PAUL kotowski: 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: SkokieWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Twitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Oakton Community College School Board Age: 41Family: Candidate did not respond.Occupation: AttorneyEducation: JD, DePaul UniversityB.S. Accountancy, Loyola UniversityCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Candidate did not respond.Questions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is it?Oakton is one of the best community colleges in the nation. I want to participate in carrying on the excellent work the current Board has done.Yet Oakton is operating in a difficult financial climate, due mainly to decreased state funding. State funding is likely to decrease in the coming years, so maintaining the level of educational and community services provided by Oakton - without placing a burden on the District's taxpayers - will be the biggest challenge faced by the Board. We are in a difficult financial climate. Specifically, Oakton received $5 million less in state funding than it did the prior fiscal year, due to a decrease from $7.5 million to to $2.5 million. This resulted in a $1.6 million deficit. The Illinois Property Tax Extension Limitation Act limits Oakton from raising property taxes. In addition, the State University Retirement System went from 44% to 42% funding. Oakton's portion alone in the amount of money that is owed for pensions is $290 million that the state has not yet funded as of this writing. Yet the current Board has done an excellent job of financial management and oversight. For example, Oakton's bonds are rated AAA in all of the debt markets. I want to help continue the Board's work in this regard.In tough economic times, many students (and working professionals) turn to a community college for its educational value. How do you ensure that a person's financial sacrifice results in an educational benefit?Oakton provides top notch education and community services. Any student who has attended Oakton will tell you this.From the college's point of view, 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 or fee increases?One of the potential casualties of the current financial climate caused by decreased government funding is the preschool at the Des Plaines location. The Early Childhood Learning Center provides a necessary service to working families within the district. We must find ways to compensate for the lack of government funding to keep that location open. If this issue is not resolved prior to the election, I would advocate to keep the preschool open as a member of the Board. One of the many ways we can do this is to increase tuition for out of district students, and consider surcharges for parking and other services provided to out of district students. Students and homeowners living within the District must be shielded from increased property taxes and tuition hikes. We must think of the District's students and residents first and foremost.Community colleges provide many services to a diverse population. Is there a service your college should be providing that it is not, or reaching a segment of the population that it is not?Oakton provides excellent services to a diverse population in a diverse district. I would like to help continue this.If you are a newcomer, what prompted you to run for the community college board? If you're an incumbent, list your accomplishments or key initiatives in which you played a leadership role.See my response to, "Why are You Running," question above.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?All are enumerated above.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.David Cameron, because of his class and grace in defeat after the Brexit vote. An example for all candidates.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?How time goes by so fast. It is important to make every moment a good one.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?There is no need to think about do-overs. Thinking about what, 'might have been,' will only make you crazy.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Contracts in law school. It made me a better writer and communicator thanks to Professor Michael S. Jacobs.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Live every moment.