About Macon County Shared Vision -
[Pending Updates]
People in Decatur & Macon County want our town to be growing, attracting jobs and enhancing the quality of life for everyone. Our community has a great central location, a skilled work force and some of the most affordable real property in the US. Macon County Shared Vision advocates a vision of growth and excitement similar to other Central Illinois towns. By informing the community and advocating pro-growth policies, we seek to bring about prolonged prosperity for Decatur & Macon County.
There are four policies that we believe most hold back our community from growing at a similar pace as other cities in Illinois. The gap is unmistakenable in growth and economic measures between Macon County and cities like Springfield, Bloomington/Normal, Peoria, Champaign/Urbana and many of the suburbs in Chicago. We believe that the reasons are high taxes, challenged schools, local governments that resist growth through their practices and too many government units to be efficient or effective.
Our cities and counties can share in the prosperity elsewhere in Illinois when our leaders are honest about policies and their effect. We should not pretend facts aren't facts. Local policies matter.
Everyone is welcome in MCSV so long as they are interested in being informed and developing their own opinion. We encourage everyone to gather information and express their point of view.
Lower Local Taxes:
- Control & manage all government spending
- Sell government assets to increase productive assets in our community and to permit temporary tax decreases
- Resist any tax increase
- Cooperate and integrate activity between government units for efficiency
Create the Best Schools in Illinois in Decatur & Macon County:
- Develop a community-wide commitment to succesful public schools in Decatur and throughout the County
- Provide appropriate economic and operational support to public schools
- Adopt broad school choice initiatives
- Promote economic incentives for teachers and administrators
- Consider school system integration and cooperation
Use "Growth-Friendly" Practices with all Investors in Macon County:
- Fully integrate the economic development process within city government and throughout Macon County including co-locating economic development professionals.
- Regularly Survey Attitudes of Contractors/Developers regarding their experience with Decatur & other Illinois communities as it relates to development & construction.
- Avoid all building code changes that are not standard in other Illinois & midwest communities. National and Internationally accepted codes should be the norm.
- Create a feedback process that allows users of the development process to give feedback without fear of retribution.
- Only use taxpayer resources (i.e. Loans, grants, TIF's, Enterprise zone credits) where there is clear evidence and accountability for investments increasing the tax base in Decatur.
Government Units should Cooperate and Consider Integration
Contact Information
Mail: Macon County Shared Vision
P.O. Box 1576
Decatur, Illinois 62525
Phone: (217) 233-3415 Email: MCSV2007@gmail.com
Members:
Steve Daniels sddaniels1@gmail.com 429-3407
Dan Caulkins dpcdpcdpc@aol.com
Holly Mowry hollymoprop@yahoo.com
Bruce Campbell BCampbell@lylecampbell.com
Jim Gresham
Bruce Pilsbury
Candy Janus
Norm Etnier netnier@sbcglobal.net 875-1007
John Phillips john_p@bartonmfg.com 454-5652
Background on Key Leaders in Group
Stephen Daniels - Grew up in Decatur; Graduate of Eisenhower & Millikin (79); Career in accounting & finance; CFO of banks, financial & construction service firms. Returned to Decatur in 2002. Now President of family owned commercial real estate business. Engaged - 2 children & 2 furkids
John Phillips - Moved to Decatur 1991. BS in civil engineering - U of Michigan, MS - Public Works Admin - U of Michigan, MBA U of Chicago; Career assignments with Proctor & Gamble, Bunge Corporation & turnaround specialist. Also owner/partial owner of several local businesses including Barton Manufacturing, Marcias Waterfront & Southside Industrial Park. Married - 2 married children; 8 grandchildren and a niece - all in Decatur.
Holly Mowry - Holly is 1974 graduate of Eisenhower H.S. and Decatur School of Practical Nursing. She worked for 21 years for Dr. James Kammer Ophthalmology Practice. Married to Eric for 3l years, mother of 5 children, Megan 23, Erin deceased, Allison 14, Morgan 13 and Michael 11. Eric is a semi-driver for UPS. Eric and Holly own over 40 houses in Decatur which they manage and maintain themselves.
Norm Etnier - Decatur resident since 1945. Graduate of Maroa-Forsyth H.S. 1961. Attended U of Illinois. Owned insurance business 1969-1975. Associate Pastor or Pastor since 1975 currently pastoring Christian Fellowship - 2199 North Water. Family; Wife Marsha, Two daughters, one son, four grandchildren all live in the Decatur area except our oldest daughter.
