Election 2013: Larry Ryles for Mayor of Park Ridge

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Name: Larry Ryles

Position sought: Mayor of Park Ridge

Campaign contact information. Please include any or all of the following: website, email address, phone number, Facebook page, Twitter account, mailing address, etc.

Website: www.rylesforparkridge.com

Email: larry@rylesforparkridge.com

Phone: (847) 232-3471

Facebook: www.facebook.com/rylesformayor

Twitter: @RylesforMayor

Mailing address: P.O. Box 888, Park Ridge, Illinois 60068

Age: 65 in 2013.

Family Include as much info as you like (names, ages, number of children, etc.):

Wife: Elizabeth Ryles, volunteer contributions include member of the Park Ridge Historical Society, member of the Park Ridge Citizen’s Patrol, member of the Park Ridge Parent Patrol, volunteer staff at South Park Church in Park Ridge and member of the Park Ridge Community Women.

Two Children: Ben is in fifth grade and Sarah is in second grade at Roosevelt Elementary School.

Education Include degree(s) and school(s):

Bachelor of Arts, New York University

U.S. Army Courses:

• Quartermaster Officers Basic Course, Quartermaster Center School
• Quartermaster Officers Advance Course, Quartermaster Center School
• Staff Logistics Officers Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Army Provisioning Management Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Logistics Management Officers Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Senior Supervisors Maintenance Management Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Logistics Management Development Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Depot Operations/Warehouse Management Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Director of Industrial Operations Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Management Practices for Facilities and Installations Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Executive Writing Course, Army Logistics Management College
• Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention and Control for Executives Course, Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston

Larry Ryles was inducted as a distinguished member of the Quartermaster Regiment in 1992.

Occupation: Retired from both the U.S. Army and insurance industry.

Political Party: Running as an independent for Mayor of Park Ridge.

Official name of your campaign committee (if you have one):

Larry Ryles for Mayor of Park Ridge

Previous Elected or Appointed Offices:

I have been appointed to and currently serve on the following teams in Park Ridge:

• Member, Park Ridge Police Chiefs’ Advisory Task Force
• Member, School District 64, Community Finance Committee
• Member, Park Ridge Police, “Caught Being Good Program”

Is there any additional experience you believe qualifies you for the position?

I served as Command Sergeant Major of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, a base with a population very close to that of Park Ridge, Illinois. 37,480 (2010 Census).

Fort Campbell information for 2009 includes:

• Size: 105,000 acres
• 2009 Base Statistics
• Military: 30,656
• Family:  12,570
• Payroll: $1.6 Billion
• Hospital: 68 beds
• Schools: 8
• Students: 4,955

In addition, as Command Sergeant Major, I served as the liaison to the surrounding civilian communities and states including:

• Mayors of five nearby towns.
• Governors of Kentucky and Tennessee.
• State Representatives and State Senators for Kentucky and Tennessee.
• U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators for Kentucky and Tennessee.

Insurance Industry:

After retiring from the US Army, at Boston Mutual Life Insurance, Canton, Massachusetts, my leadership path included:

• Rookie Salesperson of the Year
• Salesperson of the Year
• Sales Manager of the Year
• Millionaires Club
• National Sales Director, Military Division

What would your priorities be if elected to this office?

My priorities when elected as Mayor are as follows:

1. Full time accessibility to voters of Park Ridge.
2. Holding future tax rates to less than the rate of inflation, just like our school districts and park district.
3. Personally leading the effort on economic development and the recruitment of new retailers to Park Ridge.
4. Collecting current fees and fines owed to the city.
5. Respecting our Police, Fire & Paramedics.
6. Changing the anti-development bias of City Hall.
7. Ending vetoes of Aldermen 6-1 decisions.
8. Respecting our Social Service Agencies.
9. Mayor leads negotiation on O'Hare expansion.

What are the most important issues facing Park Ridge and what would you do as mayor to address them?

See answer above.

It has been estimated that the Uptown tax increment financing fund, or TIF, will cost the general fund approximately $1 million annually. What action would you support the city take to address the Uptown TIF debt, why, and how is your position different than your opponent’s?

I would say the following about the TIF Program that allowed us to build such a beautiful development, with many strong retail brands.

My opponent, David Schmidt, has tried to convince our voters that the TIF is a “Financial Albatross."