Overview
Fiscal Responsibility — Sustainable Businesses Downtown — Transparent Government
Riverside Community Alliance (RCA), is running four candidates in Riverside’s April 7, 2009 election: Mike Gorman, candidate for Village President; Jim Reynolds, Lonnie Sacchi, Mark Shevitz, candidates for the three open Village Trustee seats.
Giving Riverside Residents an Alternative to One-Party Rule
For decades, the Riverside Caucus has dominated Riverside government. RCA believes that one-party rule, and the lack of accountability that comes with it, has led to many of the issues that Riverside faces today: fiscal problems, a declining downtown and unresponsive government.
Rather than continue the policies of the Caucus-dominated board, as the Caucus candidate for Village President has promised to do, Gorman, Reynolds, Sacchi and Shevitz pledge to bring new ideas and a more positive direction to the village. RCA is a new party not beholden to the policies and politics of the past. The slate will take a smarter, fresh approach to the village’s issues, and hopes to usher in a new era for Riverside.
“We offer a real change from the policies of the past,” said Jim Reynolds, RCA candidate for Village Trustee. “We are offering Riverside residents a choice in the upcoming election: more of the same Caucus-dominated board, or a new direction guided by smarter policies to address the village’s issues.”
1. Fiscal Responsibility
Between 2001 and 2007, village spending has increased 47%, from $6.95MM to $10.23MM. RCA believes that this skyrocketing spending over such a short period necessitates a top-down, line-by-line budget audit to identify areas of cost savings and better efficiency. If elected, the RCA slate will:
•   Undertake a top-down budget analysis to identify cost savings — without service cuts.
•   Hold the line on property taxes. The RCA slate does not foresee a need to increase property taxes, does not want to raise property taxes, and has no intention of doing so if the slate is elected.
•   Work with the Parks and Recreation Department to ensure that it maximizes the programming that it offers Riverside residents.
Read more about Fiscal Responsibility >
2. Sustainable Businesses in Downtown Riverside
RCA feels that a landmark community like Riverside deserves a landmark business district. For too long, too much of Riverside government’s focus has been on catering to developers and high-density development rather than attracting businesses. If elected, the RCA slate will:
•   Focus on bringing businesses, not just development, to Riverside. As the budget allows, we will bring in a professional who specializes in leveraging the assets of historic communities to attract businesses.
•   Recognize that decisions made by the Village Board impact our local schools — that high-density development will not only change the character of our village and overburden our infrastructure, but it will also exacerbate the overcrowding of our local schools — and is not a viable option for Riverside.
•   Promote “green” development in order to become a model green community in the Chicago area.
Read more about Sustainable Businesses Downtown >
3. Open and Transparent Government
RCA wants to have a more engaged Riverside, where residents feel welcome to attend and contribute to local government meetings and are encouraged to take an active role in what happens in Riverside. If elected, the RCA slate will:
•   Put video of Village Board and commission meetings, the village “checkbook” (all expenditures and revenues) and other village information online.
•   Change the policy of restricting resident comment at Board meetings. The Board needs to be aware of resident opinions before a vote is taken.
•   Allow for public comment at two consecutive Village Board meetings before an ordinance is voted upon.