Joseph Bassett (D) DeKalb County Board District 4 Platform

1. Jobs are Business, Business is Jobs a. Encourage public/private entrepreneurship programs in conjunction with NIU b. Attract industries that have natural synergy with the area, e.g. plant bio sciences, precision agriculture, and manufacturing that leverages our strategic position between Rockford and Chicago c. Encourage local business to business activity via lowered or removed duties for goods/services transactions made between entities based within the county. d. Develop a la carte training programs in cooperation with Kishwaukee college and local businesses to insure the availability of skilled workers to local businesses as well as help retrain local unemployed people in a new trade. 2. Igniting the Housing Market a. I support cooperation between local banks and government to create a Housing Development Fund that recognizes the shared interest of lenders and citizens in having a thriving housing market. The housing development fund will allow buyers with demonstrable ability to pay but limited access to a down payment to enter the housing market. 3. Metra rail service to DeKalb within 10 years. a. We don't believe the excuses. Rail service to Chicago will increase the desireability of the community to more affluent professionals and new businesses alike. Imagine how great efficient direct access to Chicago could be. 4. Vigorous downtown areas a. Work with municipalities to create micro scale business arcades in our downtowns that allow creative people to experiment with a small business idea with limited barriers to entry. b. Encourage pedestrian and bicycle transportation routes that connect the Sycamore and DeKalb downtown areas. c. Encourage the creation of a pedestrian only commerce area in DeKalb. d. See 1 c 5. Healthy kids/Healthy food a. Great schools are great for kids and are core to attracting talented young professionals to the area. We must retain and hire the best teachers and offer them competitive wages. b. Create an all organic food program for k-12, as well as school breakfast for low income kids. c. Use innovative zoning to encourage small scale organic farming d. Develop a "DeKalb Grown" certification for local produce

e. Develop micro entrepreneurship programs in cooperation with NIU STEM for young people aged 14-19. For instance the use of electric assist bicycles with trailers to collect compostable waste. The kids can create the high quality compost and then deliver it to gardeners who subscribe to the program for a fee. 6. Energy and the Environment a. Demand accountability from Waste Management with regard to the handling process and percentage of reuse of locally recycled materials. b. Businesses and apartment complexes must be extended recycling services NOW c. New municipal construction must meet minimum LEEDS certifications d. Offer homeowners/developers incentives for the purchase and installation of low energy technologies. e. Emphasize community development that does not require citizens to use an automobile to do basic shopping. See 3b. f. Offer tax incentives to large scale corn, soybean, and livestock producers for the adoption of precision fertilizer and manure application technologies that limit runoff and maintain higher soil fertility. 7. Our Projects, Our Jobs a. Priority should be given to businesses employing local construction workers when awarding contracts for government projects if local contractors quotes are within a set tolerance when viewed in relation to other quotes. 8. Preservation of our historic neighborhoods. a. I really believe that the historic homes and buildings in Sycamore are part of the lifeblood of our community. They represent a continuing connection to our past and are pleasant thoroughfares.