Lou Gale, La Grange Trustee Candidate

LA GRANGE, IL – Incumbent Lou Gale is one of four candidates for three seats on the La Grange Village Board.

Here are his responses to the Patch questionnaire:

Name:

Lou Gale

Town of residence:

La Grange

Age:

50

Campaign contact email:

friendsoflougale@gmail.com

Family:

Wife Kristen. Sons Henry and Jacob. I’ve been happily married for almost 20 years and my sons are in junior high and high school.

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No.

Education:

B.S. from the University of Illinois (1996, Civil Engineering), M.S. from the University of Illinois (1997, Civil Engineering), and J.D. from the University of Illinois (2005)

Occupation:

Attorney. I work as General Counsel for an international architectural firm.

Previous or current elected or appointed office:

I’m currently a Trustee for the Village of La Grange, a position I’ve served in since 2017.

The single most pressing issue facing the village is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The single most pressing issue facing the village is its aging infrastructure, especially the stormwater system which leads to increased flooding. This directly impacts La Grange’s public safety, property values, competitiveness within the region, and our quality of life – all of which are top priorities for me as a Trustee. I’ve taken to heart the painful stories from resident after resident impacted by flooding as it has damaged their homes and often their cherished mementos.

To address that, I intend to (1) work with every federal, state, county and Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) official with whom I have a relationship to provide funding for improvement projects; and (2) I will continue to look for every dollar in our budget to improve our infrastructure and make certain improvements are a priority every year.

Additionally, I am proud to have hired the counsel that won La Grange’s lawsuit at the trial level against the quarry, though the appeal is still pending. I also helped steer the Village through that litigation by helping to analyze the pros and cons related to pursuing our rights. If reelected, I will continue to build on this success by advocating for as many stormwater improvements as possible to be built including the 50th Street stormwater sewer project, which has been held up by the quarry’s appeal of our trial level victory.

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

I have a breadth and depth of experience that differentiates me from other candidates. I have served as a Trustee for eight years and have a deep understanding of our community, the Village budget, and the services that the Village provides. In my time on the Board, I have also built relationships at the local, county, state and federal levels that can be useful to La Grange. Prior to serving on the Board, I served as a member of the Community and Economic Diversity Commission where I educated myself about the Village’s government before diving in as a Trustee.

In my professional capacity, I have worked both as an attorney and as an engineer and bring those problem solving and advocacy skills to the Village Board. In my career I’ve worked in large companies and small companies. I have served in the public sector and have two decades of experience in private industry. Collectively, these experiences have given me a perspective and a set of skills that distinguish me from other office seekers.

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

I have a track record of success throughout my life.

In my time on the Board I have assisted in the hiring of the current Village Manager, a previous police chief, and the counsel that won at the trial level our lawsuit against the quarry. Each have performed well and I’m proud to have played a part in having them work for the Village.

I’ve also worked to hold the line on property taxes, an issue that always comes up with residents, by pressing to not pass the full levy, when allowed, in order to put downward pressure on those taxes.

Third, I have advocated for a safe and walkable downtown including pressing our police for stepped up traffic enforcement using the power of the pulpit to press for progress.

Fourth, I am proud to have played a part in how the community came together to innovate during COVID by supporting programs like the parklets that allowed for outdoor dining that helped our local businesses.

Finally, I am dedicated to the Village and give all I can to the position. I rarely miss a meeting and come prepared to discuss any topic that comes up. Whether it’s about anything from our tax levy to the zoning code to an Arbor Day proclamation, I am ready.

Are the village government's taxes too high, too low or just about right? Explain.

I think they are just about right. We must balance the Village’s need to provide services while not burdening taxpayers. We have a great history of getting a lot of “bang for the buck” in La Grange with a great staff that provides great services and there appears to be no need to upset that by either cutting too much or asking for too much. The Village maintains its infrastructure as best it can with the resources our taxes provide. Importantly, more resources are needed from our partners at the local, county, state and federal level in the form of grants and appropriations in order to keep up with our infrastructure needs.

What is your assessment of the police department's performance?

Excellent. I am pleased we have been able to attract new talent to fill our positions. Having a full roster allows the officers time and space to effectively enforce our laws and keep us safe so we can enjoy our town.

The number of traffic tickets has plunged over the years in La Grange. What is your view of that situation?

I want La Grange to be a safe, walkable, and attractive community for families and people of all ages to live in. Traffic safety is an important factor in maintaining that. I support more enforcement and as was reported in the Patch on December 31, 2024 there has been an increase in traffic enforcement throughout the Village. Furthermore, with the initiation of a hearing officer position, strong enforcement should be easier to achieve.

What type of buildings should be allowed in downtown La Grange? Taller buildings?

The downtown currently has a great mix of buildings. I support reasonable, controlled growth throughout downtown and the entire Village. For example, if there is an aging 2-story building somewhere, then I would be open to a 3-story building in its place. I would also be open to other developments and want to work with developers to achieve their vision while ensuring La Grange retains its high quality of life for residents and attractiveness for businesses. The idea is to have growth in a way that the types of buildings developed are consistent with the character of La Grange and a walkable and human-scale community.

How do you rate La Grange's handling of stormwater problems? Explain.

Handling stormwater is a massive, regional undertaking that one municipality alone, like La Grange, cannot address all by itself. It needs willing partners from the federal government, state, county and MWRD to handle it well. La Grange has done a good job trying to control what it can while marshalling the resources from these other stakeholders. However, we must have willing partners to accomplish comprehensive solutions. I think La Grange has effectively worked to coordinate efforts to solve an intractable issue which has at its roots climate change and an aged infrastructure. Even in the face of these obstacles, La Grange has pursued projects for the installation of semi-permeable pavers, holds the line on lot coverage for properties and requires dissipation infrastructure for renovation projects. Every effort that can be undertaken by itself, the Village endeavors to take.

Should the village allow video gambling or recreational marijuana sales in town? Why or why not?

I see these two topics as distinct and can be treated differently. I am not supportive of video gambling in La Grange, but I would be supportive of appropriately regulated and zoned recreational marijuana sales.

Video gambling changes the character of a location. La Grange has made its downtown areas focus on retail and restaurants. Video gaming is not consistent with those uses.

Video gaming establishments would be a significant shift in the types of businesses in La Grange and thus would change what is a thriving downtown and business climate. La Grange prides itself on being a family-oriented and walkable community and such uses will disrupt that feel.

In contrast, the sale of recreational marijuana is similar to the sale of alcohol or tobacco where the consumer makes their purchase and then uses the purchase elsewhere. Retail sales would be little different than the grocery stores and convenience stores that sell alcohol. Due to that similarity, it seems fair to allow cannabis sales just as we allow alcohol or tobacco sales. Furthermore, if communities like Naperville can make cannabis sales work, I think La Grange can as well.

Should the village president and trustees take political contributions from village contractors or those with zoning or other matters before the board? Why or why not?

No. It creates a conflict of interest and the appearance of impropriety, which erodes trust in government.

Is there any reason you would not serve your full term of office, other than those of health or family?

No. I fully expect to serve my full term.

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

For more information about me they can visit www.friendsoflougale.com. Over the next four years I want to focus on: (1) a safe, pedestrian-friendly, and vibrant community; (2) maintaining the character of La Grange with an eye toward reasonable growth and attracting innovative businesses; (3) improved infrastructure, especially to bring stormwater flooding relief; and (4) continue excellent fiscal management to keep property taxes fair while still providing a high level of service to residents and businesses.