? If not, what specifically should be done to do so?
I support equality for all races and gender.

Do you support the SAFE-T Act?
I support the majority but have some issues with certain aspects of it. Like cashless bail provisions.

What are your thoughts on the crime rate in your community, and what more can be done to combat crime — especially violent crime — in town? The Mokena Police Department is led by Chief Brain Benton who is very strong and professional. Our officers make their presence known in the community. This will be enhanced with the addition of our new police facility.

What is your view of the city's/village's approach to commercial and residential development?
As part of Friends of Mokena, we have brought in many new businesses that have increased our commercial tax base. This has allowed us to pay for upgraded lighting in the Village, pension funds for police and fire, and more without increasing taxes on homeowners.

When it comes to development, what are some key areas for improvement or additions you feel are most wanted by residents? We need to work on developing the Village Downtown and other commercial areas, by attracting meaningful businesses to enhance the area.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family? No

What is the best advice ever shared with you? Never give up if you want something you have to work hard to achieve your goals.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions? I will always have the best interest of the entire Village and its residents in mind when making decisions.