Meet Your Candidates: Sheldon "Shel" Marcus, Village of Morton Grove, Board of Trustees

Sheldon Marcus, known by most as "Shel," aims to earn another four-year seat on the Village of Morton Grove Board of Trustees, a six-member group steering the village's government and economic policies with one President, totaling seven officials in all.  

The incumbent has served on the village's trustee board since 2007. After he founded a business in the village in 1972, Marcus held various posts within the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce, District 219, District 67 and the Northwest Suburban Jewish Congregation, according to the Action Party website.

This year, three seats are up for the four-year terms of service, and two political parties are campaigning for spots: Action Party (Shelden "Shel" Marcus, John Thill and Maria Toth) and  (Georgianne Brunner, Rita Minx and John Pietron). 

Morton Grove Patch collects the local politicians' beliefs and opinions with same Q&As for each candidate, publishes them in alphabetical order, and does not change submitted answers in major punctuation, style or content ways.

Now then, let's get down to the questions:

Patch: How would you assess the state of the village’s budget?

Marcus: I’m very proud of the budget we have forecast for 2011 because it’s projected to be a balanced budget, without having to go into our reserve fund, and we’ve done that while maintaining our excellent services.

Patch: If expenses need to be reduced, exactly what would you cut? Be specific.

Marcus: We’ve already cut personnel. Department staff, in some cases, has been reduced by 50%. The only option remaining is to cut more personnel, which would have an impact on the basic services the Village provides the residents.

Patch: If more revenue needs to be raised, exactly what would you propose? Be specific.

Marcus: I believe the taxpayers of our community are carrying a large enough burden and government has to find ways to be more efficient in their operation. That's what we've done in my four years as trustee. I would continue my efforts working with our new Economic Development Director and Economic Development Commission in finding new sources of businesses. New businesses in our community would mean more dollars for our community. If it becomes necessary to find revenue I would look at our general reserve fund as a last resort and the selling of bonds as another option. I am pleased that our tight fiscal operation has increased our bond rating to Moody's AA, which allows us the opportunity to gain the best rates available in the market.

Patch: What, if anything, does the village need to do to adequately fund police and fire pensions?

Marcus: We are adequately funding our Police and Fire pensions, and if we can make a greater effort in obtaining some legislative relief, it would be helpful.

Patch: Does the village need to start or intensify economic development efforts? What specific ideas do you have to foster economic development?

Marcus: We have already started to intensify our economic development efforts by hiring a new Economic Development Director with a proven track record, and reshaping our Economic Development Commission with a new chairman and new members. One of the specific ideas for economic development was the new Farmers’ Market, which brought residents from other communities into our town on a regular basis and increased Morton Grove ’s exposure. In addition, tools such as tax increment financing, special service areas, and grant funding are also available to be considered.

Patch: If the state of Illinois succeeds in re-establishing the capital bill, would you support video gaming in this village?

Marcus: Hypothetical questions are difficult to answer. We are always looking for ways to increase revenue. I would have to look at the final capital bill in its entirety to determine its impact on the community before I could make any decision.

Patch: Briefly tell us what, in your background or education, has prepared you to make a contribution on this board. Can you offer an expertise that would be a resource to other board members?

Marcus: I have a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. I’ve headed and run my own business here in Morton Grove for 39 years. I’ve been elected to various elementary and high school district boards. I served as President of the Morton Grove Chamber of Commerce and of Northwest Suburban Jewish Congregation. All in all, I have over 30 years of public service in civic and business organizations in this community and throughout the state. My background and experience in dealing with all these entities has given me much insight into being an effective policy-making legislator. I’ve also developed a number of professional relationships with political leaders in both Springfield and Washington , which also benefits Morton Grove.

Patch: How would you assess the public services the village offers residents, including police, fire, trash pickup, snow removal, responsiveness of village hall, etc.? What needs to be improved? Are residents getting adequate value for their tax dollar?

Marcus: I’m proud of the services the Village provides us, both as a resident and as a Trustee. The best “public services this Village offers is our outstanding Police, Fire, and Public Works Departments. The Police Department does an outstanding group, in spite of the fact they work in antiquated and constrained quarters. The Fire Department’s response time is a tribute to their training and skills. And Public Works is fantastic…they’re always there when we need them and they work extremely hard to get the Village back on its feet after natural disasters such as blizzards, floods, severe storms, high winds, etc.  And, considering that the Village only represents 12%–14% of your property tax bill, I truly believe that people in Morton Grove are getting a great value for their tax dollar.

Patch: What else would you like voters to know about your positions on issues or point of view?

Marcus: I believe it’s important for government to be fiscally responsible, and I intend to use that as a guideline in my decision-making over the next four years, should I be fortunate enough to be re-elected. In my over 30 years of public service, I have always felt I was a role model to my family and friends. I never take anyone for granted, and I believe that “giving back” to the community is very important.