Endorsements: Bleakley, Gaspar, Lock, McGrail for Batavia Unit District 101

Voters in Batavia Unit District 101 face a difficult decision on April 4: choosing among five strong school board candidates for just four open seats. With three passionate incumbents and two engaged newcomers, the math is tricky. So are the financial issues the district will face with uncertain state funding and a projected deficit.

Running for re-election are incumbents Sue Locke, Jonathan Gaspar and Tina Bleakley. All three offer the knowledge and experience that will help the district navigate the financial pitfalls ahead, and they deserve another term.

As a small-business owner, Locke's fiscal background serves her well. She advocates keeping salaries in line rather than asking for a tax increase and stresses that the administration has been told to look for savings. Gaspar, a retired teacher, asks important questions during board discussions and describes himself as a fiscal conservative. At the same time, he pushes for issues he believes are important to residents, including small class sizes and working toward full-day kindergarten in the district. Bleakley, a social worker, serves as the board liaison for the Batavia High School Social and Emotional Advisory Board. Her mental health expertise and advocacy provide an important voice on the board.

Joining them on the ballot are Robert Baty-Barr and William McGrail. Among the two newcomers, the differences are slight. Baty-Barr's background as a web developer is a strength, as is McGrail's education experience as the media director of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora. Both men support seeking out creative solutions for fiscal issues, and both say the district might have to go to the voters for a tax increase down the road. Of the two, we lean toward McGrail, who we believe would take a more cautious approach to balancing school finances and salaries with the needs of taxpayers.

We endorse Bleakley, Gaspar, Locke and McGrail.