tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post724192504970049195..comments2023-10-16T05:49:35.106-05:00Comments on Cincinnatus: Cincinnatus Supports Dan Cronin for DuPage County Board ChairmanCincinnatushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02707842440177615645noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-53977004154812857372010-02-01T20:02:47.146-06:002010-02-01T20:02:47.146-06:00Folks, please just go to the linked posts. Instead...Folks, please just go to the linked posts. Instead of cutting and pasting the answers to The Factor here, I answer them in the linked post comment sections.Cincinnatushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02707842440177615645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-77318778620493265622010-02-01T14:14:08.562-06:002010-02-01T14:14:08.562-06:00Just a little more here...
"Debbie Olson did ...Just a little more here...<br />"Debbie Olson did not, could not, and would not identify any budget cuts. Instead of showing leadership, she and other county officials went hat-in-hand to Springfield begging for a new revenue stream into county coffers."<br /><br />Olson did NOT go to Springfield, Chairman Schillerstrom went to Springfield, without the advice and consent of the County Board (because he is not required by the Rules to ask for it), to ask DuPage legislators to vote in favor of the RTA bill and add the quarter-cent tax. Dan Cronin, Kirk Dillard, and John Millner were the only Republicans on either the House or Senate side to vote in favor of the legislation. Olson and many other board members were NOT in favor of the tax, and were prepared to do the hard work of making cuts.<br /><br />"The 600-page 2010 budget, passed under the claimed leadership of Debbie Olson, is based on unrealistic budget assumptions. The current budget assumes sales tax revenues will significantly increase in 2010, in spite of the continued economic downturn and a state unemployment rate above the national average."<br /><br />Olson, along with other board members, agreed with the Civic Federation Report that the assumptions are too aggressive. That is why Olson and others have refused to pass a resolution to bond for projects until the revenue assumptions can be verified, which is unlikely. The dollars allocated to the bond issue are the safety net, along with a separate $5million cash reserve fund above and beyond the $40million general cash reserve fund, and can only be spent with the super-majority vote of the board. So safeguards were put in place in case revenue projections aren’t met.<br /><br />"The 2010 budget assumes continued issuance of grants by Springfield despite the bloated and busted budget deficits in Springfield. There is no reason to believe these grants will be provided at levels equivalent to those from last year."<br /><br />If the State grant dollars do not come in, the County will not be funding those programs. That has been consistently stated by numerous board members, including Olson.<br /><br />"Even while knowing about the 2010 budget assumptions, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Debbie Olson said that she could probably find funds to spend more on human services in 2010, which would deplete any budget reserves that would be used in the event that revenue estimates are not achieved."<br /><br />Olson did not say she would find more funds to spend on Human Service programs. She said she would not look first to Human Services for cuts. Again, Cincinnatus didn’t do his homework, and takes comments out of context. Watch the Chicago Tribune video for yourself, folks.<br /><br />"The budget contains no plan to find new or increased revenue streams."<br /><br />True enough – you’ve heard of the TEA Parties, haven’t you, Cincinnatus? People are SICK of “new revenue streams” aka NEW TAXES. I applaud Olson for her stand on that.The Factornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-29454891189487767732010-02-01T13:44:15.795-06:002010-02-01T13:44:15.795-06:00"For eight straight years and as of April 200..."For eight straight years and as of April 2009, as required by Illinois law, Olson filed a Statement of Economic Interest stating she had no business relationship with DuPage County. In October 2009, after declaring her intention to run for Chairman, she filed another statement saying she did actually do business with the County."<br /><br />Again, Cincinnatus, perhaps you will go over to the County and take a look at those 8 years of Economic Interest Statements. They are public documents, I have seen them, and you are absolutely wrong. Furthermore, she does not state that she did business with the County. What it states is that she has ownership interest in a business. That business, however, has never had any county contracts. FOIA requests have proven that to be the case.<br /><br />And let’s talk about conflicts. Cronin’s law partner is already a County Board member. Exactly how is THAT not a conflict – to have two business partners on the same board? Furthermore, Cronin is the County Party Chairman, also running for County Board Chairman, who used County Party resources for robo calls and letters to party faithful while running his County Board Chairman campaign. Andy McKenna has just been deemed in violation of Ethics rules for doing exactly that. Cronin ought to be censured by the County Party and resign his post as party chairman. Cincinnatus seems to like the Chicago-style political hack m.o. <br /><br />"According to Illinois State Board of Election and DuPage County Board Records, Debbie Olson has received thousands of dollars in campaign contributions from vendors doing business with the county."<br /><br />According to the State Board of Election and County Board Records, Debra Olson has taken 10% or less of her total contributions from County Vendors over the years, which means 90% of her contributions are coming from the private sector citizens. By contrast, Pankau and Cronin have taken huge sums of money from state vendors, lobbyists, unions, and pacs, all the while voting on their legislation. In this County Board Chairman’s race, Olson is the ONLY candidate who HASN’T taken any contributions from County vendors.<br /><br />And let’s not overlook the fact that Cronin and Pankau are maxing out their state pensions, so coming to DuPage County to start, or in the case of Pankau, beef-up the County pension, is just one more way those two want to scam the system, and taxpayers.<br /><br />"One of her campaign coordinators works for ARAMARK, a major vendor for DuPage County that is under the purview of a committee chaired by Olson. Olson claims to have returned all of the campaign contributions received from ARAMARK, however, the Illinois State Board of Elections shows un-returned campaign contributions from an ARAMARK vice president. ARAMARK was the recipient of a favorable ruling during the negotiations for a county food service contract."<br /><br />Olson voted to give the contract to A’Viands, Aramark’s competitor, as did all 18 County Board members.The Factornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-23021490037855808942010-01-30T08:27:14.370-06:002010-01-30T08:27:14.370-06:00The Factor said:
"Also, the "unreturned...The Factor said:<br /><br />"Also, the "unreturned" donations, as you have previously stated, were personal ones, and are not tracked in the same manner"<br /><br />Flat wrong. The address given on the ISBE website is the corporate address for ARAMARK, not the residence of the contributor. Perhaps the Olson campaign did not fill out the D-2 correctly, in which case they should file an amendment. They should be familiar with the process since they file numerous amendments to clean up their consistently sloppy paperwork. I actually think it speaks volumes about Olson's ability to administrate.Cincinnatushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02707842440177615645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-21717173611600068432010-01-30T00:05:24.567-06:002010-01-30T00:05:24.567-06:00County contracts are public record. Check them. I ...County contracts are public record. Check them. I know her company. I've worked with them. NOTHING there.<br />Once again, you're right, Erin Vaughan WAS with Aramark, and NOW works voluntarily with the Olson camp. Also, the "unreturned" donations, as you have previously stated, were personal ones, and are not tracked in the same manner. You or I have no way to know if they were returned or not. Or at least, we shouldn't.<br />And lastly....<br />Rarely, but usually once, you're WRONG. The Water Commission in NOT overseen by the chair of Public Works, anymore....thanks to Dan Cronin.The Factornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-50015904975251347332010-01-29T11:26:26.945-06:002010-01-29T11:26:26.945-06:00Olson provided a revised ethics statement saying h...Olson provided a revised ethics statement saying her company does business with the county.<br /><br />ARAMARK received an unusually, almost unprecedented. favorable ruling which allowed it to bid on a contract already won by another vendor. Olson received contemporaneous campaign contributions. Some of those contributions have not been returned as she recently stated, according to Illinois State Board of Elections record. Erin Vaughan was a vice president of ARAMARK, and now works on the Olson campaign.<br /><br />The oversight of the Water Commission is provided by the County Board Committee of Public Works. Olson is the Chairman of that committee.Cincinnatushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02707842440177615645noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6688815018590462724.post-35986481707213368512010-01-28T17:52:34.671-06:002010-01-28T17:52:34.671-06:00Just a few comments regarding your points against ...Just a few comments regarding your points against Mrs. Olson..<br />1)ALL of the donations you refer to are dated prior to her forwarding of ethics reform. She never said she hadn't taken money from county vendors or contractors, but that she wouldn't. And if you look at the dates, she hasn't.<br />2)You missed the "ara"mark! Debra voted for Aramark's competitor to get the bid every time. Also, Erin Vaughn (sp?) did not begin work with Debra until she had left Aramark. <br />3)Water Commission $$$. This commission was formed by legislation supported by Dan Cronin, and is headed by Mr. Rathje, a strong Cronin supporter. They are a seperate entity from the County Board, and are solely responsible for monitoring their own funds.The Factornoreply@blogger.com