Democrat
Kenneth Sharkey
Fairview Heights
Age: 53
Married
Children: 4
Job: Technical manager
Phone: 618-398-8354
Web: None
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Education: B.A. in political science, McKendree University
Previous offices: St. Clair County Board
Qualifications: Voted to return more than $21 million of county real estate taxpayer back to the taxpayers. Never voted to increase the county tax rate. Reduced the current annual operating budget by 10.4 percent from the previous year. Always voted for balanced budgets. Never supported deficit spending. Condemn negative campaigning and maintain focus on issues requiring attention. Voted to expand the county jail. Support more sheriff's deputies to patrol the county. Led the effort to clean up the abandoned St. Ellen coal mine and then created the St. Ellen Park. Supported road construction and improvements to Old Collinsville Road, Hartman Lane, Frank Scott Parkway, and Green Mount Road. Voted to expand the Metro rail and stations.
Top issues: Holding down county expenditures, which will enable the county to continue to reduce the real estate tax rate. County highway road improvements, which includes intersection widening for Frank Scott Parkway. Priority intersections are Green Mount Road, Hartman Lane and Old Collinsville Road. Continue to support growth at Scott Air Force Base and MidAmerica Airport. Military and civilian workforce at the base now totals 14,150 jobs compared to 10,500 persons employed during the past decade. Boeing, Amvats, General Dynamics, Unigroup Worldwide Inc., and North Bay Produce have located to St. Clair County, providing job growth and increased tax base. Expansion of the county jail to address inmate overcrowding. Use the new increased federal revenue to finance construction costs without county tax rate increase. Increase sheriff's deputies patrolling the county.
