--- Stan Zoller
Candidate's name:
Soojae Lee
Candidate for:
Village Board Trustee
How long have you lived in Buffalo Grove?
5 years
Please provide brief background
information.
I am a private practice attorney
with CPA and MBA background. Married to Judy and a father of three children.
Have you served on a village committee or
commission before? If yes, which one and how long did you serve?
No.
What other civic activities, if any, have you
been involved with?
I have served as a vice president of
the Korean American Association of Chicago and a lay leader of Lakeview
Covenant Church.
Why are you running for a Village Board position?
I decided to run for the trustee
position to ensure Buffalo Grove is moving in the right direction by making
sound financial and policy decisions for the residents, including my family and
me. I am raising three young children with my wife and want Buffalo Grove to be
the first-class village in the northern suburb.
In general, what do you see as the most pressing
issues facing Buffalo Grove?
Buffalo Grove is a diverse and
vibrant community that needs economic redevelopment and strategic long-term
planning. The surrounding villages and cities are redeveloping and Buffalo
Grove cannot fall behind. We need to provide successful retail, dining and
entertainment venues for the families of Buffalo Grove and I am in support of
redevelopment that includes downtown Buffalo Grove.
There has been considerable discussion for years
about economic development in the village. What kind of economic development
(retail, commercial, industrial) do you think should be a priority and
why?
In my opinion, the economic development
encompassing retail, dining and entertainment venues is a priority. The median
income in Buffalo Grove is over $100,000.00 and we should give Buffalo Grove
residents an opportunity to enjoy various retail, dining and entertainment
options in Buffalo Grove rather than in other surrounding villages. The
increase in sales tax revenue will lessen the additional property tax burden on
residents.
Which business development plan do you think
should be a priority? Lake-Cook Road corridor, Dundee Road, Milwaukee Avenue or
the Prairie View concept?
The business development plan for
Lake-Cook corridor is a top priority because this is the heart of Buffalo Grove
where Cook County and Lake County come together. While the other three options
listed are certainly important and must be considered, the Lake-Cook corridor
development will have much more impact.
How do you think the village should encourage
redevelopment of existing retail areas that are struggling?
The village should encourage the
owners of these properties and business owners to redevelop by providing
reasonable tax incentives and business friendly regulations.
Should the village limit development to preserve
green space?
Unless the village is nearing
threshold for over-development of green space, the village should carefully
consider all development proposals that will benefit the village.
Some of our volunteer
groups (commissions, committees) have seen shrinking membership.
What would you do to engage the community on a
broader scale? What would you do to encourage broader demographic
participation?
First, we need to evaluate these
commissions and committees for their purposes and determine the reasons for the
decline in membership. Second, we need to empower residents who serve in these
volunteer groups. Third, we should encourage broader participation by
encouraging younger residents, especially high school students, to get involved
with the village business matters.
There is a proposal to add a "Community
Engagement Director" to the village staff. Do you think it is needed?
Explain why or why not.
I do not think we need a separate
Community Engagement Director to the village staff. I believe the community
engagement responsibility rests on all elected officials and the village staff.
Do you think the Village communicates well with
residents? If not, how can it be improved?
I don’t see any particular problem
with the village’s communication with residents. However, providing convenient
options for residents to connect with the village should be explored.
Final thoughts -- Add any information or
comments about your candidacy.
Along with my background, as the
only Asian-American candidate, I will bring diversity and fresh perspective to
the Board and represent the growing Asian-American population in Buffalo Grove.
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