Meghan Tillson: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Meghan Tillson

City: Cary

Office sought: Community High School District 155 Board of Education Member

Age: 35

Family: My husband Christopher and I have been married for 12 years. We have two amazing children: Isabelle (8) and Vincent (6).

Occupation: Data Analyst and Payroll Specialist

Education: Bachelor of Science in Finance from Northern Illinois University

Civic involvement: I am an active volunteer with the PTO, as a classroom parent helper, and as a coach for Girls on the Run.

Previous elected offices held: None

Incumbent? If yes, when were you first elected? No.

Facebook: Meghan Tillson

Issue questions

What are the most important issues facing your district and how do you intend to address them?

The most important issues facing CHSD 155 include fiscal stability and current board members with conflicts of interest. To achieve fiscal stability, the district must address the declining enrollment of 2.5 percent per year until the year 2020, and the capital improvement plan of $70 million (including contingencies). The district cannot continue to run a deficit as it has for the past two years. True transparency is required to provide an impartial school board, free from conflicts of interest and energized to take on these challenges.

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?

CHSD 155 provides an excellent education. Many families, mine included, chose to raise our families within CHSD 155 because of the quality of the education. It is important that the district attract and retain quality educators while continuing to provide a diverse and evolving curriculum.

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? Be specific.

CHSD 155 has run a deficit for two years in a row. I believe the $70 million-dollar capital improvement plan is a main cause for the deficit. We need common sense leadership on the board, people who will work in the best interests for the students and the community. My background in business affords a different framework for decision making, especially financial decisions.

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?

No, I am not currently employed by or retired from a school district. I do not have any family members employed by CHSD 155.

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 and employee groups should enter contract negotiations with an open mind and take all available information into consideration. Labor contracts should reflect the current economic climate of the community. All parties should strive to find the balance between fair compensation for employees and fiscal stability in the district.

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?

No, I do not support pension spiking. The Teacher's Retirement System, or TRS, carries an unfunded liability. The unfunded liability is a long-term concern because the higher it gets the more money the state must contribute. Pension contributions already account for more than 25 percent of the state's general revenue. High contributions drain money away from other state services. Furthermore, the penalties incurred by school districts for artificially inflating pensions are paid by the school districts. The money being paid to penalties is coming directly out of the funds that are supposed to be used for the benefit of the students. This is money needlessly being taken away from their education.