Name: Wayne Jett

Age: 34

Town: City of McHenry

Office sought: Mayor

1) What skills, qualities or experience do you possess that separate you from your opponents?

Our City of McHenry needs to move in the right direction. In fact, when driving through McHenry in places it looks tired and run-down. It seems like half the buildings in our downtown are vacant, with vacancies all throughout the city.

It’s time for a fresh perspective in city government. As I’m sure you can tell, I’m the furthest thing from a politician. In fact, I’ve had enough of the politics. It’s time we got things done.

Over the next four years, I want to work with you to develop a vision for our city, charting a course for our future. I will revitalize McHenry through economic development, creating good-paying jobs and improving the quality of life for our residents. I will lead on reducing spending, investing in our infrastructure, and ultimately lowering our property taxes.

The solutions of the '90s just aren’t going to work anymore. It’s time we had a fresh start with new leadership that is ready to take on this challenge. I am ready to lead.

2) What can the City of McHenry do and what should it do to ease the property tax burden on homeowners?

Our property taxes are too high. We must find a way to lower our property tax burden. To do so requires a long-term plan, because any further tax deductions right now would require deep cuts in services, further reductions in infrastructure investments, and stagnation of our economic development efforts.

The first step is to ensure that we are being as efficient as possible with your tax dollars. I will be working constantly to streamline operations and reduce spending without negatively affecting services. I will also ensure that all spending and city operations are conducted as transparently as possible, ensuring we are fully accountable to you.

In the short term, I will invest these savings into our crumbling infrastructure. We are years behind on street repairs and replacements. In fact, it is estimated that the city needs over $45 million in road repairs in addition to $8 million in drainage improvements.

By spurring economic development and investing in our infrastructure, we can bring prosperity to McHenry. The resulting city revenues would allow us to sustainably lower your property taxes, resulting in far more significant savings than a temporary, destabilizing measure taken simply to gain votes and win an election.

3) How would you describe the climate in McHenry government for businesses? What needs improvement? What's working?

The business climate has improved incrementally over the past couple of years but not nearly enough. Business attraction, retention and expansion must remain a priority for the city. Businesses and developers need predictability, particularly with economic and political uncertainty at the state level. We need to do a better job promoting our City, marketing and sending a consistent message that we are business-friendly, and also informing people of our successes. Economic development has to be a top priority, as well as maintaining and improving our infrastructure and promoting downtown revitalization, working to assist businesses in any manner we can.

Through my experience of owning several businesses from service to retail, I have developed a deep understanding of the challenges businesses face. As mayor, I will work to help local businesses grow, create sustainable, living-wage jobs and boost McHenry's economy. I have always been involved in all types of events and fundraisers in our community and I will be a very active public servant. My business skills and my experiences with managing dozens of employees and finances for multiple companies shows that I have the ability to manage the city.

4) What will be the biggest challenge that McHenry residents and their village government will face over the next four years and how will you meet it?

We need to chart a course for the future of our city. I will bring our community together to develop a vision for how we want McHenry to look in the future, ensuring this is a community where our children and grandchildren want to call home. This will allow us to develop a compelling brand for our community and a marketing strategy that will attract new businesses and opportunities to McHenry.

I will also improve communication. The city needs to be more regularly and effectively communicating with our residents, not only to ensure transparency but also to engage the public in being involved in their city. Our council and city employees need to be empowered to collaborate with other taxing bodies to streamline operations. We need to do a better job communicating with and supporting our local businesses. And we must do a better job promoting our city and the riverfront to the region, enticing businesses to the area to improving the vitality of our city.

Through all of this, I will lead. I will work tirelessly to implement our shared vision for returning our city to prosperity. I will directly engage our businesses and residents to ensure we are better communicating and collaborating. And I will empower our staff and community leaders by providing them the tools they need to be successful.

5) What's your opinion of downtown and Riverwalk development and what more should be done?

Our city needs a revitalization. I have begun this effort already, working with my business partners to improve and reopen the downtown theater, which will serve as a magnet for walkable businesses.

We have three downtown areas with unlimited potential, and I plan on working with our Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Business Association to develop one cohesive, thriving downtown. A major component of this effort is to add access from the waterway, as the Fox River draws thousands of boaters every year. We need to provide a reason to stop in our city, giving “The Heart of the Fox” new meaning. I will also work with the building and zoning department to streamline our permit process.

In addition to attracting new businesses to McHenry, we need to better support our current businesses. I want to expand on the revolving loan fund, helping our businesses repair and update their buildings, which will help with our city’s beautification effort. I have relationships with many of our local businesses owners, and I will be able to give them a direct line to the city to ensure they have the support they need.

6) What do you expect to change about McHenry by the end of your term?

In my first term in office, my goal is to revitalize our downtown. By bringing economic development and vitality to our city, we will greatly improve the quality of life of our community. This new economic activity means more and better-paying jobs for our residents. It means more revenues for the city, allowing us to reduce our residents’ property tax burden. And it means more activities for our families, making this truly a place our residents want to live, work and play.