Dan Miller: Candidate Profile

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: Mount ProspectWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: River Trails District 26 School Board (4-year Terms)Age: 47Family: Married, two childrenOccupation: Chief Financial OfficerEducation: Bachelor of Science in Marketing University of Illinois 1987Civic involvement: Cub Scouts Pack 270 TreasurerElected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoCandidate's Key Issues Key Issue 1 I want to continue to make prudent investments to prepare our children for the new global world. Specifically, I see the addition of a world language program, a more robust science curriculum, and a focus on technology as being three key initiatives.Key Issue 2 To ensure that there is continued transparency in the use of taxpayer funds and that we use these funds in the most effective way possible. I beleive that my experience as a Chief Financial Officer is conducive to achieving this goal.Key Issue 3 I want to ensure that District 26 remains committed to the vision of bringing all stakeholders together to solve challenges that the District faces. The impact to the children of the district should always be formost in our minds.Questions Answers What do you think about the shift to the common core standards? How big a role do you think the board of education should play in setting the curriculum for students and what ideas do you have for changes to the current curriculum?The idea of expecting clear consistent academic benchmarks designed to enhance the ability of all students to be ready for college is a great thing. Shaping the curriculum is primarily the responsibility of Administration and teachers, but I would like to see a world language program developed as well as a more robust science curriculum.How satisfied are you that your district is preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be from elementary into high school or high school into college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?This is an area that requires a lot more data sharing between District 214 and District 26. Once we have this data it will be easier to assess if changes are needed. I also believe, however, that parents play as vital a role in the success of their children.What budget issues will your district have to confront and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, what programs and expenses should be reduced or eliminated? On the income side, do you support any tax increases?Rising healthcare expenses and the potential that local school districts will be faced with funding pensions are two big ones. The district has been operating with razor thin margins lately. Each budget cycle will bring its own trade off decisions which I would analyze closely before jumping to any decisions. I do support modest increases in the tax base. Maintaining a high quality school district does necessitate the increases. My hope, however, is that we will begin to see a greater burden of this tax base derived from the commercial enterprises as we see revenue growth from places like Randhurst.As contract talks come up with various school employee groups, do you believe the district should ask for concessions from its employees, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?We want to provide competitive wages and benefits for all employees of the district in order to attract and retain quality people. The fiscal realities of the District's operating budget will be studied in detail by myself prior to the next contract discussions and I would be prepared at that time to render an opinion on the direction the District should take.If your district had a superintendent or other administrator nearing retirement, would you support a substantial increase in his or her pay to help boost pension benefits? Why or why not?No I would not support any effort to effectively "game the system" by providing substantial increases to any staff. We have a duty to use taxpayer funds in the most responsible way possible - not to line the pockets of individuals.