Donald Puchalski: Candidate Profile

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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:BioQA Bio City: AddisonWebsite: www.DonPuchalski.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: DuPage County Board District 1 Age: 62Family: Married for 32 years to Ginny, a retired Chicago school teacher. We have lived in Addison since 1986. We have two daughters Kathryn and Jill. I grew up in Elmhurst and attended Churchville Jr High and Addison Trail High schoolOccupation: Attorney with offices in Addison and WheatonEducation: Addison Trail High School DePaul University John Marshall Law SchoolCivic involvement: Member of Kiwanis, Masons, Shriners. Legal membership in Illinois State Bar Association, Chicago Bar Association and DuPage County Bar Association. National Avocatee Society and Advocates SocietyElected offices held: Addison School District 4 -board member 2000 to 2005. Addison Police Pension Board for 8 years. Du Page County Board since 2005. Du Page County Public Guardian.Questions Answers What is your stance on county board members' pay? Is it too high, too low, or just right? Would you propose any changes?DuPage County has a population that is larger than six states. It has a budget of approximately half a billion dollars and approximately 2,000 employees. I previously voted to reduce our salary by $6,000 and to remove committee chairmen's stipends and mileage.DuPage County has a AAA bond rating. DuPage County is fiscally responsible. I support maintaining the current County Board members' salary.Do you think county board members should receive pensions? Why or why not? If not, would you be willing to pledge not to take one?By state statute, County Board members no longer receive pensions. Those members who previously had pensions in existence, from when they were first elected, should be grandfathered in by law.With DuPage County's budget being squeezed by state funding cuts and other factors, what initiatives would you support to increase revenue and/or save money?I would not raise taxes and would oppose any tax increase. DuPage County has always had a balanced budget. DuPage has cut spending and over the years has reduced its budget and number of employees. We need to look for more funds from outside sources and take pressure off the tax payers' backs. Grants and revenue from other sources (private sector) need to be looked at. All products and services including professional services should be an open bid with reverse bidding for professional services. I believe the tax payers benefit with more intergovernmental cooperation.What are your thoughts about the county's Accountability, Consolidation and Transparency Initiative? What role should DuPage play in efforts to streamline and consolidate local government?DuPage County under Chairman Dan Cronin has taken the lead in Accountability, Consolidation, Transparency (ACT). Boards have been reduced or eliminated, resulting in smaller and more efficient government. This has resulted in millions of dollars of savings to DuPage County taxpayers. Other counties are following DuPage County's model. The youth home consolidation with Kane County has saved over one million dollars per year. DuPage County has to do more for less money.What initiatives, if any, do you have in mind for your specific county board district?(1) People move to DuPage for safe neighborhoods, schools, parks. I would continue to make DuPage a great place to live, work, raise a family. (2) We must keep a strong State's attorney to vigorously prosecute criminals. (3) Residents want public services at low costs, and I would maintain such. (4) O'Hare airport noise hugely affects all of DuPage, impacting quality of life, lowering property values. Combating this problem, I'm on the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission; attended Suburban O'Hare Commission meetings and other meetings; I'm on the County Board ad hoc committee. (5) I aggressively pursue bringing businesses to DuPage.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?- Balanced budgets.- No tax increases.- Cutting and reducing the size of government.- Safe neighborhoods.- O'Hare noise is an issue which needs to be resolved. DuPage is active in this fight by its membership in the O'Hare Noise Compatibility Commission and our efforts to monitor airport noise.- Continue to address the needs of our senior citizens and expand assistance to seniors.- Continue to fight for the rights of the disabled and protect the vulnerable members of our County.- Continue to promote and increase programs, services and opportunities for our Veterans.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Dan Cronin is a person who has worked for good government at all levels. He thinks outside the box and has high integrity.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Work hard and have strong family values.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Working less at the office and spending more time with family and helping others.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Political science, this has been helpful in my political career in assisting my understanding of politics and policy.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?If you have a dream, go after and pursue it.