Derek Cantu: 2025 candidate for Lombard Village Board District 4

Bio

Office sought: Lombard Village Board District 4

City: Lombard

Age: 34

Occupation: Policy analyst

Previous offices held: None

What is the most serious issue your community will face in the coming years and how should the village board respond to it?

One of the first things I noticed when I moved to the suburbs from central Illinois was the vast amount of corporate office parks. Of course, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically changed how people view work culture. Although more companies are transitioning back to having employees in the office full-time, I believe the appeal of remote and hybrid work options will continue.

As such, communities like Lombard are experiencing greater numbers of vacant office space. According to a recent Crain’s Chicago article, at the end of 2024, the office vacancy rate across the Chicago suburbs was around 32%, nearly 10 percentage points higher than when the pandemic began.

Therefore, I believe the village’s response to this phenomenon should be multi-pronged. Trustees should evaluate the feasibility of converting some of these buildings into, for example, green spaces (like the existing plan for areas around Yorktown Center), communal meeting destinations, and possible housing units.

How would you describe the state of your community's finances? What should be the top priorities for spending during the next few years? Are there areas of spending that need to be curtailed?

From what I have observed, I believe Lombard is making positive strides financially. As part of its previous strategic plan, the village met with financial advisors to help the village achieve its stated goal of earning an AA+ bond rating by 2028.

The village has also continually experienced budget surpluses that have been methodically placed into funds that help to address, for example, pension liabilities, existing building maintenance costs, and a rainy-day fund.

In terms of future considerations, Lombard needs to continue diversifying its revenue streams. According to 2024 third quarter data reported by the Illinois Department of Revenue, compared to other Illinois cities, Lombard collected the 36th largest amount of municipal sales taxes.

However, the village reports this revenue is not keeping pace with inflation. Given that Illinois is a high-tax state, I would encourage the village to evaluate alternative financial policies that view tax increases as a last resort.

What do you see as the most important infrastructure project the community must address? Why and how should it be paid for? Conversely, during these uncertain economic times, what project(s) can be put on the back burner?

One major infrastructure project that was highlighted last year when the village presented its 2025-2034 Capital Improvement Plan was refurbishing its combined sewer system. Being that many of these lines were constructed as early as the 1930s and buried at varying depths, refurbishment will be an expensive, multi-year endeavor.

If elected, I would advocate the village continues looking for potential grant and loan opportunities and shared service agreements with nearby communities that could help ease overall costs.

Relatedly, the village should also continue its commitment to remove lead from water lines. The science is clear that exposure to just a little bit of lead in drinking water can significantly damage a young person’s cognitive development.

The village currently estimates it will take until 2044 for the replacement process to be completed village-wide. I would like to explore if there are ways to realistically expedite this timetable.

Describe your experience working in a group setting to determine policy. What is your style in such a setting to reach an agreement and manage local government? Explain how you think that will be effective in producing effective actions and decisions with your village board.

Through my work in the nonprofit world, I have learned one of the best approaches to policymaking is to steal good ideas. Trying to find a solution to a local problem does not need to consist of trustees trying to recreate the wheel.

During my time in state government, I had the opportunity to help advocate for an adult education bill that would allow individuals over the age of 21 to be able to earn a high school diploma. I helped build a network of stakeholders from private and public sectors who had implemented similar policy changes in other states. Their support helped the bill become law.

That experience also demonstrated for me the importance of bringing different perspectives into the planning process. If elected, I would want to maintain an open and transparent dialogue with my fellow trustees, who bring with them unique life experiences and expertise to their public service, and engage with concerned citizens.

What makes you the best candidate for the job?

An important characteristic of a competent trustee is someone who approaches decision-making with an analytical mind. The policies and ordinances passed by local governments, for the most part, impact our daily lives more directly than the policies passed out of Springfield. Therefore, a good trustee is someone who will approach new ideas with thoughtfulness, with a healthy level of discernment.

That is what I have done in my professional life as a policy researcher and analyst over the past 10 years. I have used that mindset when advising the former Illinois Lt. Governor on education policy, I have used it as a former statehouse reporter for NPR assessing the potential impacts of legislative proposals, and I use it in my current profession as a policy analyst for a national nonpartisan nonprofit where I evaluate the potential benefits and unintended consequences of legislation from across the Midwest.

I want to take those state-level skills I honed and apply them to the village board.

What’s one good idea you have to better the community that no one is talking about yet?

One primary objective of my campaign is a focus on public safety. In addition to maintaining an open and productive dialogue between the village and members of law enforcement, I hope to better identify potential public safety blind spots and then implement preemptive solutions.

For example, my decision to run for public office originated in part from my desire to install streetlights on my block. People should have the ability to take an evening stroll around their neighborhood or walk the dog one last time before heading to bed with the confidence that they can see who is in their vicinity.

If elected, I would make it a personal priority to assess how many residential streets in Lombard are currently unlit and explore ways to expand coverage for those who want it.