About Richard Leidig

Name: Richard Leidig

Position sought: D303 School Board

Campaign contact information: leidig4@aol.com

What will be your single most important priority if you get elected?

If I am elected to the school board, my main priority would be to achieve an expected level of transparency within the district. Parents would be involved with every step of their children's educational process. Parents would be involved in all aspects of school mergers and boundary changes. Backroom deals and surprise mergers will be a thing of the past. Parents and district officials will discuss and debate what is best for our children.

Home address: St. Charles

Family members:

Richard Leidig 43

Wife: Cheri 45

Sons: Jack 15

Will 11

Sam 9

Ben 8

Abe 6

Education: I have attended Triton College, Elgin Community College, Columbia College, and Depaul University.

Current occupation and employer: I have been at the same industrial hardware company for the last 21 years.

Political party affiliation: Independent

Why Are You Seeking Office?

I am seeking a school board seat with D303 to become an active part of my children's educational experience.

What sets you apart from the other candidates?

My wife and I have five children, all boys, that attend D303 schools. Through the next five years, we will have a son at each level of the district-grade school, middle school and high school. This gives me a unique perspective on the district's future. I will be able to see the decisions I make together with the school board, transpire and prosper at every level via my children through their daily progress and growth as learners.

Issue 1: What steps will you take to maintain/improve the quality of education in District 303 schools?

I believe the current educational experience in D303 is excellent. With student population shrinking in the coming years, this should hopefully decrease class sizes and increase the time teachers spend with each student. We need to ensure all students needs are being met. Seeing we are all paying at the same tax rate, I believe all should have options for alternative learning programs that will fulfill all students needs and all abilities.

Issue 2: What will you do to keep the district within its budget?

I would negotiate fair contracts with our teachers for longer time frames. With the high costs of keeping up with technology, we need to look at where other cut backs can be made in traditional spending such as textbooks and workbooks. I would be interested in surveying staff as to where cut backs could be made, or how monies could be allocated more appropriately- avoiding anything that would negatively impact the quality of education that is being provided, only considering spending that further enhances the educaton of our students.

Issue 3: The state of Illinois is grappling with a pension crisis that some blame on the practice of pension spiking. What is your stance on pension spiking and How do you propose to address the issue during contract negotiations?

Most people do believe that pension spiking is the cause of the pension crisis in Illinois. I believe this should be a non-negotiable part of our contract talks. With Illinios hinting at shifting percentages of the pension payments be made by our local school district, this could have a dramatic effect on your property taxes. The district has built into a five year financial forecast of a half percent per year pension shift to the local school district. It is imperative that we take a stance on pension spiking because we will ultimately be responsible. The district currently spends $11,780 per student each school year.

Please add any other information pertinent to your campaign.

My name is Richard Leidig, and I will be running on April 9th for a D303 school board seat. I have lived and been a home owner in the Saint Charles school district since 1996. I am married to a former teacher from Park Ridge-Niles School District 64. We have five children, all boys, that attend D303 schools. Through the next five years, we will have a son at each level of the district- grade school, middle school and high school. I believe this gives me a unique perspective on the future of the district.