Meet District 122 School Board Write-In Candidate Larry Gilman

NEW LENOX, IL — The upcoming election is less than a week away, and early voting has already started. In New Lenox, one of the contested local races is the race for the unexpired 2-year term on the District 122 Board of Education. Larry Gilman is one of two write-in candidates running for the position.

Gilman lives in New Lenox and has a son in kindergarten. He has a degree from Western Illinois University, and works as an account technician with the Illinois Department of Corrections. He has also previously served as a board member for the District 122 Foundation.

Gilman believes the most pressing issue facing the board is taxation.

"For the 2017 tax levy, NLSD 122 represented over 46 percent of my property tax bill and is the single largest portion of our property taxes. I want to work with our legislators in Springfield to increase the state funding that our schools get because this will help ease the burden on property taxes," he said. "I also want to work with the administration and the teacher’s union to find cost-saving measures within the district that do not come at the expense of faculty or staff."

Gilman believes his experience in local politics will make him as asset to the board.

"I have an understanding of how boards are run and how legislative bodies work. I have taught others how to lead meetings, I have written and revised bylaws, and am well studied in how boards function," he said. "I have also come to know many of our local legislators and will have no problem reaching out to them in Springfield to advocate for our district."

Other issues that define Gilman's campaign platform are the need for full-day kindergarten and school district boundaries.

"With my experience working on boards and my ability to quickly learn new tasks, voters can rest assured that I will be able to be a contributing member of the school board from day one," Gilman said.

For more information, visit his Facebook campaign page.

There is one other write-in candidate, Aaron Raatjes, for the unexpired two-year term for the District 122 Board of Education in the April 2 election.

If you are a candidate in the upcoming April 2 election, you can email andrea.earnest@patch.com for a candidate questionnaire.