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Name: Colleen Konicek Hannigan
Age: 51
Town: Barrington Hills
Office sought: Trustee
1) What skills, qualities or experience do you possess that separate you from your opponents?
This stands to be a very young board with 2 sitting trustees not running for re-election and 3 of the current trustees being elected for the first time in the April 2015 election. Having myself and Martin McLaughlin re-elected with four years of experience interacting with the various government officials and learning the ways in which we can streamline government to work more efficiently and fiscally will be beneficial to the taxpayers in Barrington Hills. We've worked hard to understand the intricacies of our village, while understanding its unique character, and how to eliminate government waste to put more of our tax dollars back into the village infrastructure and assets, like the roads, while at the same time reducing the levy request.
2) What can the Village of Barrington Hills do and what should it do to ease the property tax burden on homeowners?
In the last four years we have already worked hard to streamline government services, consolidated our 911 center to get out from under the burdensome price of having to continually pay for the upkeep of expensive technology, negotiated with labor to allow for part-time officers and for our officers sharing in the cost of expensive health benefits, reduced dramatically the cost of legal fees and FOIA costs, among other fiscally responsible consolidations that have resulted in a reduction of spending and in our levy, while at the same time we have improved government services. There is more that can be done, but as our rural and unique character makes us a residential community with little commercial tax revenue, the most important way we can lower the tax burden is to make Barrington Hills a more desirable place to live so our tax base does not decline through de-annexation.
3) How would you describe the climate in Barrington Hills's government for businesses? What needs improvement? What's working?
We are a residential community, thus home-based businesses may only operate as accessory to a single family home and must be operated in a manner that does not give an outward appearance of a business being conducted or infringe on the rights of neighbors to peacefully enjoy their homes. I'm proud of the fact that we shut down recent home occupations that violated these standards and collected the largest fine, $25,000, from a violator this past year. We have worked hard to not only enforce the ordinance but to collect fines that reimburse us the cost of attorney fees.
4) What will be the biggest challenge that Barrington Hills residents and their village government will face over the next four years and how will you meet it?
The cost of our pension obligation is going to be a big challenge. Because we are a residential community, we do not have the benefit of commercial taxes to help offset the burden on the taxpayer to meet these obligations. Unfortunately, attempts to limit this burden with low interest bond were politicized and hamstrung by members of the board in place prior to the 2015 election to the point where it was no longer financially beneficial. We will need to find other inventive ways to help offset this burden, and I look forward to that challenge if re-elected.
5) Do you have concerns about the rise of home-based businesses in Barrington Hills and how they should be addressed.
I believe strict enforcement of our Home Occupation ordinance along with strict application of allowable fines will keep home-based businesses in check. More importantly, I look upon the residents of this village as fair and reasonable people who will deal with their neighbors in a fair and reasonable manner. Civil conversation amongst neighbors is always the best way to keep these matters in check.
6) Is Barrington Hills out of options on the Longmeadow Parkway project. If not, why not?
Our residents have the most powerful voice and I hope that they, like I have, are using it to let Gov. Rauner, their senators and representatives (Cristina Castro, Dan McConchie and David McSweeney) know that this project is not acceptable, that utilizing quick take powers is fundamentally invasive of property rights and that their acquiescence in these actions will not be forgotten when seeking re-election.