Jim Karner

On the Record

What experiences do you have that make you a good candidate for office?

My career as a financial advisor benefited me in a number of ways. Any good financial plan (whether it is for an individual, a company, or a school district) begins with a strong balance sheet. My experience with budgeting and cutting wasteful spending was a necessary first step to establishing a solid financial foundation for my clients. My career as a financial advisor began in Houston, Texas, the oil hub of the United States. The oil industry in Houston draws people from around the world and all parts of the U.S., so my clientele was naturally very diverse. I learned a great deal in being able to work with many different individuals and families with varying investment goals and expectations. I believe that if I am elected, I can work with others to bring about positive fiscal changes for the school district and its budget.

What are your top two or three priorities if elected?

My top priority is to do all that I can to help Batavia build a top school system. Being a father of four grade school age children, it is important to me that our schools provide the best educational foundation possible to prepare our children for success beyond high school. Whether their path is attending a university, or heading straight into the workforce, they need to be prepared to take that next step. Equally important to me, is that an education in Batavia is achieved at the best value to the taxpayer. Too often, the “easy” solution to budget shortfalls is to look first to the taxpayers of Batavia to make up the difference in the education budget. It is important that we look at how each dollar is spent and cut out waste before we ask the taxpayers to pay more into the system.

Would you support freezing your taxing district\'s levy until housing prices rebound? Why or why not?

I would support freezing my taxing district’s levy. Many people I have spoken to are tired of their taxes being raised. In this difficult economy, too many people are either out of work, had a cut in pay, or are working two jobs just to make ends meet. As a board candidate, I believe it is important to first look at our spending. Are the taxpayers paying the bill for non-essential expenditures? What spending in the budget could be trimmed or eliminated? These are some of the important questions that should be answered first, before we consider tax increases.

What one decision by the school board do you most disagree with and why?

My decision to run for school board was not inspired by any single disagreement with a board decision. As a father, I just want the best for my kids and their education. As a citizen I want the best for our schools because I believe good school systems will draw people to Batavia. I moved my family to Batavia eight years ago, in part because the school system was better here than in other communities. I believe a strong school system is not only good for our children, but also will benefit our community by attracting people to live and work here. This I believe will benefit Batavia in the long run.

What was the biggest accomplishment of the board in the past year?

I believe the board can accomplish the most when its agenda is in line with three very important groups that make up our community. Those groups are the students, their parents, and Batavia taxpayers. I will focus my efforts so that I can best represent their interests.

Why should voters elect you to office?

Voters should elect me to office because I have four kids of my own in the Batavia school system. Therefore, I have an interest in seeing the best educational product being offered not just to my kids, but all Batavians. As a taxpayer, I want the cost of an education to be derived in a fiscally responsible way. I believe the days of simply raising taxes as a means of solving budget deficits are over. I chose to move to Batavia eight years ago based on the good reputation of the Batavia school system. I would like to have a hand in continuing to improve our schools, in a way that best serves the interest of our students and the taxpayers.