Carla's Platform...

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Carla Carter is a lawyer, mother, wife, and staunch advocate of business and community engagement for the Village of La Grange. A member of the La Grange Citizens Council, Carla decided to run for Village Trustee due to the lack of diversification and a decline in retailers she has seen over the last few years. 

“My objective is to bring a new set of eyes to the Board of Trustees by reconsidering some of our outdated codes and making La Grange a more attractive location for businesses to open their doors,” said Carla. “While the Village is a great location to join friends and family for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we lack a diverse range of businesses to make La Grange a destination. I want to change that.” 

As Village Trustee, Carla Carter will also advocate for increased community engagement. 

“When we first moved to La Grange more than seven years ago, there were activities most weekends, something for everyone. We don’t see that anymore. With the size of La Grange and our opportune location, I envision more events and engagement opportunities for residents and visitors of all ages. This can be done through partnerships with local businesses and attracting third-party vendors.”

This problem requires a multi-prong approach. I'm encouraged by our proposed partnership with District 204 to alleviate flooding but with funding in question, we need to seek additional sources of financing.  Cooperation with the Reclamation District and continuing to use political pressure on state officials should be a priority. More communication from the Village is essential. 

With an overwhelming number of restaurants, La Grange only has a small number of retailers and service providers. The creation of a marketing plan to attract new and diverse businesses will create a stronger community through economic growth. 

Anyone who has been to our downtown knows we have a parking issue. Let's pursue short term and  long term solutions. In the short term, gaining access to local, private parking lots during busy times should be a priority. A long term solution needs careful consideration and input from the community. 

Creating Village-led activities and general entertainment in all corners of La Grange, community events can range from concerts and antique car shows to teen nights and business-focused walks and tours. 

La Grange’s licensing code requires restaurants earn 60% of their earnings through food sales. This has deterred businesses away from the Village and to neighboring suburbs. A change in this code would bring much desired consumer traffic to the Central, South, Warehouse and West End business districts. 

Have questions or comments? I'd love to hear from you. Contact us today and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

Want to know more about me? Check out my About page for more information.