2017 Election Questionnaire: Mary Helen Reyna, Bolingbrook Trustee

Name: Mary Helen Reyna de Parsons

Age: 46

Town of residence: Bolingbrook, IL

Position sought: Village Trustee

Family:

I have been married to my husband, John Parsons, for almost 14 years. We have lived in Bolingbrook for 10 years and are the proud parents of Grace, age 7.

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

Education: I graduated from Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School in Pharr, Texas in 1988. I left Texas to attend The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio and graduated there with a Bachelor of Arts degree in criminal justice in 1993. I then moved to Chicago for work and chose DePaul University College of Law for my law degree. I graduated in 2006 and passed the Illinois State Bar exam the same year.

Occupation: Licensed Attorney since November 2006. Solo practitioner since April 2007 at Reyna Law Office, P.C, Bolingbrook, Illinois. My practice is focused on immigration and naturalization law and other practices such as family, traffic and criminal matters which may impact immigrant families.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The elephant in the room is the Village's enormous debt. Tackling this monstrosity will be our biggest challenge. I am confident that with a thorough line by line audit of the Village's finances, Bolingbrook United can develop a workable budget to chip away at the debt and locate other streams of income that have been overlooked in the past. Our residents are concerned about a property tax increase and I am too. I intend to explore all options and suggestions when it comes to overcoming this issue.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The elephant in the room is the Village's enormous debt. Tackling this monstrosity will be our biggest challenge. I am confident that with a thorough line by line audit of the Village's finances, Bolingbrook United can develop a workable budget to chip away at the debt and locate other streams of income that have been overlooked in the past. Our residents are concerned about a property tax increase and I am too. I intend to explore all options and suggestions when it comes to overcoming this issue.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)?

The current administration has failed us by taking a gamble that didn't pay off on the golf club and high-end luxury homes. Municipal bonds were issued for these and other improvements, but when the real estate market fell no contingency plan was in place. Now, the municipal bond debt has grown to over $300,000,000. Real estate taxes are already on a steady incline. The next administration will have to find a workable solution and regain the trust in local government that has already been lost.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform:

Every day I work for inclusion and diversity. Bolingbrook is truly a melting pot of religion, race and culture. As a Village Trustee, I will make sure that I reach out to neighborhoods, associations, organizations and schools in a meaningful way so that everyone's voice can be heard and considered in Village Hall. I also believe that our Village administration needs to be more transparent and held accountable. Information, such as the debt, needs to be discussed and addressed. Formal plans and budgets should be more easily accessible for residents to review, not hidden on a website.

If you gain this position, what accomplishment would define your term in office as a success?

There are two things I would like to accomplish in my term in office. Addressing the debt and being transparent about proposals and plans to tackle it head on would be the first as it affects every resident. Secondly, I would like to ensure that every single resident in town, regardless of skin color, primary language, religion or who they voted for on April 4th, has a voice in our Village.

Please share with voters a story about wisdom gained from a mistake you made in your life or career.

I started my career as a solo general practitioner here in Bolingbrook. As a bilingual attorney, I opened my doors and immediately started serving our Spanish-speaking community. I was a jack of all trades handling everything from adoptions to wills. But I was blind. I was blind to what was right in front of me and the biggest problem that many of my clients and their families faced. I never asked my client's their legal status. I didn't think it mattered. I was too busy talking and not actively listening. It wasn't until a bright young lady brought it to my attention. She was a Dreamer. She was brought to this country as a young child and lived among us yet in the shadows. She was undocumented. The same problem had different solutions and different results for her and her family. I had to change how I interviewed my clients and was forced to consider other solutions.

Why should voters trust you?

I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. I hope that the residents of Bolingbrook will look at my track record of honesty, integrity and involvement with the community to make an informed decision about my motives and dedication. I have been active as a volunteer with Crime Stoppers of Bolingbrook, Southwest Suburban Immigrant Project, Girl Scouts and Jamie McGee's PTO. I have provided pro bono legal services on numerous occasions, sometimes to my own detriment. When I lobbied for temporary visitor driver's licenses for undocumented residents of Illinois, I was told it would hurt my traffic court business. I was happy to lose that business if it meant that my clients could drive to school and work without fear of arrest. I believe that if we put others first, God will provide for us all. Being elected as a Village Trustee is not about me, its about us.

Share a quote that defines your philosophy:

"Be kind to unkind people, they need it the most." You can never know why people do what they do or say what they say. Take the time to listen when you can. It takes too much energy to be vindictive or hateful when we can do so much good instead.

What questions should be asked of current government employees accountable to your board?

What non-essential items can be cut from the budget?
What are some creative, outside the box, ways to do more with less?
How can the Village administration make your job more efficient?

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

I am running for Village Trustee. I believe a "trustee" has to take a conservative stance on fiscal issues. Government spending, especially considering the debt we have now, should be done only after considering the best interest of the majority.

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

I have tackled many obstacles in my life. From farm worker to attorney, I have learned to adapt, negotiate and challenge when necessary. Opening a law practice was not an easy task and I did not expect that it would be. I have persevered by working hard and dedicating myself to education and my trade. I have been successful by keeping an open mind and looking beyond the surface. I know I can bring a different perspective to the table and find compromise to issues relating to the Village as I do in my everyday practice.

The best advice ever shared with me was ...

Equip yourself with knowledge and know how and remember that anything is possible. All you need is a little imagination.

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

Those who know me best find it surprising that I am running for Village Trustee. I do not plan on being a career politician. I believe in term limits. I believe in education. I want to make a difference and be a link to the community. I'm approachable and take the time to investigate different sides of a single issue.

More via Reyna's campaign website

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