David Prusina, Cary Village Board Trustee election questionnaire

Full Name: David Prusina

What office are you seeking? Village of Cary Board of Trustees

What is your political party? Democrat

What is your current age? 39

Occupation and Employer: Sr. Business Analyst at SDI Presence LLC

What offices, if any, have you previously held? none

City: Cary

Campaign Website: ‘d.p.forcarytrustee’ on Instagram

Education: Cary Grove High School Class of 2002

Columbia College Chicago Bachelor of Arts in Music Business and Marketing 2006

Community involvement: The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF)

Marital status/Immediate family: No children

Why are you running for office?

I decided to run for Village Trustee because I love our town and I want to take an active role in keeping Cary a safe, beautiful, and fun place to live. I also want to support our great local businesses and keep residents informed about important things going on in the community.

What makes you qualified for the office you’re seeking?

My professional work has given me a deep appreciation for city infrastructure and the boots on the ground that maintain that infrastructure. My job has provided me with insight into how city projects (large and small) are proposed, funded, developed, and implemented.

Cary has also been my ‘homebase’ for nearly 40 years. I was raised in Cary and have been lucky enough to establish lasting relationships with many people here. I have seen a lot of changes during that time, and I would like to use my personal and professional experience to help keep Cary moving in a positive direction over the next 4 years.

What is your position on the Illinois weapons ban that took effect in January 2023?

I support responsible gun ownership and I am also open to measures which aim to reduce gun violence.

Is crime a problem in your community and, if so, what would you do to curb it?

In my experience, Cary has been a very safe place to live and a community with generally low crime. I believe the Cary police do an excellent job of patrolling and also maintaining a positive presence at community events.

What is your assessment of how the COVID-19 pandemic was handled locally?

I moved back to Cary in July of 2020. During this time, I was able to get the food and supplies required to stay healthy and happy, which wasn’t the case everywhere in Illinois. I realize that many of the local businesses were negatively impacted by supply chain issues which were largely outside the control of our local government. Positive measures like outdoor dining were helpful for cautious diners who wanted to support our local restaurants. I cannot speak for every Cary COVID-19 experience, but I personally believe our local government did an excellent job under the unprecedented conditions.

What did you learn from the pandemic?

I learned to really appreciate time with friends and family even under unusual or challenging circumstances. I learned that art, music, and delicious food should never be taken for granted. And I learned that people can be really resilient and adaptive when they need to be. I guess I also learned a little something about home gardening too.

How would you spur economic development in your community?

Economic development happens under a combination of conditions and is generally seen when consumers are able to spend more money on goods/services and businesses can reinvest. If Cary can find state or federal programs that save our local taxpayers money, there could be more money to spend and invest.

Would/can/should local governments do anything to help reduce the tax burden on residents?

Whenever reasonably possible, I believe local governments should take measures to reduce the tax burden on residents. I also understand that in today’s economy, costs are rising for everyone including government agencies. This can present challenges in trying to reduce costs for citizens.

Do you support recreational marijuana being sold in your community to help lower residents’ tax burden?

Yes

What projects or infrastructure would you look to address in your community and how would you do it?

I have personally been affected by aging/neglected sewer infrastructure. I would work to find funding in the budget which allows for proactive maintenance and repair as opposed to reactive for these critical systems.

I would also like to work with other members of the board to attract new businesses to some of the neglected and vacated properties in Cary.

I would also look for additional ways to infuse art and music into the amenities that Cary has by working with local artists.

Will you accept the voters’ decision in your race on Election Day?

Yes, 100%

What is your position on open, transparent government?

I believe that honesty, openness, and accountability are critical for maintaining a healthy relationship between citizens and the agencies that govern the citizens. I think that many political divisions in our country are fed by a lack of transparency and objectiveness.

Do you support the Freedom of Information Act and citizens’ ability to freely access government records?

Yes. As long as the requests do not compromise the physical safety of a person or community, and there is no undue burden placed on the agency providing the records, I feel that citizens have the right to access government records freely.

Would you sign a nondisclosure agreement with a prospective company that would limit your ability to communicate with your community?

At this time, I cannot think of a scenario in which I would be asked to sign an N.D.A. that impacts my ability to communicate with my community. My best answer is that I would only sign an N.D.A. in order to protect a company’s intellectual property or proprietary business practice information.