Baron Leacock: 2024 candidate for DuPage County Board District 3

Bio

Party: Republican

Office Sought: DuPage County Board District 3

City: Hinsdale

Age: 46

Occupation: Options trader

Previous offices held: N/A

Why are you running for this office, whether for reelection or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?

I grew up in Darien, the son of immigrants who came to this country for the American dream. My father grew up without running water or electricity and knew hunger. His children went to Ivy League universities and became doctors and lawyers. Anything is possible here.

I’ve lived all over the country, but when I met my wife and we started our family, I returned to DuPage because I want my kids to be from here. Generations of great leadership have given us a county consistently rated as one of the best places to live in the U.S., but past momentum can only carry a community so far. We are in a season of great change, at all levels.

I am running to ensure that the timeless principles that have built DuPage into what it is, principles like safe streets and schools, holding the line on taxes, and protecting the most vulnerable, continue to direct policy. These principles will always work, no matter how uncertain our times get.

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?

I’m a proud graduate of Hinsdale South High School, Harvard University, and Columbia University Law School.

I’ve worked in several industries including real estate development, tax consulting and tech startups. And I am the father of three young, brilliant and rambunctious children, who have challenged me more than any of the above.

What I’ve learned from those experiences and from talking to leaders and practitioners across my district, is that most of the problems we face are solvable. But we cannot allow ourselves to be distracted from the basic, smart governing principles that have made DuPage County one of the most desirable places to live in the U.S.

Priorities like fiscal discipline and responsibility, respect and support for law enforcement, and common-sense, solutions-based approaches to solving problems rather than prioritizing politics or superficial wins.

Describe your position regarding the balance between county spending and revenues as it exists today, then describe the chief threats you see looming in the future and how the county should deal with them.

The county thankfully passed a balanced budget with a surplus, with efforts to spend that surplus wisely on timely expenditures, which has long been a hallmark of DuPage governance. I would have liked to hear more discussion about using the surplus to reduce the financial burden on taxpayers.

Fiscal discipline is part of the DNA of the governing culture of DuPage, but that culture must be continually renewed every year. Finding ways of projecting that culture of discipline into the future, regardless of who holds office, is one of my biggest concerns and is the best way to guarantee the long-term effectiveness of our county government.

Perhaps the biggest threat I see is the increase in property taxes. At a time when many DuPage County residents are already feeling pinched at the grocery store and gas station, I will work hard to ensure our residents are not burdened with increasing, unexpected, or even hidden-from-view, taxes

Does there need to be more bipartisanship and cooperation on the county board? If yes, what would you do to help make that happen?

I would love to see more members working together toward keeping taxes low, safer communities, and good governance overall. We all want DuPage County to be a desirable place for residents and businesses.

Working together to create such an environment would be a priority for me on the board. Focusing on substantive solutions to problems rather than politics is what works.

Folks will find me straightforward to work with because my motivating concern is to find solutions that will ensure DuPage thrives sustainably so my kids will want to live here too. That concern transcends politics.

Earlier this year, some suggested that the 1996 state law that established a separate forest preserve board in DuPage County should be undone and that the forest preserve should be returned to the control of the county board. Do you support that idea? Why or why not?

I support the county board studying this idea further. I would like to see how this would impact the budget. I would be interested in looking at potential cost savings.

That said, the members of the forest preserve board have a wealth of knowledge on issues that impact our protected forests, prairies, and wetland areas that we love in DuPage County. That knowledge should not be discounted.

What are your thoughts about the condition of the county fairgrounds in Wheaton? Should the county play a greater role in improving and maintaining the structures on the property?

The DuPage County Fairgrounds play host to many events for different organizations in the area. It draws people and large groups to our community and showcases our county in a positive light. We should maintain the facilities there to ensure that they remain an asset to our economic development and ensure a positive return on investment. We can do that successfully by being resourceful and innovative in how we maintain the facilities, always on the lookout for clever ways to do more with less. We’ve done that successfully with other county property, the same principle should apply here.

What are your thoughts about the consolidation? Should the county play a greater role in streamlining and consolidating local government? Why or why not?

I support the previous chairman’s ACT initiative and believe it generated millions in cost savings for county government. I would also apply that initiative internally, to county operations, to try to find ways to consolidate units and departments within DuPage County government to save taxpayers money.

Important to note that streamlining and consolidating should not be done for its own sake. The benefits must be clear to see, so we avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. But it must be written into the fabric of governance to always be looking for less burdensome ways to do the people’s business.

What role should the county play in combating the opioid crisis?

Opioid deaths in DuPage were down 23% in 2023, partly due to the HOPE Task Force chaired by my mentor Greg Hart. I support continuing the work of this impactful group and supporting Haymarket DuPage for the treatment of individuals impacted by this disease.

What role should the county play in increasing affordable housing in the region?

Creating additional affordable housing in DuPage County could include innovative development strategies, public/private partnerships, and optimizing existing resources. Incentivizing mixed-use developments and reusing existing structures would create additional resources for those seeking affordable housing.