Tony Del Alcazar: 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: LombardWebsite: Candidate did not respond.Office sought: Lombard District 44 School Board Age: 46Family: Heather = wife 3 Sons, 6th, 5th, 3rd gradesOccupation: Public High School TeacherEducation: Masters of Science - Curriculum and Instruction Bachelors of Science - BiologyCivic involvement: Candidate did not respond.Elected offices held: Vice President RSCU Credit UnionQuestions Answers How satisfied are you that your school district is adequately preparing students for the next stage in their lives, whether it be from elementary into high school or high school into college or full-time employment? What changes, if any, do you think need to be made?Overall, I am pleased with the way the district is preparing students for successful transitions into the next rung of their academic ladder. The fact that most students are at or above the state average for standardized scores is a testament to dedication of the faculty, staff and school board.What budgetary issues will your district have to confront during the next four years and what measures do you support to address them? If you believe cuts are necessary, be specific about programs and expenses that should be considered for reduction or elimination. On the income side, do you support any tax increases for local schools? Again, be specific.All publicly funded agencies are susceptible to budget issues. Looming precariously in the near future is the $100+ Billion pension crisis that faces Illinois. Regardless of what happens with proposals currently in Springfield, a portion of that will be passed off to local agencies. This burden will force the school board to scrutinize programs and spending. I will not support tax increases until the district has made every effort to verify it is spending efficiently without sacrificing student success.Are you currently employed by or retired from a school district, if so, which one? Is any member of your direct family - spouse, child or child-in-law - employed by the school district where you are seeking a school board seat?I currently teach biology and chemistry at Reavis High School in Burbank Illinois. I have no family members employed by district 44.As contract talks come up with various school employee groups -- teachers, support staff, etc. -- what posture should the school board take? Do you believe the district should ask for concessions from its employees, expect employee costs to stay about the same as they are now or provide increases in pay or benefits?The school board should take a cautious approach to contract negotiations. Bills will always need to get paid, as buildings age, improvements and repairs will need to be made that would decimate a poorly planned budget and could put a district in financial hardship. There are many facets to consider when it comes time to renew contracts. I realize attracting and keeping excellent faculty and staff requires a level of financial commitment, but I am against giving unwarranted increases to any group of employees.If your district had a superintendent or other administrator nearing retirement, would you support a substantial increase in his or her pay to help boost pension benefits? Why or why not?Absolutely not. Pension Boosting is unethical and borderline criminal.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Candidate did not respond.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.My DadWhat's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Work hard nowIf life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?Candidate did not respond.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?chemistry, it forces you to think about everyday life from a different perspective.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?There will always be problems in life; how well you prepare, prevent, and handle them is what makes you successful.