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Paul Santucci: Candidate Profile

Naperville Township Board (4-year Terms) (R)

Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioKey IssuesQA Bio City: AuroraWebsite: http://www.napervillerepublicans.comOffice sought: Naperville Township Board (4-year Terms)Age: 47Family: Married, three children, two girls and a boy, 12, 10, 5Occupation: Communications Manager/Consultant, Real Estate BrokerEducation: Executive MBA, University of Notre Dame MS Recreation Administration, George Williams College of Aurora University BS, Marketing and Communications, Southern Illinois UniversityCivic involvement: Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, District 204 PTA at Steck Elementary and Fischer Middle School Secretary Elected Committeeman, Naperville Township Republican Organization. Half Century Club, Aurora, IL Soccer Coach; Oakhurst AYSO, Wheatland Athletic Assoc. West Suburban Irish Men's Club, St. Raphael Church.Elected offices held: Committeeman, Naperville Township Precinct 48Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 Provide a top level of service and access for mandated township services; 1. Assessing properties. 2. Maintaining township roads. 3. Provide general and emergency assistance to those in need.Key Issue 2 Bringing an improved awareness and access to township with advanced technology and web presence to deliver more transparency to the township.Key Issue 3 Partner and develop strong relationships with surrounding governments and service agencies, to maximize the efficiency, cost, and quality of service to our residents.Questions Answers Name the three most important goals or objectives this board should tackle in the coming term. Prioritize them, and briefly discuss why you believe each to be critical, and how the board should go about addressing them.1) Setting the budget without cutting services 2) Hold the line or cut tax levy each of the next four years. Streamline the township budget to better service all residents of Naperville Township 3)Become a leader with transparent, accountable, and ethical records. Prompt posting of board meeting schedule, agendas, minutes, and township expenditures to townships website.In the 21st Century, with municipalities gobbling up vacant land, why are townships needed? Should they be serving a new role? If so, what?I am of the theory that we should conduct or look to conduct the business of the residents of the township and State in the most cost effective means while providing the quality of services the residents expect and want. My belief is simply based on the above statement. township government fills a great need and service to residents at a very minimal cost. I believe in strengthening township government, through providing the best quality of service and electing/hiring officials and staff of the same high quality. However, I do not believe in groeing township government by adding services that are not mandated by township code. You cannot provide these mandated services at a cheaper cost at the county or state level per parcel. It has been researched and studied extensively. You also cannot provide access to the resident at the county level like you do with each of the townships. All you have to do is look to Cook County for this. I hear it everyday as a township employee. There have been many state level debates and independent studies proving the continued need for an accessible and nimble township level of government.What should be the primary responsibility of township government?Assessing properties within the township. 2. Maintaining township roads in unincorporated areas 3. Provide general and emergency assistance to those in need, senior services, food pantries, etc.In these hard economic times, can you identify some township expenses/programs that could be trimmed or eliminated to reduce the tax burden?The tax burden of the township is so minimal now, I believe we need to just maintain the quality of service at the current low tax rate. The township operates on a very lean budget and yearly expenditures have been at or below budget. The township will be abating collected taxes this year. Also, Naperville Township elected officials salaries are currently ranked ninth out of nine townships in DuPage County.What specific background or experience do you bring that makes you the best qualified candidate to serve as an elected official in the township?I have worked in governments at many levels from park districts to the Department of Defense, I have a strong understanding of how public agencies work and the responsibilities they have to the people. I have been involved in the Naperville Township as a volunteer, attended many meetings and even worked briefly for the township as a communications consultant. I have strong education and professional experience in leadership that gives me an understanding of the tasks and limitations of a trustee. I have a reputation in the Naperville Township community as an honest, fair and straight forward person, that can be trusted to make the ethical and principled decisions for the township and it's people.