CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE

MAYOR, CITY OF PEKIN

2. What education, skills and experiences do you bring to the Pekin City Council?

Mark A. Luft: I believe the education I have gained over the last 4 years with our budget, ordinances, departments’ functions and policies qualifies me for this position. I have taken a leadership role as a council member to ensure we are following proper procedures and policies while holding people accountable when those are bypassed. I feel I also bring open communication throughout the team and the public that has been lacking for many years. Pulling a team together to work towards the same goals is not a easy task and I feel I have proven my ability to do this. I am not afraid to face new or difficult challenges and provide the work ethic needed to accomplish our goals. My character, vision and work ethic have proven that I am the right person for this position.

I have brought many skills to the city council, since being seated in May 2015, starting with leadership. I have helped open doors of communication that have been closed for too long and addressed issues that have been ignored for too long. Business as usual has not been on my agenda. I have voted no on budgets that have not been transparent and have stayed consistent on pointing out and trying to eliminate waste in our already tight budget. One of the most important tasks that I have worked very hard on is bringing the council, Mayor, Corporate Council, City Manager and staff together as a team for the taxpayer. I believe the last four years have finally tilted the scales back to the taxpayers. We have restructured departments, brought in new team members and, most important, open the communication lines with the public.

John McCabe: Spending most all of my adult life as an educator in the social sciences areas taught me to explore all sides of an issue to try to reach an answer to questions. There will always be disagreements, but compromised solutions can only be achieved through civil discourse. Working with others, I believe I have developed the abilities of caring, concerned risk-taking and non-judgmental listening. These are some of the most important skills that any elected official should possess. In the fall of 2011, I was appointed, with the consent of the council, to fill a council vacancy. In 2013, I was elected to a four-year term on the council, and in 2015 I was elected mayor. I have also served on the Pekin Liquor Commission and the Pekin Civil Rights Committee. My service in these areas has given me the opportunity to experience firsthand that Pekin is fortunate to have a very professional staff. These experiences have reinforced my conviction that when members of the council work cooperatively with our staff, it goes a long way towards doing what is best for the community as a whole.