Name: Vylius “V” Leskys
Municipal residence: Wausau City District 4
Age: 55
Occupation and education: Retired Army Special Forces (Green Beret) Colonel; VA Accredited Attorney currently serving disabled veterans pro bono; BA, California State University-Northridge (Geography); JD, Thomas M. Cooley Law School (Lansing, Michigan); MMS (Master of Military Studies), Marine Corps University (Quantico, VA); MSS (Master of Strategic Studies), US Army War College (Carlisle Barracks, PA)
Relevant experience: As a retired senior leader of the Army, I have a wealth of leadership and command experience in large organizations with multimillion dollar budgets. In my last two assignments, I was the second-in-charge of an organization of 2600 soldiers and then the Chief of Staff of a multinational headquarters at NATO. I served our nation until retirement, earning two Bronze Stars, the Legion of Merit and the Defense Superior Service Medal. Currently, I practice law, assisting veterans pro bono in their disability claims. For our city, I serve as a Police and Fire Commissioner.
Campaign website/Facebook page: https://www.v4wausau.com
www.facebook.com/VforWausauD4
Why are you running for office? I am running to restore fiscal responsibility, common sense, and reason to city council. I’ve been greatly disappointed and frustrated at watching City Council engage in reckless spending, and this has led directly to the outrageous property taxes we pay and the massive debt the city holds. Our property tax rate is nearly 2%, and we have no relief in sight. We need public servants who are responsible with our taxpayer money and have the courage to make prudent decisions to make Wausau more affordable for each citizen. What makes you the better candidate in this race? Wausonians pay twice the national average in property taxes because city council made fiscally irresponsible decisions. This impacts homeowners, renters, and businesses dramatically, especially as roughly 25% of city tax revenue this year will go to pay down debt. This trajectory is unsustainable. Frankly, my opponent has been a part of the problem for ten years. Unless we elect fiscally responsible stewards of taxpayers’ money, our city faces disaster. Being a good steward is a responsibility I take seriously, and I worked diligently to impart this virtue to my peers and subordinates throughout my 32+ years of military service.
What is the most pressing issue facing Wausau Common Council, and how would you address it? Unquestionably, it’s the irresponsible spending of our tax dollars. We are at the stage where we must focus spending of our taxpayer money on a city’s “needs”—safety and essential services—while limiting the “wants”—the purchase of the MBX property for $900,000 without a firm plan. By next year, our debt service is projected to be the taxpayers’ greatest expense, more than what we pay for the Fire or Police departments. Yet our city continues to borrow money and spend with reckless abandon. When you’re in a hole, the first thing you do is stop digging!
What are residents telling you are their most important issues, and how would you address them? Without a doubt, property taxes concern the vast majority. I have met numerous residents who are planning to move to Weston, Rib Mountain, or the Town of Wausau where the property tax difference for many equates to thousands of dollars of annual savings. With property taxes and rents as high as they are, many residents, especially those on fixed incomes, are at the point of an affordability crisis. As a city, we can reduce utility costs and property taxes to assist them.
How will you balance providing essential services with rising concerns of affordability and cost of living? A responsible city council could take multiple concrete actions to address affordability concerns. The city council can reduce water bills immediately by eliminating the city’s hidden 12.5% PILOT tax. It should also balance an appropriate budget to maintain safety and essential service requirements while reducing property taxes. To do so, we can increase Wausau's revenue generation by closing some of the Tax Incremental Districts early, restructuring City Hall strategically with natural attrition, selling surplus city-owned property, and enticing business development and jobs with tax relief.
How will you work to improve the function and accountability of city government? As a retired Colonel, I am used to living in a fishbowl. Wausau needs the same transparency in elected officials. I prioritize my life in terms of God, Family, Country, and Community. My moral values demand integrity and transparency; I expect nothing less from elected officials. As a public servant, I will do everything within my ability to prevent corruption or reckless expenditure of taxpayers’ money. Regarding functionality, City Hall can be better organized. I will propose the stand-up of a commission for organizational restructuring to gain efficiency with our 350+ employees and enable natural attrition to reduce taxpayer burden.