Ideas and Issues : Brian LeClercq for Oswego Village President

Meet & Greet - Fox River Academy of Music & Art

3/28/2007

Meet & Greet - Church of the Good Shepherd

3/18/2007

FriendRaiser

3/2/2007

Ideas and Issues : Brian LeClercq for Oswego Village President
Ideas and Issues
Following is an excerpt from the speech Brian gave at his FriendRaiser Event. It highlights the issues facing our community, as well as previews Brian's vision for our community.

When deciding to run for Village President, the three usual suspects came to mind: controlled growth, responsible government, and balanced development. But then it occurred to me: something bigger was missing.

Everyone take a look around you for a minute. Do you see what’s missing? It’s YOU! The resident, the taxpayer, the homeowner. You are no longer a part of the equation. You have been lost in the process. Therefore, I think the success of implementing these formidable ideas is contingent upon putting you front and center. Our government must know this when making decisions and setting the vision for Oswego’s future.

Speaking of the vision of Oswego’s future, how many of you want to double the population, increase your taxes and add 15,000 additional students to Oswego’s school district? Anyone? Well, those homes are already approved and just waiting to be built. Some may call that controlled growth, but I call it irresponsible. The growth is inevitable, but when it dilutes the quality of education, I draw the line.

Let’s go back to controlled growth, responsible government, and balanced development.

Controlling growth means the developers have a part in the process, they don’t run the process. That’s our job. We need to throw away the rubber stamp and invite diversity. And, our infrastructure needs must be at the forefront.

Responsible government allows for open and honest dialogue. EVERYONE has a voice and gets heard. It also means getting the best bang for your buck. It is incumbent upon us to seek proposals from several vendors, not just our current vendors. This “Best Practices” approach is used by successful corporations.

Balanced development is imperative for a community to thrive. By increasing the amount of professional and office buildings, we accomplish two things. First, it creates jobs that can support families. Second, people shop and eat where they work, which boosts our local economy.

These ideas that I’ve outlined are not easy to achieve, but by working together we can do it. Put me in office on April 17^th, and I will do the heavy lifting. Remember, though, you are the solution, not me. It is you that needs to be heard. It’s a new day! You have a voice – and I’m listening!