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I would like to thank the voters of Wilmette for their confidence in electing me as Trustee. I hope to meet all of your expectations. I also intend to maintain this web-site to communicate to the community and as a resource site for additional information. How to Make Your Opinion Heard I sent the following letter to the editor to the Wilmette Life which was published in the June 30, 2005 edition: Members of the Wilmette Village Board as well as members of other boards and commissions work diligently for our community. Many of the decisions made by these boards and commissions directly impact some or all of the residents of Wilmette, and in all cases, the input from the residents is an important part of the decision making process. If a matter interests or affects you, you should let your voice be heard. This requires active participation on your part. First, you need to keep aware of the matters coming before the various Village boards and commissions. Publications of the boards, such as the Communicator, that are mailed to your home, as well as the Wilmette Life are good sources of information. If you are internet literate, the websites of the units of local government, such as www.wilmette.com, give the current status of many issues of importance. Also, meeting agendas of the units of local government are posted at their offices. Second, you should do your best to make your voice effectively heard. Following a few steps would assist board and commission members to understand and analyze what you have to say: 1. If you have a compliment, complaint or suggestion, state it clearly and directly. If you are commenting on a pending matter, put your statement in context. Refer to the specific item on which you are commenting and then make your comment. 2. If you are giving your opinion for or against a matter, state the reasons for your opinion. 3. Letters and e-mails are good methods of communication. However, keep your writing short and to the point. 4. If you are presenting complex material before a board, present it in writing and in advance of the meeting or hearing so the material can be studied. I believe that if you follow these few simple steps, you will be a more effective participant in our community’s political process.
The primary purpose of Village government is to provide basic services to its residents in the most efficient and economical way possible, and to regulate the use and development of land within the Village. The Village should also encourage those social and economic policies that might lead to the betterment of the Village and community to the extent reasonably possible within the power and resources of the Village. Though possessing significant resources, Wilmette is a small community embedded within a major metropolitan area. Wilmette should work with other communities in regard to major issues on a regional basis. Skills of a Village Trustee I believe that the prerequisites to making a good Village Trustee are: experience with Village government, the knowledge of the complex tools necessary to oversee a Village government, and proven experience working collegially with other people toward a common goal. The Village Budget As stated above, the major issue facing all governmental entities today is how to provide services to its residents in the most efficient and economical way possible without imposing an unreasonable financial burden. The underlying cause for the increasing cost of Village government is that the majority of Village expenses relate to personnel costs, and personnel costs - salaries and especially benefits - are increasing at a rate faster than inflation. Technology can only go so far in increasing the efficiency of government. I wish there were an easy answer to this problem. Without suggesting that there is a particular solution to budgetary problems, I would consider the following: a. Carefully review the Village's budget to minimize discretionary expenses. b. Encourage tax generating businesses to locate in the Village. c. Consider usage fees on certain services the Village supplies to its residents and others. d. Consider working with neighboring communities in regard to services that might be better and more economically provided on a regional basis. Affordable Housing The Village Board recently adopted a policy reemphasizing the Village's commitment to affordable housing while exercising Wilmette’s Home Rule powers so that the details of the state's affordable housing law do not apply to Wilmette. I believe this was an excellent step toward continuing the Wilmette’s goal of increasing the amount of affordable housing while recognizing the inherent problems in doing so given the limited amount of land in the Village open to development. Business Development The businesses located within the Village provide a convenient source of goods and services for the residents as well as sales tax revenues. The Village should encourage appropriate businesses to locate here. Given the space and parking issues in most of the business districts, the best types of businesses would have low volume but high value. The major constraint, however, is the lack of large parcels of developable land that would encourage larger stores or restaurants. The Village should provide advice to businesses to encourage them to locate here and assist them in working their way through the regulatory process. The Village handgun ban. Reasonable controls on the use and possession of firearms is a Constitutional exercise of the Village's police power. [See John Levin, “The Right to Bear Arms: The Development of the American Experience”: 48 C.Kent.L.Rev. 148 (1971). A copy of the article can be viewed on line at www.saf.org/journal/1_Bear.html.] Restrictions on possession of handguns and assault weapons within the Village are reasonable exercise of the Village's police power. The Village liquor control ordinance. I was a resident of Wilmette when the current ordinance was originally adopted. One of the major reasons for the restriction that alcohol be served only with a meal was that the commercial areas in the Village were, and still are, located in close proximity to residential areas. Part of the compromise that alcohol be allowed to be served at all was that the amount of late night noise be kept to a minimum to reduce the disruption to the neighboring residential areas. The restriction that alcohol be served only with a meal was one way to reach that compromise. There are good arguments to allow beer and wine by the glass to be served in the Central Business District, though the matter requires careful thought and input from the members of the Wilmette community. The role of the Village in regulating teardowns. The demolition of homes and their replacement with larger more expensive homes is an issue that affects the appearance and character of the Village and the amount of available affordable housing. The provisions in the current Zoning Ordinance that limit a structure's footprint on the property and bulk have addressed some of the most serious size problems in replacement housing. A further review of the setback and bulk limitations of the zoning ordinance is always possible. The Village may also impose further requirements on builders to keep construction sites clean and secure. The issue of controlling the number of teardowns raises serious questions as to the power of the Village to restrict the ability of an owner to use his or her property without the Village paying compensation to the owner. One alternative would be to impose a significant fee on teardowns. These revenues could be used to encourage the development of affordable housing elsewhere in the Village. The role of the Village in preserving trees. The Administration Committee of the Village Board has held several
meetings concerning the possible adoption of the tree ordinance for
Wilmette. For current information on the status of this
subject, you should check the Village's website at www.wilmette.com. John and Gloria Levin have lived in Wilmette for over 25 years - first near 4th and Linden and currently at 2026 Thornwood in Kenilworth Gardens. Their two daughters attended Harper Elementary School, Wilmette Junior High School and New Trier. John, 62, recently retired as Assistant General Counsel of GATX Corporation. (GATX is a finance and leasing company specializing in railcar, locomotive, and aircraft operating leasing. Additional information on GATX is available at (www.gatx.com) Wilmette Involvement Member and Chair of the Fire and Police Commission – 1996 to 2005 Member of the Fine Arts Committee, a committee that considered the formation of the Wilmette Fine Arts Commission - 1994 Member of the Zoning Board of Appeals - 1983 to 1993 Community member of the Historic Preservation Subcommittee advising the Planning Commission on the 1982 Plan for the Village - 1982 Other Civic Involvement Currently a member of the Editorial Board of the CBA Record, the magazine of the Chicago Bar Association Currently a member of the board of the Safer Foundation, a non-profit social service agency focusing on the rehabilitation of ex-offenders Active in Beth Emet Synagogue and currently concluding a 2-year term as President Community member of one of the committees that worked on the 1994 New Trier High School Plan. Holds degrees from Brandeis University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Harvard Law School. Gloria Levin Gloria is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist and has had a private practice in Wilmette since 1985.
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John Levin 