AFP: Attention All DuPage County Members!

From Americans for Prosperity…

Americans for Prosperity Launches Grassroots Effort Against Schillerstrom’s Proposal to Borrow $70 million From DuPage County Taxpayers.

-A mobile billboard critical of Schillerstrom’s proposal runs TODAY–

CHICAGO – While concerns about rising public debt and out of control spending is at an all-time high, you’d expect elected officials to give pause before approving any plans to increase the debt obligation of government and further burden taxpayers.

This unfortunately does not appear to be the case with the DuPage County government. DuPage County Board Chairman Bob Schillerstrom is once again pushing his board to approve a massive capital plan that will ultimately cost DuPage taxpayers nearly $125 million. Out of nearly two-dozen projects, only five are road projects that will actually improve the county’s infrastructure.

As part of Americans for Prosperity’s mission to educate and empower citizens, Americans for Prosperity is engaging in a grassroots effort to oppose Schillerstrom’s proposal to borrow $70 million for capital improvements. Today, Americans for Prosperity has notified Chairman Schillerstrom and his county board members of our opposition to this massive borrowing and spending plan.

“It’s hard to believe that a fiscally conservative county government would consider approving this massive spending plan. You would think they would’ve have learned from the mistakes of our failing state government and federal government’s borrow and spend policies. We must force our elected officials to be responsible and stop using taxpayer dollars as their own personal credit cards” said Joe Calomino, state director of Americans for Prosperity- Illinois.

Please contact your DuPage County Board member today and tell them to vote NO on the $70 million bond proposal or attend the next DuPage County Board meeting:

Vote on Bonding Proposal:
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
11:30 AM
421 N. County Farm Road
Third floor
Wheaton, Illinois

Sincerely,

Joe Calomino
State Director AFP-IL

Birutis Pushes Zegel For DWC Seat

Word out of DuPage County is Winfield Village President Deborah Birutis is pushing her former campaign manager and Winfield United member Stanley Zegel to replace Carol Stream Village President Frank Saverino on the DuPage Water Commission. The embattled water commission has been fraught with financial problems after the discovery of at least 19 million dollars which had been depleted from their reserve fund.

Ms. Birutis has made several trips to the DuPage County in the hope of getting her political adviser Stanley Zegel appointed to the District 6 seat if Mr. Saverino is removed amidst the scandal. Zegel, since Birutis’ election has his hands in everything from the village’s finances to the police department has contributed to Winfield’s financial anguish.

It’s clear to most everyone involved that Birutis is trying to pay back Zegel the former editor of the now defunct “slam publication” The Winfield Register, for helping her get elected. But trying to slide Zegel in, someone not elected by the people and categorically unqualified to hold the position for political payback is an affront to all the residents.

Birutis’ attempt to get Zegel appointed should be met with stiff resistance from all concerned. First of all, Zegel lacks any understanding of key financial concepts and his financial comprehension is non-existent. The absolute last thing the troubled DuPage Water Commission needs is another member who does not possess a financial awareness. Furthermore because  Zegel is on well and septic he is not even a customer of the DuPage Water Commission making him in our opinion, ineligible to sit on the water commission. The burning question is, why would the DuPage Water Commission and their customers want someone sitting on the commission who does not have any skin in the game authoring policy and rate increases?

Birutis is trying to throw her political weight around — but she has none. It’s hard for anyone to take Birutis seriously let alone leaders within DuPage County. However, maybe Winfield would be better off if the rest of the county had to do some time with Winfield’s ‘Citizen Pain’  http://winfield411.com/blog/?p=1140 then maybe the community would finally have a chance to breath a little.

Despite Lean Times, We Must Protect our Resources

My campaign launched a household battery recycling program that will make it easier for constituents to personally be good stewards of our planet. Many kinds of batteries contain heavy metals and other toxic chemicals that, left to rot in a landfill, will one day contaminate our soil and pollute our water. By providing a place where household batteries with hazardous waste material can be properly disposed, we are doing a small part to leave our planet in better shape for our kids and our grandkids.

DuPage County Could Take Over Water Commission

Cronin Wins Republican Primary for DuPage County Chairman

In a decisive electoral victory Illinois Senator Dan Cronin won the Republican nomination for DuPage County Chairman in Tuesday’s election.

Cronin took almost 50 percent of Republican votes cast for that office. With all 749 precincts reporting, Cronin took 42,786 votes. His nearest opponent, current Board member Debra Olson, garnered 24,692 votes. The last two weeks of Olson’s campaign were hindered after a web-site, republicansforfamilyvalues.com, released a report alleging a series of affairs by Olson, a married woman and mother of four.

While Cronin, who also serves as Chairman of the DuPage County Republican Party easily, sailed to victory on Tuesday, he campaigned hard across the county spending more than $300,000 in the primary.

Since Cronin entered the race he became the principle target for his opponents, particularly Burr Ridge Mayor Gary Grasso and Olson. Both candidates criticized some of Cronin’s votes in the legislature, particularly his support of consumption taxes. Cronin’s support of the bill that raised those taxes, as well as the rate on the RTA, was at the bequest of DuPage County leaders. DuPage leaders faced a shortage of funding which would lead to gutting services, including law enforcement. Cronin responded to the requests and helped pass the bills which brought a new revenue stream into the county. If the bills had not been passed property taxes likely would have been raised even higher to provide the funding.

Cronin celebrated his victory on Tuesday night with hundreds of supporters. Following his victory Cronin said he’ll focus on work at his Senate office. He also plans to spend time at the county offices in Wheaton to monitor the budgeting process.

Olson Fires Back At Water Commission Critics

Debra Olson, candidate for DuPage County Chairman, emailed an eleventh hour counter to claims she was to blame for the mismanagement of  19 million dollars in DuPage County Water Commission funds.

The following is from Olson’s campaign:

The Water Commission is funded through a countywide sales tax since its inception.  It has the ability to raise a property tax as well, but has abated that property tax and relied solely on the sales tax funds and the funds from member water purchasing.  The members of the water commission purchase water from the Water Commission at a rate set by the Water Commission Board.

The Finances of the Water Commission are controlled by the Chief Financial Officer, the Finance Committee, and the Board of the Water Commission.

DuPageCounty government has no authority over the funds of the Water Commission, and does not have authority to approve or disapprove the Water Commission budget.  It has been alleged that the DuPage County Public Works Department has authority over, or responsibility for, the Water Commission and its finances.  That claim is completely false.

The DuPage Water Commission has undertaken an investigation of the improper accounting of funds that led to a revelation that the Water Commission budget had a $19million deficit.  Though preliminary reports from Water Commission Board meetings indicate that the money is not missing, but instead was used to pay bills and not appropriately accounted for, the final outcome of the investigation is still forthcoming.

DuPage County was given $15 million annually (of the approximately $30 million received by the Water Commission) for five years from the countywide quarter cent sales tax collected by the Water Commission.  That transaction required state legislative action, which was in fact authored by State Senator Dan Cronin. Cronin was one of only three DuPageCounty legislators to vote in favor of that legislation.  The other two were State Senators John Millner and Kirk Dillard.

At the end of those 5 years, the Water Commission member municipalities then took a one-time $40 million lump sum from Commission funds and distributed it among the member municipalities.  No further funds were distributed toDuPage County Government.

The accounting problem was identified in the fall of 2009, which is approximately two years after the $40 million distribution was made.  It is unclear as of yet how far back the accounting errors/omissions go.

The Water Commission Board voted in December to approve a $30 million short-term borrowing plan to be able to continue to abate the property tax.  The long-term budget impacts are still to be determine.

At this time, the Water Commission is conducting an investigation, and until that report is presented to the Commission, it is premature to hold hearings or speculate on the impact to unincorporated residents on Lake Michigan water.

Debra Olson, DuPage County Board Member and candidate for County Board Chairman, has stated in interviews over the past three months that she believes it is appropriate to relieve the Executive Director of his duties once the investigation is final (the CFO has already left the Commission).  Anyone found culpable or derelect in duty should also be relieved of their position. Debra has spoken to Water Commission commissioners, and believes the Water Commission should adopt better safeguards, accounting and reporting procedures, and checks and balances to insure all funds are properly accounted for and transparency is paramount.

“It is unfortunate that my opponents have sought to distort the truth and my statements on this issue, as they have done with so many issues in this campaign.  I encourage voters to become thoroughly informed on this issue through the Water Commission members and website, and to learn my positions on issues from me, rather than my opponents.”

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