Paul Mandrik: Candidate Profile

Back to Aurora City Council Ward 8

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: AuroraWebsite: www.paulmandrik.comOffice sought: Aurora City Council Ward 8 Age: 49Family: Engaged, 3 grown childrenOccupation: Master Automotive TechnicianEducation: Graduate of American Gas/Diesel Institute, Chicago IL, 1983 Attended College for Business Management, College of DuPage 1990-1992Civic involvement: Served as Board of Directors. WECO Credit Union, 1997-1999; Communication Workers of America CWA Local 4290 Illinois: Union Steward 1988-1996, Elected Vice-President 3 terms 1996-2005, Active member of Georgetown Relief Efforts Neighborhood Organization GRENO (Georgetown Subdivision) Aurora IL, Co-Chair for Brockton Court Summertime Block Party. Twice elected Precinct Committeeman 52 Naperville Township, Aurora IL. Served in 2012 as Secretary for the Fox River Radio League. Appointed/Elected in 2013-2016 as Precinct Director for the Naperville Township Democratic Organization.Elected offices held: Elected Democratic Precinct 52 Committeeman, 2012, 2014Questions Answers What makes you the best candidate for the job?As it is for many, it's a little uncomfortable to "toot my own horn" but, since you asked, I believe I can better represent the residents of the 8th Ward because I have spent my entire professional life in positions of leadership, advocating for the interests of the people I represented. These positions included the following: ïƒfrac14;Board of Directors, WECO Credit Union, 1997-1999 ïƒfrac14;Union Steward, Communications Workers of America, Local 4290, 1988-1996 ïƒfrac14;Vice President, CWA , 1996-2005 ïƒfrac14;Member, Georgetown Relief Efforts Neighborhood Organization (GRENO) ïƒfrac14;Elected Democratic Precinct 52 Committeeman, 2012, 2014 ïƒfrac14;Elected Precinct Director, Naperville Township Democratic Organization, 2013 In each of these roles, I have actively and with passion represented the interests of those I represented. I have lived in Ward 8 for 20 years, I know the concerns of my neighbors, and I will not have a problem with speaking up on their behalf!What is your opinion of your community's present level of local sales and property taxes? Is the tax just right, too low or too high? Explain.Taxesâ#128;brvbar;the bill no one wants to pay and, yet, without those city services where would we all be? In the City of Aurora, the tax levy (in 2014, payable in 2015) for the General Fund will be unchanged from the prior year. And, that's a good thing! City leaders have managed to hold the line on expenditures for the past 5 years by instituting pay freezes, reducing the workforce, collapsing management functions and, in some cases, by negotiating wage concessions. With the improving economy, sales tax revenue to the city is projected to increase by 3% over last year, up to $24 million. The Home-Rule Sales Tax will generate about 2% more income next year, to $19.5 million. Considering the efforts that have been made to hold the line on expenditures over the past five years, I would tend to support the statement that property and sales taxes are about right at their current levels.Rate the efficiency of your town's police and fire coverage. Are the departments well prepared for the next decade? What, if anything, should be changed? Do you have specific public safety concerns?After scouring mounds of data on the internet relative to public safety, it appears that Aurora is definitely heading in the right direction. According to one online reference, city-data.com, violent crime has decreased from 10.5 murders per 100,000 residents in 2000 to 0 (zero!) in 2012! Thefts, which account for 60% of all crime committed in Aurora, for the same time period, have fallen by 50%! Auto thefts have decreased from 322 per 100,000 residents to 63 in 2012! Arson is down from 27 to 14 cases for the same time period. While the overall crime rate still exceeds most of Aurora's surrounding communities, it is still below national averages. What I would like to investigate further as an Alderman for the 8th Ward is the impact that additional police staffing might have on crime rates. According to the data, Aurora has 1.45 sworn officers per 1,000 residents, while the national average is 2.76. Would more patrolmen/women on the streets help keep our community safer? Worth exploringâ#128;brvbar;Where, if anywhere, could the current budget be trimmed, and conversely, are there areas the budget does not give enough money to?The City of Aurora and its current leaders have done a credible job of living within their means during these most recent difficult economic times. From 2008-2015, the city reduced its workforce by 179 full-time equivalent positions and eliminated many non-essential services. I would support continuing to looks for ways to save. By the same token, as the economy continues to improve and our revenues increase, I would like to investigate further the impact of hiring additional public safety personnel to further reduce our crime rate. I would also support additional funding for the partnership between the Aurora Housing Authority and Brinshore Development LLC in its effort to create scattered site housing units for the poor by rehabbing vacant and foreclosed properties. In the Georgetown area of Ward 8, we have nearly 40 homes sitting empty! These empty homes are often vandalized and left unattended, thereby weakening the values of all nearby properties. The city's contribution toward the first 40 homes in this program was only $525,000 of the estimated $12,000,000 cost. The second phase beginning this year certainly deserves serious consideration for funding.What's one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?I will be more proactive in my communications with the 8000+ residents of Ward 8. With the advent of social media and the internet, I believe we can set up a network that keeps each of us informed about upcoming events and rising concerns. Democracy is a two-way street: those who represent must truly reach out to those he/she represents and I think technology may be the best way to accomplish this two way communication. They say "knowledge is power" and if I have the information I need, I will be better able to make our case before the Council!What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I also have continuing concerns relative to the CN Railroad issues in Aurora. We were one of two communities who did not sign on to final agreements with CN after their acquisition of EJ E in 2008 and with good reason. We have more than our share of 10 minute or longer delays at the many rail crossings in our city and the ongoing concern over the safety of tanker cars, carrying hazardous materials and tar sands oil from Canada, have many homeowners in Ward 8 worried. These trains often pass close to the backyards of our neighbors! We need to be present at all STB hearings over the next two years to be sure that CN pays for additional grade separations and removes the DOT111 tankers from their trains.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Late Senator Paul Simon. An old-school sort of guy with impeccable and unimpeachable integrity, whose word was truly his bond.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Better listen to your parents!If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?No mulligans for me!What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?Science. Enjoying the problem solving aspects of lab work and it prepared me well for the diagnostic work I do as a master automotive technician.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Treat others the way that you would like to be treated.