Who's on your ballot? Meet Christopher Fischer

In this series, we introduce you to the candidates running for election April 6 who share our democratic values. Please make your plan to VOTE in this election... by mail, early, in-person... it all counts.

Christopher Fischer currently serves as Commissioner for the city of Zion and Zion Mayor Pro-Tem. Read his bio here. Find him on Facebook.

1) Why are you running for this office?

Ten years ago, I decided that the City Council needed new leadership, that would be objective, independent and actively advocating for all the residents. I spent years attending every Council and Township meeting to learn what the issues facing the city were and what was being done to deal with them. (I can think of only two meetings that I missed in all that time and they were before I was elected.) Armed with that knowledge, I ran for Commissioner in three consecutive elections before winning in 2017. During my term in office, I have worked diligently with the city staff and council members to keep operational costs under control, correct the city’s finances, and still provide the services we expect and deserve. So much has been done to build future growth and development of the city; the new Enterprise Zone, and Route 173 TIF are just the first steps we needed to take, however there is still a lot of work ahead of us. I want to continue this critical work over the next four years, to build a better Zion for the future, and that is why I am running for re-election.

2) What do you believe is the most important issue facing the organization you’d be serving, and what should be considered when addressing it?

The immediate issue is getting the city operational budget in balance, we currently are running over a million dollar structural deficit. Over the past few years, operational costs have been cut to the bone, the city is operating with a minimal staff and limited resources. We have to continue to seek out alternative revenue sources such as nuclear storage compensation, to correct the imbalance and place the city on a sound financial basis for the future.

3) Historically, voter turnout in local elections is very low. What would you say to community members to encourage them to get out to vote April 6?

I would just repeat what I have been saying for years; what happens in local government has more impact on your daily quality of life than what happens in Springfield or Washington D.C., so, your vote is more important in this coming election than you might think. Go Vote!

4) What’s the most interesting thing you’ve read or watched recently and why?

I am currently reading “A Promised Land” by President Obama and as always, he is insightful, honest, and inspirational. Every chapter is an education in itself.

5) Is there anything else you would like voters to know about you?

I honestly view this election as my report card on the past four years. I believe that I have worked diligently to make our city government better, and I hope that the people of Zion will grant me the privilege of continuing that work for another term.