Platform
Six things Jim is working on
Law enforcement
Jim has always been among the strongest supporters of DuPage law enforcement, and has worked closely with them to make sure they have the resources they need. Crime spilling out of Chicago is, in his view, the single biggest issue facing District 6.
Property taxes
The County portion of your property tax bill has not gone up in 10 years. Holding that line means saying no to things, every year, in the Finance Committee.
Consolidating government
DuPage has been the state model for consolidation, and 7 units of government have been abolished so far. The next step is sharing services with other governments to strip out more layers.
Stormwater and roads
Over $50 million of stormwater work in the district: Beaver Pond in Bartlett, Armstrong Park in Carol Stream, and the West Branch DuPage River in Warrenville. The Warrenville Bridge was replaced and Gary Avenue rebuilt.
The Water Commission
As Chairman, Jim took an agency carrying $80 million of borrowing to one with no debt, lower staff costs and reserves in the bank, and brought Lake Michigan water to Bartlett in 2019.
Opioids and mental health
Earlier detection in our schools, training for law enforcement on what the warning signs look like, and public private partnerships with hospitals to fund treatment early, when it is cheaper and it works.
In Jim’s own words
Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you?
I run for this office so I can help make a difference in our community. As we see the state and federal governments continue to fight and not work for the people, local government more than ever has to work for the people. The County of DuPage continues to face pressure from the state’s inability to balance a budget, and we need leaders on the board who are willing to make the tough decisions that are best for our county and not be pressured by outside issues. Raising a family here, I want to make DuPage County the best place to live, not just for my family but for everyone who lives here.
We continue to see the rise of the opioid epidemic here in DuPage and need to double our efforts to make a difference in the community. We need to work with local schools, law enforcement and our municipalities to inform residents on the signs and dangers of this drug. The County has also joined with other counties to go after the drug manufacturers and the doctors who are over producing and over prescribing these drugs. We must continue to look at the budget and make sure we are not wasting the taxpayers’ money.
What have you done while in office?
I have worked hard on the County Board to make a difference. On property taxes, the County portion of your taxes has not been increased in 10 years. We have been the state model for consolidation of governments, and 7 units of government have been abolished. We need to work with other governments to reduce the burden on our taxpayers, to find ways to share services and get rid of more layers of government.
I have accomplished a lot of work in our District. We have spent over $50 million on stormwater projects: Beaver Pond in Bartlett, Armstrong Park in Carol Stream and the West Branch DuPage River in Warrenville. We replaced the Warrenville Bridge and rebuilt Gary Avenue. I will continue to get funding for stormwater projects and road projects in the District, and I will push more of our schools to join our heroin prevention work for our kids.
As Chairman of the Water Commission, we have taken an agency that had to borrow $80 million and turned it into an agency that has reduced staff costs, streamlined operations, and now has no debt and reserves to run the commission. We negotiated an agreement to bring the Village of Bartlett Lake Michigan water starting in 2019.
What would you like to focus on next?
One of the biggest issues being brought to light is mental health. We need to do a better job with early detection of symptoms, from seeing the early signs in our schools to warning signs later in life. We need to train our law enforcement on how to spot these problems when they are dealing with our residents. With the opioid epidemic and mental health, we need to find ways to treat and help our residents so they can be productive members of society. We need to work with the medical profession and hospitals to fund programs early, and it will save money and lives down the road. Form a coalition or a public private partnership.
What is the single most important issue facing your district, and how should the county address it?
Crime. Over the past few years we have seen crime spill out of the City of Chicago and affect DuPage County.
Which leader has most inspired you?
The late Senator John McCain. Do what is right for the people and not for a political party.
What is the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?
Always treat people the way you want to be treated.
If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?
I tell my kids to work hard, always give something 100 percent, study hard and have fun.
If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?
Life does not give you do-overs, but spending more time with my family.