School Board Election: David Obrzut Answers Our Questions

Editor's note: Candidates for and have been asked to complete questionnaires about who they are, why they're running and their positions on some of the key issues. Plainfield Patch will run them as they are received and they will be available up through the April 5 election.

These are the candidates' own words, written specifically for the benefit of those who are deciding how they will vote.

PLAINFIELD DISTRICT 202  SCHOOL BOARD QUESTIONNAIRE

Name: David Obrzut

Address: 7002 Superstition Court, Plainfield

E-mail address: daveo827@sbcglobal.net

Age: 46

Marital status: Married

Name of spouse: Pattie

Names, ages of children: Stephanie 20; Jessica, 17; Zachary, 12

Education (please name degree attained and school): Graduate of St. Rita High School, Chicago

Profession and employer: Production supervisor at Perkins Products

Community (non-elected) groups of which you are a member: Past co-chairman of citizens for classrooms; head coach for PJC football.

Previous and current elected political office history (please include the years of terms): I am currently finishing my first term on the Plainfield School District 202 Board, 2007-present.

Why are you seeking this office?

I relocated my family to this area 14 years ago and deliberately purchased a home in District 202 because of its outstanding reputation. As we settled into our new home, I developed a strong interest in community service, which led me to teach religious education classes at our church and eventually to coach youth football and baseball.

Eventually I turned my attention to serving the school district as a means of giving back to the district that has provided so much to my children and to demonstrate to my own children as well as the young people I coach the high value I place on public education.

Why should someone choose you instead of those you are running against?

Having served on this board for the past four years, I’ve gained insights into the challenges confronting our district. As president of WILCO (our district’s career and technical education center), I’ve established relationships with board members in neighboring districts as well as municipal officials and state legislators. I’ve established a voting pattern of fiscal responsibility and support for students and teachers.

What do you see as the issues in this election?

The main issues will be the deficit and continuing to improve student achievement.

What would you like to accomplish if elected to this position? Please be specific.

 While foreign language and increasing rigor of the curriculum are two important and valid initiatives, I also recognize that in order to accomplish this, an equal amount of time and attention needs to be spent determining what programs we intend to “abandon” to make room.

During my board service, I’ve come to understand that between state and federal mandates (many of which are unfunded) and the expressed priorities of the local community, the field of education is very good at “adding” programs, but not as proficient at reducing or eliminating other programs. The number of minutes in the instructional day has not increased during my time on the board yet we seem to expect our teachers and administrators to comply with more mandates and implement more programs than ever before without taking anything away.

I currently serve as the District 202 representative on the WILCO board of controls, a career and technical education school where students can learn important skills and trades in areas including culinary arts, fire science, auto body and child care. As our district grows closer to its expected capacity of 55,000 students, a long-range goal should be the development of our own CTE facility and programs. District 202 needs to prepare students for a life of learning. Not all students will attend a university or a community college; some will elect to pursue a career in the trades. These are important, necessary and honorable careers.

What is your opinion of the current budget deficit? What would be your proposal for how to eliminate it? What budget cuts do you support? Be as specific as possible.

I supported the majority of the administration’s proposal (to reduce the current $6.7 million budget deficit). I feel making the cuts this year and balancing the budget would have a positive impact on next year’s budget. Having said that, there is no easy solution for the deficit. All programs and personnel are in place because they support our students in one way or another. As a board we need to identify and clearly communicate our priorities to the administration and the community and do our best to hold to those priorities when it comes to voting. 

What is your opinion of the school board’s recent decision to use federal grant money to retain jobs for a year instead of using it to pay down debt owned on land purchases? Please explain.

I was in favor of using the money to pay down debt and saving future money and jobs. This money was a one-time grant and it will not be there next year. By not using the money to pay down the debt and not making the necessary cuts this year, next year’s cuts will only be that much more difficult. At this point, however, the majority of the board has spoken; a decision has been made and the direction set. It’s my responsibility as an individual board member to now support the decision of the board.

Do you think the school boundaries need to be redrawn because of shifts in enrollment? If yes, how would you propose doing so? If no, how can you ensure that every school provides the same opportunities if one has more students than another?

The reconfiguration of school attendance zones is a highly emotional, controversial topic. Not too many years ago, attendance zones were being redrawn to accommodate explosive growth in student enrollment and to establish attendance areas for newly constructed schools. In this case, however, the board directed the administration to bring a recommendation forward to alleviate overcrowding at some of our middle schools.

While I do not think it appropriate to publicly discuss a matter that is pending board action, as a board member I will evaluate the recommendation in light of safety, security and the quality of the learning environment provided to our students, and render my decision.

Would you support a switch in school funding that would increase income tax in exchange for a drop in property tax?

 It’s obvious (and has been for years) there needs to be some type of reform in the way schools are funded in Illinois. According to the Illinois constitution, the state, not the local property owner is responsible for funding the majority of the expenses tied to public education. We know, however, that’s not the case. While many residents, including myself, are frustrated over escalating property tax bills, I’m hesitant to endorse a system rooted in a state’s income tax or sales tax. These forms of revenue are directly tied to the economy and when the economy slows (as it recently has), the money not generated by a sales tax has to come from somewhere.

Any system will have its challenges and shortcomings, but at least a local property tax affords local residents decision-making authority when it comes to approving or disapproving school referenda. In the end, regardless of the formula used to fund public education, we first need a change of thinking on the part of our legislators in Springfield to make education the priority it should be.