Election 2013: Marc Mazzuca for Sixth Ward of Park Ridge

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Name: Marc Mazzuca

Position sought: Sixth Ward Alderman 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.

Email: parkridgeward6@gmail.com

Phone: (312) 206-7424

Age: 37

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

MBA, University of Chicago (Specializations in Finance and Economics)

BA, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Major in Economics, Minor in Mathematics)

Occupation: Risk management

Political Party: None

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

None

Previous Elected or Appointed Offices:

• Sixth Ward Alderman, City of Park Ridge, 2012-2013

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

• Years of private-sector work in financial analysis and risk management roles in the banking industry.
• Years of service as a board member and treasurer for a local condo association with an annual budget of more than $2 million.
• Park Ridge resident since 1981 and Maine South class of 1993.

What would your priorities be if elected to this office?

I want to preserve the residential character of Park Ridge and restore its reputation of being a well-run town.

Why did you choose to run for alderman?

I am running to retain my seat on the city council because I believe I have the skills and the vision to help meet the challenges we are likely to face as a community over the next four years.

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

• Addressing the city's financial issues without compromising the health, safety, and welfare of residents.
• Holding city staff accountable for the level/quality of service they provide.
• Long-range infrastructure planning that considers changing community needs.
• Responsible management of city's role in economic development.
• Limiting the negative impacts of the O'Hare Modernization Program.

What is one of the most important issues facing residents in your ward, and what would you do, if elected, to address it?

• Public utility failures, including unreliable electric service and sewer backups.
• Pedestrian safety issues, especially near Southwest Park and Maine South.
• Prioritization of O'Hare sound insulation projects when funds are made available.

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?

Unlike my opponent, I would support all the recommendations in the Kane McKenna study, including extending the life of the TIF, renegotiation of the IGAs, and changes to the TIF map — plus continued emphasis on reducing wasteful spending in the overall city budget.

O’Hare International Airport has plans to construct a cargo facility in the northeast portion of the airport, which will increase air traffic over Park Ridge during the nighttime. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration is expected to respond to letters sent by Park Ridge regarding flight traffic sometime this year. What would you do, if elected, to represent Park Ridge residents’ interests with regard to noise pollution and expansion of airport operations?

To me, education and mitigation are the keys to dealing with the negative impacts of the O'Hare Modernization Program.

As alderman, I plan to continue working with Park Ridge's O'Hare Airport Commission and other community groups to help better educate residents on the changes that are planned for the O'Hare facility. Moreover, I am currently working with other aldermen on the council to get the Chicago Department of Aviation and the FAA to come to Park Ridge to make a joint presentation to residents at city hall regarding these changes.

Insofar as mitigation is concerned, I have supported the various efforts to get a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement that addresses both air and noise pollution concerns, along with city efforts with the ONCC to prioritize soundproofing funds for Park Ridge.

Why would you do a better job representing Park Ridge than your opponent? Or, if you’re running unopposed, what makes you a strong candidate?

My opponent favors growing local government revenue by raising more taxes. Instead, I think our local government needs to be focused on improving efficiency and execution, and on serving the interests of Park Ridge's residents rather than private businesses.