Benny White​​ For Naperville City Council: Patch Candidate Profile

Name: Benny White

Age: 53

Position Sought: Naperville City Council

Family:

Wife, Kim. Married for 30 years in July 2017, Non-Profit Executive Director; Son, Benjamin, 25. Graduated from Neuqua Valley and Yale University. Lives and works in New York City; Daughter, Logan, 20. Graduated from Neuqua Valley and is a junior in college in Washington, DC

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? No

Education:

Bachelor of Science (BS): United States Military Academy at West Point.

Master of Science (MS): Indiana University

Master of Business Administration (MBA): Webster University

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA): Benedictine University

Occupation:

Served 22 years in the United States Army before retiring in 2008-JROTC Senior Army Instructor at Joliet West High School, 9 years

Why are you running?

I want to serve the city that has served my family since we moved here. My passion for serving started when I graduated from West Point and was commissioned in the United States Army. I discovered something that was bigger than me; I was serving my country and the men and women under my command and I was making a difference in both. Since moving to Naperville in 2005, I have continued to serve. I have volunteered in our schools and was eventually appointed and elected to the Indian Prairie School District 204 where I serve our students, teachers and community. Finally, my service and experience as a Commissioner on the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners has given me a keen insight into the service of our public safety officials. I am ready to take all of my experience and help Naperville continue to flourish and grow into

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office:

Currently: Board of Education, Indian Prairie School District 204.

Campaign Website: www.bennywhite.org

What do you hope to accomplish in office?

• Lowering Property Taxes through Economic Development and Fiscal Responsibility• Youth Engagement. Mitigating substance abuse among our youth and preparing them to be Naperville’s future leaders.• Attainable and Affordable Housing to keep our seniors here and to encourage young families to come to Naperville.

• Traffic & Transportation. Address the traffic congestion and improve the capability of our public transportation.

• Public Safety: Encourage community engagement initiatives and equip our public safety personnel with the equipment and resources they need to safely do their job.

How would you hold local government employees accountable?

I think it is important to set goals for our local employees at every level. Our major departments should have goals that are aligned with the city's goals and priorities and their employees goals should align with the individual department goals.

I would encourage the use of SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely) and ensure there are milestones in place to check the progress of those goals.

At the end of the day, I would hold the employees accountable to reaching the goals set and agreed upon by the employees and their supervisors/directors.

Explain your attitudes toward fiscal policy, government spending and how taxpayer dollars should be handled by your office (or board)?

I would look at the different departments within our city government to ensure they are using best practices in order to run as efficiently as possible. I would verify that each department's budget meets the needs of that department as well as determining if they can do more with less.Taxpayer dollars should be spent in a responsible way and should be nested within the city's guiding principles. Spending resources on anything outside of our guiding principles could potentially increase the city's debt.

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

My leadership skills gained while in the military, along with my ability to manage budgets and control spending would be an added asset to the Council.

As a current member and officer on the Indian Prairie School District (IPSD) 204 Board of Education, I understand the impact of making tough decisions and how those decisions affect the constituents in the district. Our school board is responsible for the approval and implementation of a $300M annual operating budget and I am proud that I've had a hand in keeping our budget balanced. I'm also pleased that we were able to cut $40M from our budget, resulting in savings for our district and taxpayers while maintaining our high standards of excellence. My time on the school board has taught me that listening, fact-finding, and gathering data are important when it comes to decision-making, and I will use the same approach as a member of city council.

In 2015, Mayor Chirico appointed me to serve as a Commissioner on the Board of Fire & Police Commissioners. Being a part of the process that keeps Naperville safe has been very rewarding, and I'm proud to have played a small part in Naperville being named the Safest City in America.

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

I would like for voters to know that my approach to decision making will be thoughtful and thorough. My colleagues have consistently referred to me as someone who provides a voice of reason when discussing issues. We may not always agree on the issues and concerns that come before us, but I'm committed to listening and gaining a better understanding of where the community stands and translating that into effective policy decisions.

Photo provided by Benny White