Election 2013: Dave Wentz

Name: Dave Wentz

Position sought: Naperville City Council

Campaign contact information—

• Website:   www.votefordavewentz.com

• E-mail address:  dwentz@napervillevillelaw.com

• Address:  101 N. Washington Street, Naperville, IL  60540

Home address: 

Naperville

Age: 50

Family: 

Married to Tonya Wentz for 22 years.  Three children, Haley (16),  Luke (14) and Zach (11).

Education:

University of Illinois College of Law Juris Doctor 1989

Augustana College B.A. in Political Science 1985

North Central College Leadership Academy 1999

Occupation: Attorney at Brooks, Tarulis & Tibble, LLC Naperville

Previous elected offices: Elected Naperville Township Trustee

Applicable experience qualifying you for the position:

Professional legal experience plus economic development and not for profit board leadership positions over the past 22 years including:

• Elected Naperville Township Trustee

• Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative Committee Chairman

• DuPage County Workforce Investment Board, Membership Committee and Executive Committee Member

• Indian Prairie School District 204 Referendum Committee  

• Former President, Buttonwood Homeowners Association

These and other experiences have taught me how to manage a budget, consolidate services and programs, reduce taxes and expenses and work to reach a consensus on a variety of projects in our community.

After 23 years of working as an attorney in Naperville, serving on a number of economic development and not for profit boards and projects and representing a large portion of Naperville as a township trustee, I felt it was time to step forward and take a larger leadership role in our community.  I know the needs of this community well, understand how our local, county and state governments operate and am able to work with people to reach a consensus.

Economic development.  We need to insure that Naperville continues to attract new businesses and keep existing businesses here in Naperville.  These efforts stabilize our local economy by maintaining a predictable flow of retail and food and beverage sales taxes revenues that also reduce our dependency on property taxes or cutting necessary services or staffing like has been occurring in other nearby municipalities.   We also need to seek ways to fill empty commercial office space along the arterial roads throughout Naperville.

I have been a visionary leader in Naperville for the past 23 years and know this community well.  As an attorney I have represented a number of businesses and individuals in Naperville and have leadership experience working on committees and boards at the township, city, county and state levels and am on a first name basis with all of our community partners.   I am also a very good listener and know how to show respect to others even though we might not agree on particular policy issues.

I have lived in Naperville for the past 23 years and have been actively engaged in the community for most of that time.  

I love the sense of community that Naperville embraces better than any other municipality in Illinois. I love how responsive Naperville has been to the needs of our community. Most Napervillians care about the decisions being made by our elected leaders and also show their support for various causes and events.  There is a tremendous amount of synergy between the private and public sectors that helps to reach a consensus on what is best for a majority of people in Naperville.

The Community Survey indicated Naperville residents are most concerned with  traffic and congestion especially the ease of north/south travel.  With proper planning, innovative thinking, and intense communication amongst our city, county, state and federal legislators as well as strong input from our residents and business leaders, we will be able to reach a solution.  My website sets out a number of solutions to these congestion problems including increased use of left turn lanes, road widening, and reducing or eliminating parking on Washington Street.