LESLIE SADOWSKI-FUGITT FOR DOWNERS GROVE VILLAGE COMMISSIONER
The 2023 municipal elections are coming up soon, and the sad fact is that only approximately 14% of eligible voters will cast their ballots. Let’s make sure we elect people who support our values of voting rights, climate action, affordable housing, social justice, equity, and more. That is why I, Leslie Sadowski-Fugitt, am asking for your support for my second term as a Downers Grove Village Commissioner. I am a 10 year resident of Downers Grove and live here with my husband, young daughter, two cats and dog. I initially decided to run for office in 2019 as a result of extensive stormwater issues in my neighborhood, as well as the lack of transparency surrounding a library board appointment that went against community values and cost the Village a significant amount of money in legal fees. As someone with a master’s level science degree and extensive training in climate change education, I wanted to use both my knowledge and my scientific literacy skills to bring evidence-based decision making to the Village Council. Since being elected in 2019, I have scrutinized reliable scientific media and staff reports to come to my decisions, rather than rely on my personal beliefs and emotions.
I am proud of the work we have done collectively as a Council over the last four years. We have finally approved a plan for our Village facilities and construction is on time and under budget. This plan includes additional sustainability measures that were not a part of previous iterations. We have kept property taxes a great value for residents, while improving upon services by adding a social worker and project management staff. I proposed a successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative which is currently underway and resulted in increased diversity in hiring in 2022, and is more reflective of the demographics who live in Downers Grove. The last two councils of which I have been a part have been respectful and cordial, and even throughout the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic we stayed united and focused on the same goal. I look forward to continuing that dynamic and work in the next four years.
If re-elected, my top priorities for the next four years are to handle the sale of Village land in the next phase of the Village facilities project in a way that is both fiscally responsible and maximizes the likelihood of affordable housing within the community; to approach the review of our Comprehensive Plan with not just an economic development lens, but also with a look toward walkability and bikeability and environmental sustainability in order to balance development with quality of life; and to complete the external phase of our DEI initiative, which will result in strategies to increase diversity beyond just our hiring and promotions practices in the Village.
I want to thank you for putting your trust in me in 2019, and I hope I will earn your support for re-election on April 4th!