Paul Leong: 2021 candidate for Naperville City Council

Challenger Paul Leong, one of 11 candidates running for four 4-year terms on Naperville City Council, responds to the Daily Herald candidate questionnaire for the April 6, 2021, local elections.

In-person early voting with paper ballots is now available at the DuPage County Fairgrounds Building 5, 2015 Manchester Road, Wheaton. In-person early voting with touch-screen voting begins March 22 at locations throughout the county. Learn more at www.dupageco.org/earlyvoting/.

For more election coverage, visit dailyherald.com.

Bio

City: Naperville

Age: 57

Occupation: Self-employed network consultant

Civic involvement: Naperville Unit District 203 board member; Art of Inclusion executive committee and steering committee

Q&A

Q: How do you view your role in confronting the pandemic: provide leadership even if unpopular, give a voice to constituents - even ones with whom you disagree, or defer to state and federal authorities?

A: As an elected representative, I feel that it is important to consult with county, state, and federal authorities to gather critical information and to not impede their efforts on behalf of the public.

It is my duty to coordinate with, communicate with, and generally cooperate with county, state, and federal authorities in a lawful way. It is also my duty to listen to the voters, residents, constituents, and people to ensure their voices are heard; at the local, state, and federal levels.

Similarly, it is my responsibility to educate and inform the public about the efforts being undertaken by their representatives, and why they should consider cooperating with and embracing public safety recommendations.

As a school board member, I have worked and advocated to create better options for students during the pandemic for a variety of groups, regardless of my personal agreement/disagreement.

The voices need to be heard and considered, but many tough decisions still need to be made to ensure the business of the government can move forward, and this may often result in upsetting many. This is the nature of leadership, and I am committed to facing these challenges on behalf of all Naperville residents.

Q: Did your town continue to adequately serve its constituents during the disruptions caused by the pandemic? If so, please cite an example of how it successfully adjusted to providing services. If not, please cite a specific example of what could have been done better.

A: Naperville can assist its residents in these difficult times most effectively and efficiently through existing city services. I support the Executive Order from the Naperville City Council and Mayor to relax ordinances to help provide financial relief to residents and businesses affected by the pandemic. I would consider more financial relief measures that might be processed through utilities such as electricity and water that can be implemented quickly and efficiently, and would be available to many residents and businesses.

Q: In light of our experiences with COVID-19, what safeguards/guidelines should you put in place to address any future public health crises?

A: The health care professionals in Naperville are some of the best in the country. While serving on the Naperville Unit District 203 board, dozens of doctors, nurses, and scientists reached out to me to provide information and advice.

I would like to consult with a local Citizens Medical Advisory board to remain updated by the health care professionals on the front lines in our area. This input would not supersede information from county, state, or federal resources, but be considered in addition to those resources.

One size does not always fit all, and listening to local resources who are close to the problems would help customize our planning to best fit our unique needs.

Q: What cuts can local government make to reduce the burden of the pandemic on taxpayers?

A: I am not in favor of cuts to Naperville city services, especially during the pandemic. People need those critical services now more than ever. One of the core values of my service is to be financially responsible when spending taxpayer money, and I am very much in favor in finding efficiencies and improvements to those services to reduce the burden on taxpayers. My term on the Naperville Unit District 203 board resulted in multiple abatements to the debt levy, maximum retirement of the district debt (saving millions in interest), a permanent reduction to the general levy (first time in Naperville history), and a property tax reimbursement (again, first time in Naperville history), all while maintaining outstanding academic achievement and a healthy surplus. My estimate of the savings to the taxpayers is conservatively more than $20 million.

Q: What do you see as the most important infrastructure project you must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what infrastructure project can be put on the back burner?

A: The most important infrastructure project that needs to be addressed is the Washington Street Bridge replacement project. The bridge is more than 40 years old and has already been load posted (restricting the size of vehicle that can use this bridge).

The current projected cost is $5.6-$6 million and construction could span a year. My understanding is that as much as 80% of the cost may be covered by the Federal Highway Administration, but as a city council member, I would ask that the city manager reach out to county, state, and federal resources to further minimize the cost to the city of Naperville and its taxpayers. This project has been delayed and the bridge continues to deteriorate.

The infrastructure project that I would put on the back burner would be the Downtown Streetscape Project. The Naperville City Council has already postponed this project to minimize further disruption to businesses that are already suffering from the pandemic.

Q: Do you agree or disagree with the stance the council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community? What would you change about that stance, if you could?

A: I disagreed with the stance the council has taken on permitting recreational marijuana sales in the community. I understand that this is permitted under Illinois law. While serving on the Naperville Unit District 203 board, we unanimously passed an anti-recreational marijuana resolution. Board members see the consequences that students suffer related to recreational marijuana as part of their responsibilities regarding student discipline, and they are often harsh. Law enforcement and rehab/treatment professionals often come to the same conclusions due to their firsthand experiences.

So if I could go back in time, I would have taken a more cautious approach and let other communities/towns be on the bleeding edge of this issue. When that vote was taken, Naperville was in much better financial shape (pre-pandemic), and there was very little local data to consider. I would consider all current information, in addition to what was already discussed, if I needed to vote on this issue. As an elected representative, I win and lose votes frequently. I have learned to accept the results and I try to move forward to address the more pressing business of the day.

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

A: I think that Naperville is a great place to live and to raise my family, and our many awards and high rankings seem to agree. I moved to Naperville not just to live here, but to work here at Bell Labs.

If we could attract additional high-profile employers to our area, it would benefit everyone. As our economy evolves post pandemic, we need to strategically attract remote workers from all over the country who would love our family-friendly reputation and great schools, in addition to our great quality of life and exciting downtown entertainment opportunities.

I know that we have dedicated business development resources, in addition to professional public relations staff, but I would also encourage our residents to help promote our great town. Young people, much like Greta Thunberg, should be champions for Naperville, and carry the message of how proud we are of our town across social media.

Even in these often divisive times, I think that we can all support the idea of "Naperville Together."