Meet Andrew Pelloso: Downers Grove Village Board Candidate

DOWNERS GROVE, IL — Andrew Pelloso is running for a seat on the Downers Grove village board in the 2021 Consolidated Election, which is April 6. Below, you'll find Pelloso's answers to the Patch candidate questionnaire.

If you are a candidate for the April election, and would like to answer our Patch candidate questionnaire, email lisa.farver@patch.com.

Andrew Pelloso

Age (as of Election Day)

53

Town/City of Residence

Downers Grove

Office Sought

Village board or city council

Party Affiliation (if a partisan race)

N/A (non-partisan race)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

My wife is a scientist with the Federal Government. She is also the Chair of the Downers Grove Environmental Concerns Commission.

Education

Master of Public Policy and Master of Environmental Science – Indiana University
Bachelor of Science in Biology – Indiana University

Occupation

Environmental Regulatory Manager – 27 years of experience

Campaign website

www.pellosofordg.com

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

N/A

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Village funding. Downers Grove has, for many years, operated under flat to nearly flat budgets, with austerity the primary means of achieving budgetary balance. This method of managing a budget, as anyone managing their own budget will tell you, works fine. Cut expenses on fancy meals, make your coffee at home, turn off cable to your tv – we’ve all done things to live within our means. Cutting, however, only goes so far. Everything, every year, gets more expensive, So, in the case of Downers Grove, what do you do when you are confronted with a Police Station and a Village Hall that are too expensive to repair or renovate? For years, the answer has been to wait, wait for the right moment, wait for residents to endorse a plan, wait for the cash to accumulate in the Village coffers.

You can’t wait forever, and continued budget cuts won’t fix the Village’s large looming problems.
Rather than buy new tarps for the roof of the police station or U-Store-Its for the evidence locker overflow, I intend to do the work, ask the tough questions, and make the hard choices. Do you borrow money when interest rates are at historic lows? Do you reevaluate user fees, and the actual costs of providing services? Do you raise taxes?

I intend to ask these questions and have the answers form the basis of future budget plans and new policy directions. We cannot tighten our belt any further. If we value our police and our Village services, the time has come to make the hard choices. And I'm ready, willing, and able to work with those committed to doing that.

Do you support Black Lives Matter and what are your thoughts on the demonstrations held since the death of George Floyd and the shooting of Jacob Blake?

I support the Black Lives Matter movement. It is incumbent on us, as a country, to both eliminate all forms of disparate and inappropriate treatment of Black people, as well as indigenous and people of color and restore trust in law enforcement. The historic demonstrations against inappropriate policing and the heated discourse on this topic are clear indicators that much work must be done in this country and in this community. When one part of our society states, loudly and clearly, that injustice exists, we ALL must work together to right that wrong.

Public service runs in our family, including my brother-in-law, who is a sheriff’s deputy in Ohio. I support law enforcement, and our safety as a community is reliant on the sacrifices all of our first responders make every day. However, I support an honest appraisal of on-the-ground policing, how we train and equip our officers, and how we can better support the many functions officers are ill-equipped to handle, such providing support for persons experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental illness.

Having said that, I also support the removal of officers that fail to uphold their sworn duty to abide by and fairly uphold the law. No one is above the law, not even those that enforce it.

I support the peaceful demonstrations that were and continue to be held across the country regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. I joined and marched in the demonstration held in Downers Grove last summer. The constitutional right to voice opinions is an important part of the fabric of this nation. I do not support violence, property destruction, or seditious acts against our government. This topic is complex, emotionally charged, and polarizing. We begin to move forward in a positive direction when we talk openly about racial injustice, we confront our own bias and lack of understanding, and we agree that change is needed. I admit to not having all the answers, but I’m willing to learn, willing to challenge preexisting ideas, and committed to doing what I can to change our community so that your experience is not impacted by the color of your skin. I celebrate the unique qualities of each person and their heritage, but I continually work for both equality and equity.

Do you think the current board has done enough to support racial equality, and if not, what specifically should be done to do so?

I think the current Village Council can and should do more on the topic of racial equality. While there have been eloquent statements of support for equality and a forum on local policing, I have yet to see tangible actions taken to move the needle. The Village should have an active committee on equality that works to gather input from community, assess Village policies, and recommend changes to address unequal treatment.

The Village Council should devote a portion of their regular agenda to community inclusion topics, with the intent of leading, from the dais, an open and honest continuous dialog on how the Village can treat all residents equally while respecting their unique differences.

What are your thoughts on the national and local coronavirus response? Do you favor measures such as limiting operation of non-essential businesses and restricting indoor/outdoor dining? And do you favor a local mask mandate?

Government, on all levels, has failed to adequately respond to this crisis. The inaction of the federal government in 2020 left decision-making to individual states, counties, and even towns. As we are all aware, this left the virus uncurbed and allowed it to spread unchecked, thus leaving business owners in a place where hard decisions made to be made. This has unintentionally pitted businesses and individuals against each other.

I favor limiting access to non-essential businesses and restrictions on any business where individuals have the potential to be in close contact for long periods of time. However, there must be financial assistance for those businesses and an even enforcement of rules governing business operation restrictions.

It is unfair to businesses that have followed the rules to be closed to patrons while others chose to continue their operations – there must be a level playing field. I firmly support local mask mandates, as it is the easiest way individuals can help stop the spread of coronavirus.

What are your thoughts on the state and local coronavirus vaccine distribution, and how do you think local governments should work together to handle vaccine rollout?

The current vaccine distribution process is as broken as the national response to the virus itself. There has been, until just recently, no clear plan, no central decision-making entity, no plans for wide-spread vaccine distribution and scheduling, and no centralized dissemination of information to citizens. I personally have had residents ask me for information on vaccine availability, as they have become frustrated with the current system because clear and up-to-date information has been difficult, if not impossible, to obtain.

Locally, I believe the DuPage Health Department should be the lead agency for vaccine distribution in Downers Grove, and ideally would provide a clear and accessible plan for residents to register for and obtain the vaccine. Local units of government should be providing facilities for vaccination clinics and using their communication systems to amplify messaging on vaccine availability, distribution plans, and encouraging the greatest participation possible.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The most important differences between myself and other candidates is experience and a willingness to take on all issues, no matter how difficult or controversial the topic. If elected, I will do everything to remove delays and obstacles to addressing the hard issues that matter to the future of DG.

Making hard decisions has been my day job for 27 years. I bring 18 years of public service, not as an elected official, but as a government employee, to the role of Village Commissioner. I rose through the ranks in the Indiana Department of Environmental Management to eventually manage several regulatory programs, run a federal grant program that managed millions of dollars of federal funds, and reorganize several other state programs to deliver greater results and meet shrinking budgets. In short, bring experience on how government really works.

In addition, I have a total of 27 years of experience as an environmental policy analyst, with a focus on the interpretation, assessment, and implementation of federal, state, and local rules and regulations. I have experience with support of litigation, development of state-level rules and regulations, and have served on national organizations that work with federal agencies to advise, recommend, and review federal laws, rules, and policy. I have the real-world experience navigating regulations and getting real-world problems solved, consistently producing time and cost savings to my clients.

The Village must make hard policy choices that will impact critical capital improvement projects, stormwater and flooding projects, attracting and keeping both residents and businesses, and making this community inclusive for all.

Every Village Council meeting that ends without a decision means we fall further behind other communities, we add to the costs of doing business, and we cause people to question investment in this community. Government can be nimble, responsive, and proactive, but it takes experience and leadership to do that. I am the candidate with those qualities.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

This election, for me, comes down to complacency and the opportunity we have for new leaders to tackle hard issues that we don't have to struggle with, but which complacent leadership has voluntarily forced DG to struggle with for far too long. Certain Council members and some of my opponents want to keep things "just the way they are." But for those of us that want better for our community and better for our families, "good" isn't good enough.

Complacency has cost the Village revenue, stagnated decision-making, and makes the Village less and less attractive to forward-thinking families and businesses. I cannot imagine raising my daughter in a community that takes such comfort in the past, rather than embracing the future.

We can do better than good; the time has come to stop electing individuals that care more about the next election. The time has come to make Downers Grove a leader in the western suburbs. It’s time to get to work.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform

1. Help make Downers Grove a truly livable community

Instead of treating topics such as public transportation, bike lanes, walkability, affordable housing, housing options, green spaces, commercial redevelopment, tree clearing, and historic preservation as isolated, I will work to address these in an integrated manner. Simply stated – we must work towards a central goal and vision for how our Village can meet the needs of all residents.

2. Improve Village infrastructure

In addition to my focus on Village facilities, I will tackle the complex topics of flooding and stormwater management head on, using my 27 years of experience in this field to reexamine everything, from fees to exemptions, from site-by-site best management practices to watershed-based solutions. We need to stop talking about these topics as a property owner problem and look at the root causes for answers.

3. Energize our citizen-led commissions and working groups

I believe that virtually every commission, committee, and workgroup sponsored by the Village can do better. These task-focused groups must be tapped by the Village Council to research important topics, put forth recommendations based on research, and serve as true advisory bodies to the Village government. On Day One, I will enlist the help of these groups of talented residents to help take on Village priorities.

4. Identify and implement new sources of revenue

I am ready to dive deep into Village finances and reexamine every word in the Village Code that pertains to revenue. From permit fees to economic incentives to grants, nothing must be left off the table. I commend the efforts that have been made to date on this topic, but we must dig even deeper, as we know we have challenges ahead in 2021.

5. Be an advocate for equality and inclusion for all Village residents

Whether I am on the dais or at meetings with local groups, I will listen and learn from our diverse citizens. I will work to educate others on the unique challenges faced by Village residents that feel they do not have a seat at the table. I’ve talked with groups that “just want residents to know they are also live in Downers Grove.” These people deserve more than that. I want to make this community one that is open to all and embraces differences as a positive. We are a community of unique individuals, and that should never be downplayed or ignored.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I have two specific accomplishments that highlight my ability to handle the job I’m seeking. First, during my career with the state of Indiana, I was entrusted with the management of over $25 million of federal environmental grant funds. During my tenure, I conducted a top to bottom audit of the grant programs, streamlined grant award processes, addressed accountability mandates from the federal government, and helped grantees implement grant-funded projects that made measurable improvements on the environment.

Second, also during my career with the state of Indiana, I led a multi-year project to develop regulations governing wetlands. This required working with diverse stakeholders such as units of government, homebuilders, industry, agriculture, and environmental groups in public meetings, workshops, and discussions with the Indiana General Assembly. I helped bring diverse and often divergent interests together, which resulted in the creation of a statute governing wetlands that provided clarity, consistency, and accountability for the implementation of a state-level regulatory program.

Why do these things matter? Residents should expect their Commissioners can understand government functions, have the experience right-sizing public sector budgets, the drive to fix things that are broken, and the talent to work with diverse stakeholder groups to create solutions to complex policy challenges. Residents should demand that Commissioners have the leadership experience to put aside personal opinions for the public good. Policy development, financial planning, and bringing people together are what I do for a living, and I know these skills will be a requisite for any successful Commissioner.

If you win this position, what accomplishment would make your term in office as a success?

The greatest accomplishment would be the replacement of our Village Hall and Police Headquarters. Every month we delay increases the cost of this vital project. Protection of Village residents and our investment we make every year in law enforcement hinge on this project.

Why should voters trust you?

For me, trust is earned, not given; you earn trust through transparency and honesty. I am an open book - I am not running as a politician with my eye on the next office. I want to serve my Village, and always be free to speak my mind and say what needs to be said. This is why I have had an active Facebook campaign page since last year:
https://www.facebook.com/ap4dg

I have used this forum to speak honestly on my ideas, my policy priorities, and what is important to me as both a candidate and a Village resident. My hope is that residents will read this questionnaire, visit my website, and ask questions so they can learn about me. With that information, I am confident that residents will trust that I will speak for them first and foremost, and that I will work as hard as I can for the entire Village.

What are your views on fiscal policy, government spending and the use of taxpayer dollars in the office you are seeking?

The most sacred trust elected officials have with voters is the careful use of taxpayer dollars. Every policy, ordinance, and decision must be developed with the understanding that those funds must benefit the Village as a whole, must be spent prudently to avoid burden on future taxpayers, and must be accounted for in every instance.

During my tenure with the state of Indiana, I was required, as a manager, to cut my budgets from 4% to 7%, each year. I understand the challenge of not only making do with less but finding new ways to solve old problems. From grants to loans, to cost sharing, I made every one of my programs streamlined and effective, while still finding ways to take on new projects and challenges. Elected officials must not only be able to stretch taxpayer dollars, but recognize when strategic loans, grants, and revenue increases much be implemented to meet current and future needs.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

I am fully prepared and ready to serve a full term of office.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

“Listen longer than you speak.” It is advice I use every day, whether at work or at home. We would have a more civil, more understanding society if we heard what people were saying and tried to understand their positions, rather than simply racing to say the things we think are important.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

a. I believe my positions and priorities will be of the most benefit to the Village and its residents. However, I am always open to new ideas and public input because being a Commissioner is about public service and people over politics. I very much want to represent the interests of all residents through social and political change, as well as the continuous improvement of government processes. My mission is to serve as the voice of the people and never vote, govern, or write policy based on my own personal opinions.

b. I vote in every election, as I consider this to be my greatest responsibility and privilege as a citizen of this democracy.

c. I love to laugh! Our world is so very serious, and 2020 has really taken this to a new level. However, we must find the bright spots, the positives, and the humor in our lives. When we do, I truly believe it’s those moments that bring us together as a community, which we so very much need during this important period in our history.