David Border: 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: PalatineWebsite: http://www.borderford15board.comTwitter: Candidate did not respond.Facebook: fb.me/BorderforD15BoardOffice sought: Palatine District 15 School Board Age: 45Family: Wife - SherriTwo sons, 3rd and 5th graders at Pleasant Hill Elementary.Palatine and District 15 resident since 1994.Occupation: Senior Vice President - Allstate Insurance CompanyEducation: Washington University in St. Louis (1994) BS in Business AdministrationBA in MathFellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society (FCAS)Civic involvement: Celtic Soccer - Coach and Volunteer (20 years)Cub Scouts - Treasurer and Committee Member (4 years)D15 School Board - Facilities Planning Committee 2.0Volunteer at Pleasant Hill and led a PTA committeeMy wife, Sherri, served as PTA Treasurer and is currently President-Elect of the Pleasant Hill PTAElected offices held: No public officeQuestions 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?I first became involved with the Board in the Fall of 2015. Concerned with class sizes and overcrowding at the schools, I addressed the Board about the number of classes throughout the district well above the Board targets. This is a key issue which drove me to get more active. The following year when a resignation on the Board occurred, I applied for the vacancy and was a finalist for the position.Based on my passion and interest in improving the schools, I was asked to join the Facilities Plan Committee. I played a lead role in helping the group identify the key issues, prioritize the issues, and develop a solution. I was part of the team responsible for presenting the recommendation of the Committee to the Board initially in April and again in August.While the referendum was defeated, I believe that all of the problems persist and the Board needs to work with the Administration to build a solution to address these issues. We need to actively solicit input from the community through the Community Engagement Committee being started now and leverage that input to build a long-term solution which can be embraced by all of the stakeholders.What was your position on the district's proposal to build two new schools, which failed in the November election? Why? How should the district address its facilities needs over the next two years? Would you support another referendum, and if so, how do you think a plan can be developed that would pass?Being a member of the Facilities Plan Committee, I had a great deal of involvement in building the proposal which became the referendum. I was in favor of the solution we presented because I believe it addressed all of the goals prioritized by the committee (Full-day Kindergarten, capacity, etc.).A solution to address the problems needs to be developed collaboratively based on feedback gained through the referendum process from parents and the broad community as well as through the upcoming community engagement sessions. This will help prioritize which of the issues is most important to the community at large. Whether the ultimate solution is another referendum or an alternative strategy will depend upon that input. I support any solution which addresses the widest range of problems and positions the district for long-term success.As contract talks come up with other employee groups, do you believe the district should ask for concessions, expect costs to stay about the same, or provide increases in pay and benefits? If you are an incumbent, why did you support the 10-year teacher contract? If you are a newcomer, what's your view of the contract? Would you support similar length contracts for other employee groups? Why or why not.Every contract should be evaluated based on its specific situation: the marketplace realities and key economic and financial projections. A shorter term provides certainty in the near term, but uncertainty regarding the need to renegotiate upon expiration. A longer term contract provides predictable results but inherent uncertainty about the future. My view is that the term is one variable in the equation and should be evaluated as part of the full economic picture.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?I am a firm believer that one of a board member's key duties is to be a responsible steward of the fiscal resources of the community.I believe our district requires improvements and investments to stay competitive. While property taxes are a significant strain, they are less burdensome when property values increase due to high demand from families seeking to move into the district.My view is that budget issues should be assessed using an objective cost/benefit approach and prioritized accordingly.What role can and should school choice play in your district? If Congress or the state approves a voucher system or other means giving students broader choices among public and private schools, how will that affect your district? What is the appropriate response for the board of education of a public school system?The impact of any system will be highly dependent on the specifics of the program. The appropriate response would be to fully understand the system before reacting too strongly in either direction. The role of the board should be to maximize the educational benefits for all students within the financial constraints provided.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?#ERROR!Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Elon Musk - Visionary thinker willing to drive innovation despite traditional barriers.What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?The value of different perspectives. Listening to others before assuming I understood their position.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Not getting back home to Cincinnati more to spend time with my parents before they passed away.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Math. Aside from building a career as an actuary, I developed the problem solving skills to be able to objectively evaluate facts and develop solutions.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Step back from any situation and look at the big picture. Consider every individuals perspective before reaching a conclusion.