Election 2024 Questionnaire: Nathanael Greene, Grundy County Board District 1

Nathanael Greene, a candidate for Grundy County Board District 1 in the March primary election, answered these questions from the Shaw Local News Network.

Full Name: Nathanael Greene

What office are you seeking? Grundy County Board

What public offices, if any, have you previously held? None.

City: Morris

Occupation: Delivery Driver

Campaign website: None.

In light of the increasing influx of migrants to Illinois, how do you propose the county should address the challenges?

I think the county should continue down the path it has followed so far. Under the leadership of Chairman Balkema and Drew Muffler, the chair of the Law and Justice Committee, with the help of Sheriff Briley and State’s Attorney Baker, the county has crafted a policy of deterrence to keep the surge of illegal aliens entering the state from travelling to our local communities. While we respect the dignity and rights of all human beings, we have no desire for large masses of unassimilated foreigners to settle in the county en masse and overwhelm our social services.

A system of serious fines was set up to disincentive busing companies from dropping off immigrants travelling to Chicago, and so far, this policy has been effective. If, at some point in the future, more needs to be done on this front, I know that I and the rest of my colleagues on the Board will seek to address the issue in as just and sufficient a manner as possible.

What are the top issues facing your county and what would you like to do to address those issues?

The immigration topic is certainly one of the top issues facing our county; another is the conversation over renewable energy. There has been much debate in recent months and years over various solar projects that developers have been seeking to locate in the county. The companies behind these projects promise large amounts of additional revenue, and while there are some residents in favor of these proposals, there are also many who are opposed. As a result, the Board must focus on developing a comprehensive plan that lays out our goals for the future and states our criteria for the number and scale of the projects we are willing to allow within our jurisdiction. Thankfully, the county already has these plans in the works and will hopefully be able to complete them soon.

Should counties do more to expand access to county government?

Absolutely. I think there’s a lot of room for discussion about how improvements of this kind would be implemented practically, but I certainly believe that it’s critically important for residents of this or any other county to have access to local government, whether that entails observation of the process, participation in the process, or just general awareness and monitorization.

What challenges is the region facing in terms of attracting business and tourism?

None that I am aware of.

What would you push for as a member of county government to boost local businesses?

Nancy Norton and Monica Schild at the Grundy Economic Development Council are doing a fantastic job of fostering a culture of innovation and growth across the county; I know that a majority of businesses have benefitted from their actions in the past and stand to benefit from them in the future. As a member of the Board who believes in small government, I would continue to encourage the deregulation of business controls and the elimination of as much red tape as possible.

Having worked at a small business before and working for one now, I understand what a negative difference some of these preposterous state mandates can make. Let’s keep those costly and unproductive measures at bay and give our local businesses the ability to do what they know is best for themselves and the rest of the community.

Should government employees and officials be allowed to sign non-disclosure agreements with private businesses?

I don’t foresee this as a relevant issue affecting the implementation of regular county business, but as a general rule I certainly maintain that all public business should be conducted in the public forum with full accountability and no backhanded shenanigans behind closed doors. As to the particulars of any one case involving government entities and private businesses, I would refer to the legal advice of the State’s Attorney’s office.

Do you think there is a local crime problem? If so, what needs to be done about it?

Both Sheriff Briley and State’s Attorney Baker are firm advocates of the law and have worked hard to police and prosecute crime in the county. Grundy is a county of responsible and law-abiding citizens, but those who do break the law and commit criminal acts aren’t going to be let off the hook like they might be in places like Cook County.

I do know that both Mr. Briley and Mr. Baker have expressed concern over the likely effects of Illinois’ disastrous SAFE-T Act and have committed themselves to doing whatever they can to mitigate possibly dangerous negative outcomes. As a Board member I will do everything I am able to give our law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies the resources they need to continue cracking down on crime and keeping our residents safe.

What local road and bridge projects should be a priority to get done in the county?

I wouldn’t say that I have any particular infrastructure project in mind that is a priority above and beyond any other.

Do you support the Illinois gun ban? Why or why not?

I oppose the gun ban for very simple reasons. There are complex philosophical and legal arguments that could be provided against Governor Pritzker’s ban of some firearms, there are statistics that could be cited, there are myths that could be dispelled, but regardless of all those factors, at root level my conservative ideology simply won’t stand for the government’s attempt to strip away our rights, including the one provided for us by the U.S. Constitution to keep and bear arms.

What is your opinion of the role of tax incentives in economic development and business growth? Should tax incentives be offered to corporations to entice them to plant roots in local communities? Why or why not?

As with any conversation over policy, I think you must use prudence in your approach to tax incentives and take into account the nuances of the situation before forming your opinion on the matter. I don’t believe that tax incentives are either right or wrong based purely on their existence, rather I think that context should be the key factor in determining whether an incentive of some kind would be beneficial or not, and whether the value received clearly outweighs the attendant costs.

How would you classify the state of public health in your county? Do you believe access to affordable healthcare is an issue? Why or why not? If you believe it’s an issue, what ideas do you have to remedy it?

I think the state of public health in our county is good. The Grundy County Health Department is great at what it does and has a solid working relationship with the general public. Informational flow is high and in a post-Covid world I think the Health Department has stayed on top of its monitorization and oversight duties. I do not believe that access to affordable health care is a pressing issue of any immense concern.