Michael B. Saville: 2023 primary candidate for Aurora City Council-6th Ward

Bio

Town: Aurora

Age on Election Day: 69

Occupation: Property manager

Employer: RealManage-Aurora

Previous offices held: Aurora City Council-6th Ward since 1985

Q&A

Q: What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the city council respond to it?

A: I want to be crystal clear, the city workers that earned their pensions deserve it. Every penny. But the city needs extra money every year to fund pension requirements for every budget per state of Illinois decisions that go back to the 1980s.

The state of Illinois did make some changes in the last four years. And this helped a lot. And the state should be given a lot of credit.

But ultimately, the state still needs to tackle this issue more to fully resolve it for all interested parties in a fair way.

Q: How would you describe the state of your community's finances?

A: The City of Aurora is in good financial state. The city has a AA Bond rating. And our fiscal 2023 budget is balanced — like it is every year. I have voted for 38 balanced budgets in a row for the last 38 years. We need to continue this every year and be fiscally responsible to our constituents and live within our means. The city has even been recognized and given awards in its budgetary process.

Q: What should be the three top priorities for spending in your community during the next four years?

A: Funding adequately our “First Responders” (police, fire, and ambulance) because public safety is the number one priority. Investing in our older neighborhoods with capital projects. Plus we need a higher funding amount for the Ward Funds to pay for capital projects.

Currently allocating $75,000 is not a lot of money for an older ward representing over 17,000 people.

And lastly, funding economic development is a priority to make sure we attract quality development, quality businesses, creating a diverse economic base, with living wage jobs for all ages, sexes, and ethnicity. Keeping the tax payers tax rate low with more development and lessoning the burden of the tax levy is very important!

Q: Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed? If so, what are they?

A: I believe we have a good balance in the fiscal 2023 budget for Aurora in meeting the needs of our citizens through services, programs, and capital projects. The city could always use more money, but we must always learn to operate within our means and be as fiscally and responsible as possible. We must listen to the needs of the citizens and fund accordingly and find the balance.

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 project(s) can be put on the back burner?

A: The most important infrastructure project is a potential health issue that is currently in the planning stages to be addressed. This is the mandated lead service pipes removal that all of the communities in America will be having to solve. Like all communities in America, Aurora has been mandated by the IEPA to submit a plan by 2027 to safely remove all of the lead pipes from the people's water meter to the street. Aurora will be replacing them with copper lines.

Starting in 2027, Aurora will be given 30 years to accomplish the complete removal of these lead lines. The city is cooperating and out front on this issue. The city will publish a map this year of all of the lead lines. The city has applied for federal funding as the government will be distributing funds. What the federal money does not cover the rest of the money would come from the water rates.

The city would start with a high priority of daycare centers, schools, and any places that have large numbers of students.

Q: Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your city council.

A: To put it succinctly, there is no “I” in TEAM. I work best in a group/team environment — listening, sharing ideas, asking questions, and working collaboratively together to reach and solve a common goal.

I created the Riverwalk Commission in 1987 to plan for a future downtown that incorporates the Fox River, a future riverwalk, bike trail, upgraded streetscape standards (street lighting, pavers, bollards, trash receptacles, landscape enhancements, etc.), architectural and historic buildings, new development, signage — an all-encompassing and upgraded design standards overseen by a new Downtown Design Review Committee to guide development in our wonderful downtown.

We have achieved success. The downtown is the best it has ever looked and getting better every day! We even have new sections of the riverwalk built and a bike trail that is now going through our downtown. This was and still is very successful!

Q: What makes you the best candidate for the job?

A: I was born and raised in the City of Aurora. In fact, I have lived in the 6th Ward all of my life. I have been involved in the City of Aurora since I was appointed to serve on the plan commission beginning in1980 serving for 4½ years before being appointed Alderman of the 6th Ward in 1985. I have the experience, leadership, vision, and ideas. That is what I bring to the table.

No one has more experience than I do in the entire City of Aurora. I literally have decades of dedication as the 6th Ward Alderman serving my constituents and the City of Aurora.

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

A: We need to resurrect the Special Service Areas (SSA) in older neighborhoods that want to share capital costs for new curb, gutter, and sidewalk installations in neighborhoods that have never had them. The City of Aurora needs to make this commitment to these types of capital expenses to uplift our older neighborhoods and improve our city.

These public improvements make an over night change and a huge difference to a neighborhood. People take pride in the neighborhoods when this happens, too.