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Full Name: Karin McCarthy-Lange
What office are you seeking? Oswego Village Trustee
What is your political party? Democrat
What is your current age? 55
Occupation and Employer: Secretary / Executive Assistant, Indian Prairie School District #204
What offices, if any, have you previously held? Previous Oswego Village Trustee 2015-19
Previous Oswego Cultural Arts Commission
Current Kendall County Regional Planning Commission
City: Oswego
Campaign Website: https://www.facebook.com/karin4oswego
Education: Bachelors Degree from Illinois State University
Community involvement: Kiwanis Club of Oswego
100+ Women Who Care OMY Chapter
Oswego East Band Boosters
Oswego East Wolf Parents
Marital status/Immediate family: Married for 28 years
2 children
Why are you running for office?
I am running for office because I don’t agree with the decisions made by the current board. The village needs to focus on commercial development in our community that will help balance the tax ratio. We need to bring integrity to the board by developing a new ethics code and rebuilding our relationship with the school district, the county’s biggest employer. I want the opportunity to serve our residents as someone who shares the values of our community.
What makes you qualified for the office you’re seeking?
I have experience as a trustee and served on the Oswego Village Board from 2015-19. This experience helps me understand the specific challenges of our community. Since 2019, I have stayed connected with local government by serving on the Kendall County Regional Planning Commission and by working with Metro West Council of Government.
What is your position on the Illinois weapons ban that took effect in January 2023?
As someone who currently works in a high school and who has been through ALICE training, I support the ban of assault weapons. As a trustee, I would discuss this issue with our local law enforcement professionals. Personally, my spouse is a veteran who has his FOID card and owns guns. We believe in safe and secure storage as well as responsible use of firearms.
Is crime a problem in your community and, if so, what would you do to curb it?
Crime rates in our community have continued to decline since the dedication of our new police station. I was on the committee alongside our village staff and leadership of Oswego Police Department when we designed and built the new facility. It has allowed us to retain and recruit some of the best police officers in our area which has lead to a safer community. I would vote to add more officers to support our community as it grows.
What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally?
I believe that our community did our best with a difficult situation. None of us has ever lived through a pandemic before so we were all learning as we went along. We learned that wearing masks, social distancing, and staying home helped keep the infection rate low locally and the county did a great job distributing the vaccine once it was available.
What did you learn from the pandemic?
I learned that we need to have more compassion for our community. Not everyone will agree on how to handle this type of situation but we can be gracious and respectful when we disagree.
I also learned how to really wash my hands well for 20 seconds.
How would you spur economic development in your community?
We need a big push for economic development in our community. The current board is more concerned with housing development than with commercial development. We have empty store fronts that need to be filled and empty space in our industrial parks. I would make sure that business development was a priority for our staff and that our Economic Development Director and our Village Administrator had the proper tools to solicit business and industry to the village. Oswego should be OPEN for business!
Would/can/should local governments do anything to help reduce the tax burden on residents?
Taxes are a burden on everyone in our community. We need to make sure that our local government is responsible for ensuring that our spending is handled in a way that increases the welfare of our residents. Sharing services and developing intergovernmental agreements help decrease the burden on the taxpayer. We should also always work with our state and federal representatives to secure additional funding for infrastructure improvements needed in our fast growing community.
Do you support recreational marijuana being sold in your community to help lower residents’ tax burden?
Yes. I am supportive of a recreational marijuana dispensary as well as a medical use marijuana dispensary.
What projects or infrastructure would you look to address in your community and how would you do it?
The two main infrastructure improvements have been in progress for years - a new water supply and the widening of Wolf Crossing Road. We began both projects during my first term as a trustee and they both continue to be issues for our community. The new water supply source has been decided but we need to work together with our neighboring communities for next several years to bring it online. We need to identify the best way to fund both of these projects in our community outside of new taxes and fees. We need to have regular communication with our community members regarding how these will affect our everyday lives. Understand that both of these projects will take a very long time to complete and there will have to be ongoing discussions and negotiations for years to come.
Will you accept the voters’ decision in your race on Election Day?
I will accept the voter’s decision once it is certified by the county clerk.
What is your position on open, transparent government?
I am very supportive of open and transparent government - it is the basis of my campaign. I believe we need to be more transparent with the community regarding our decisions and discussions. When elected, I will propose an update to the ethics code for the village board that includes not accepting campaign donations from businesses seeking approval for development or contractors who do business with the village.
Do you support the Freedom of Information Act and citizens’ ability to freely access government records?
Yes. I am very supportive of availability of documentation and records to our community members.
Would you sign a nondisclosure agreement with a prospective company that would limit your ability to communicate with your community?
I would keep information confidential until a final decision is reached. There are several steps that need to occur before a business will commit to investing in your community. Once the commitment is made, there should be open and transparent information available to the village board and the community. Non-disclosure should only be an issue before a business commits.