Matthew Duray: Candidate profile

Bio

Name: Matthew Duray

City: Gurnee

Office sought: Trustee

Age: 17

Family: Son to Kevin and Donna Duray, brother of Daniel and Josh

Education: Warren Township High School

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

Website: N/A

Facebook: Matthew Duray for Gurnee Trustee

Twitter: N/A

Issue questions

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

My fresh perspective can reach the younger population and allow their concerns to be heard. Young people do not know how to get involved in Gurnee government. I will work hard to get people of all ages engaged in discussion and working together toward a common goal. My passion and energy enables us to bring in new ideas with a younger generation's perspective. With around 1/3 of Gurnee residents being under the age of 25, and the average age of our village board being 61, it is time to elect a candidate that will bring a new and bold perspective!

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

I would like to see more diversity of perspective within the village board. We need someone to ask new questions and bring in new ideas. To remain a stable and positive community, we need to have our board be a representation of all the people of Gurnee. If we want to be the "Community of Opportunity", Gurnee needs to hear the voices of everyone, including the youth. That is why at least 1 of the 6 trustee positions should represent the younger generation. Having a village board made up of people of all ages makes Gurnee's leadership healthy and vibrant.

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

Gurnee is a successful town and I love living here. However, there is always work to be done. We want to make sure Gurnee is a town that young professionals can see their future in. Gurnee has a significant population of young people and our community is known for our opportunities for the youth. But, many young people are leaving. According to the Lake County Census report, youth aged 22-29 are having a mass exodus from Lake County. Youth are leaving here faster than any other county in Illinois. This negatively affects local businesses with the next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners moving elsewhere. I can engage the youth through ways our leadership has not done before, including social media, community outreach, and a close connection to the public school system. I will ensure that Gurnee is moving forward with opportunities and ideas that are exciting and attractive to people of all ages.

How would you describe the condition of your community's budget, and what are the most important actions the town should take to assure providing the level of services people want?

Our budget is balanced and our community is prosperous. Our leaders have done a good job of making sure we stay within budget guidelines and limit our spending. Since we rely solely on our businesses for community income instead of tax, I would like to see more of our surplus go into reserves and invested instead of put back into the budget. I will help to ensure our village is always transparent with what we do and where our money is going. We need to continue being accountable with our funds in order to keep our sales tax low and our property tax nonexistent. Since Illinois and parts of Lake County are known for being fiscally irresponsible, we need Gurnee to be an example of fiscal accountability and long term sustainability.

Describe your leadership style and explain how you think that will be effective in producing actions and decisions with your village board or city council.

As an Eagle Scout and active leader in several parts of the community, I have learned the effectiveness of close communication, hard work, and encouraging people to get involved. I will work hard to get your questions answered and your ideas heard.