2013 Election: John J. Mazzorana

Name: John J. Mazzorana

Position Sought: Trustee - Village of Mokena

Campaign Contact Information: 

Website: www.mokena2013.com
Phone: 708.479.4979
Address:
19420 S. Wolf Road
Mokena, Illinois 60448

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?

To continue to keep the promises I have previously made to the residents of Mokena namely: to bring in meaningful sales tax producing businesses in order to reduce the dependency on real estate taxes and help to keep our current real estate taxes stable. Even in the most severe recession since the great depression, we have been able to secure such major businesses as JCPenney, Schilling Lumber, M. Cooper Supply and many others. Meijer will also start construction in the next 60 days. Now that the economy is beginning to improve, I will continue to foster new development.

Home Address: 

19921 Mokena Street
Mokena, Illinois 60448

Family Members:

Vicki Mazzorana, Daughter, Age 46
Michelle DeAndrea, Daughter, Age 41
Katherine Wilson, Daughter, Age 38
Jason Mazzorana, Son, Age 35
Anthony Mazzorana, Son, Age 30

Education: 

Mendel Catholic High School, Chicago, IL 1961
DePaul University, BA, double major English and History, 1965
DePaul University School of Law, JD, 1968

Current Occupation and Employer:

Attorney in private practice, self-employed

Political Party Affiliation: Independent - Friends of Mokena (the original ones)

Why are you seeking office?

I have represented the residents of the Village of Mokena for the past 20 years. I would like to continue to faithfully represent all of the residents of our Village. I take the position of Village Trustee very seriously and have only missed four regular board meetings in my 20 years in office. I would like to continue to govern our Village with a sense of financial stability, responsible development and accountability to our residents. I am proud of our Village and our accomplishments. I believe in a bright future for our Village so let us all keep moving forward.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

My 20 years experience in municipal government and my 37 years of residency in the Village. As an attorney for more than 40 years, I have dealt with many issues pertaining to local and state government and have shared this experience with Village elected officials and staff. I have seen our Village go from a "cow" town to a "now" town to a "wow" town. I am proud to have actually been a part of Mokena's major development through the early 1990s to today. I am willing to make hard decisions when necessary regardless of any political ramifications. What you see is what you get.

In your opinion, what are the primary challenges facing the village?

1. Continuing to attract meaningful, sales tax producing businesses in order to reduce dependency on real estate taxes.

2. Maintaining financial stability while we continue to work our way out of our current recession.

3. There is a need for private development of senior housing which is not of the low income, subsidized or Federally-regulated type.

How will you address those challenges?

1. As the economy continues to improve, attracting new, meaningful, sales tax producing businesses will become easier. We have attracted more than 200 new businesses during a period when for over three years (2008-2011) we were in a severe recession. Meijer is building and others will come.

2. We can maintain financial stability by continuing the current Board's fiscally conservative philosophies.

3. Senior housing is economy driven and as the real estate market improves, I would once again promote quality, private development of senior housing.

If elected, what will be your philosophy as a member of the village board? 

My philosophy for 20 years as a Trustee is to be fiscally conservative and live within the means provided by our tax payers. Balance the budget, reduce spending and keep it reduced, maintain a right-sized workforce, and keep 25% fund reserves. When you do this it results in a AA+ Bond rating that has saved our residents more than $1.16 million over the lifetime of our bond issues. All of this leads to a confidence in prospective developers that they are putting their money into a stable and efficiently run Village with a bright future.

Please add any other information pertinent to your campaign.

My primary goal is to keep Mokena the most affordable Village in the Lincoln Way community and to do that with less government and more public services. We need to deal more with needs and less with wants.