Ray Hull: 2025 candidate for Aurora City Council Ward 1 (2-year term)

Bio

Office sought: Aurora City Council Ward 1 (2-year term)

City: Aurora

Age: 64

Occupation: Owner/operator

Previous offices held: East Aurora Unit District 131 board

What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the city council respond to it?

The deficit being fueled by public safety pensions and retiree insurance. The council along with administration needs to behave in a more cognizant manner when requesting and approving staff and wage increase particularly for the executive level employees and nonessential hirings.

Some executive level salaries have seen as much as 71% increases that will be felt on the back end. The current administration hired approximately 150 new employees in the first 5 years.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

Going back to my previous answer I don’t like the path we are on for sustainability. Future administrations will have to deal with the mandated but unfunded pensions. The overuse of TIFFS and over-incentivizing of commercial projects also have created a burden for other taxing bodies and the tax payers.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

The city is currently under a mandate to replace lead water service line. The federal government may come into play funding wise under the current administration who will be rescinding many environmental mandates. Also the long-term control plan for sewerage overflows into the Fox River is a huge deal.

The new music and theater venue in downtown should be stopped. The new proposed APEX development should be put on the back burner until more input from the nearby residents is gathered.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your city council.

My previous experience on the school board the majority of policy was determined by state law. As a board, we looked to staff keep us appraised to any updating that was needed or required. I believe in being prepared for meetings so that I can asked the needed questions before voting. Dialogue is critical to minimize unseen pitfalls.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

I believe I stand out from my opponents in this race because of my numerous leadership roles in the at large community. I served as school board president my last term on the board.

Professionally I was superintendent of the 3rd largest division in the city behind police and fire. I served as a planning commissioner after retirement and I also was a planning committee member as water and sewer superintendent.

I am an advocate for the citizenry who will speak for and on behalf of the resident of Ward 1. I plied my advocacy at the youthful age of 22 when I was elected president of the public works local that lasted 10 years before transitioning to management. Along with that duty, I felt very responsible to the city and the taxpayers in our collective bargaining, always negotiating in good faith and not overburdening the city with economic demands. I was president during the recessions of the 1980s and superintendent during the housing collapse. I cut my spending without cutting service levels before and after the collapse.

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

I believe that neighborhood beautification and revitalization is the foundation for our city. I will work with the inspection division and others to ensure that rental properties, proper lighting, parkway trees are trimmed by being proactive. I will actually get out and not just respond to complaints. That sounds like what a council member should do but not necessarily what they actually do because it’s seen as part time but I see it as much more.