Wayne Floegel: 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: NapervilleWebsite: www.waynefornaperville.comOffice sought: Naperville City Council Age: 43Family: My wife Elizabeth and I have two beautiful elementary age childrenOccupation: Special Education Assistant, District 203Education: Bachelor of Science, Point Loma UniversityCivic involvement: Transportation Advisory Board since 2012 Lisle Township Precinct 81 Committeeman Incoming President, Huntington Swim and Tennis ClubElected offices held: Transportation Advisory Board, Naperville (since 2012) Lisle Township Precinct 81Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?I take action, and will continue to do so. I will ensure residents voices are heard, and have an opportunity for input before City decisions are made that impact our daily lives. I commit that communication from the Council be a top priority; helping everyone understand the "why" behind choices that may seem inconvenient. Now is the time for a balance of fresh perspective and the legacy of Naperville we all love; I bring that fresh perspective. A few months after we moved here (after months of research on commutes, schools and housing) PACE bus considered cutting several bus lines, one of which my wife and neighbors depended on to get to the train. I took action by getting in the debate with Pace and the City, and helped save that bus line. A short time after the Pace bus lines were threatened with removal, the City embarked on an assessment for a bus depot! I took action and made sure my voice was heard by getting involved on the Transportation Advisory Board. The common sense voice I provide today will be applied to all the decisions on the City Council. Finally, the voters support term limits, and so do I. Term limits mean that more Naperville residents need to take the reins and do their part to serve their neighbors, I will serve our City respectfully, honestly and proactively.What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.It's just right. 72% of our property taxes go to school district 203. Our schools reputation for excellence attracts and keeps people who care about community in Naperville. We need to ensure we manage the other 28% of those dollars wisely so that we are not forced to compromise on education. We need to balance necessary infrastructure investments and community programs that bring residents support and a wealth of cultural amenities to our community.Early projections for the fiscal year 2016 budget showed a $12 million deficit. What can the city do to avoid future budget deficits? Where can the city save money or make cuts?The council recently saved $330,000 on garbage service. This was a good move forward, and we need to review all partner and supplier contracts in an effort to find additional savings for services. We need to prioritize truly necessary capital investments - like infrastructure repairs - from those that are "nice to have" right now. The Council needs to review the number of city issued vehicles, revisit the capital improvement roadmap and timelines, and critically review the value versus spending levels on services like leaf pickup. We all need to come together make tough choices about what is really critical to keeping our community great.What additional regulations, if any, should the city council impose on bars and liquor license holders to help keep the downtown night life safe? What do you think of the restrictions recently created, such as relating to late-night entry, shot sales, beer sizes, drink specials and security training?Business owners understand the gravity of the situation and are working toward keeping our downtown safe. The restrictions have not yet resulted in measurable improvement; it's too early to assess the impact. We should let those restrictions be in place for at least six more months, measuring their effectiveness. Once we have data, we should reassess to determine if restrictions should cease, change or stay in place.What should the city council's role be in bringing businesses to town? Should businesses be allowed to bring in proposals under code names, such as "Project Panda"? What do you think of the decision to approve the SKF development at Warrenville and Freedom roads before informing the public of what the development would be?The City Council is responsible for providing an attractive tax base, easy to navigate City processes and a City that can attract and retain a workforce. The City Council must work closely with nearby municipalities, county and State agencies to collaborate. Illinois is losing businesses and residents due to government corruption, taxation, and an unattractive business environment. Naperville will suffer if we don't help turn this situation around quickly. As one of the largest cities in Illinois, we must ensure we manage our own City effectively, but be an advocate for Naperville residents through the state. In regard to Panda, it is common practice for businesses to code name projects to control internal and external communications. My own family has been through that very process twice in the last ten years. Many companies don't wish to publicize intent to move or open new locations before those plans are finalized. This ensures employees learn those plans first from their own leadership versus local news outlets or rumor mills. If a property is being used under the intended zones and use, code names are a fine way to manage this process.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?The heroin and drug epidemic in our schools is simply unacceptable. We must support our educators, families and the police to rid our community of this plague.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Paul RyanWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?If you are going to do it, do it right.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I do not do "do overs." My choices, both the accomplishments and the mistakes, make me who I am.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?I am practical; auto shop taught me skills I apply all the time. Just yesterday I was able to help a friend fix their snowblowerIf you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Wash your hands. As the CDC says "clean hands save lives."