Send a Loud and Clear Message

The voters of Massachusetts have spoken. The outcome of Scott Brown’s U.S. Senate victory is historic. Along with recent wins in New Jersey and Virginia, we are seeing a fundamental realignment of American politics. Local and nation-wide conservative activists and independent-minded citizens are uniting to tell politicians enough is enough. DuPage County candidates and elected officials need to hear the people.

Loud and clear.

American voters are moving toward common-sense conservative candidates, especially when they represent the core values of fiscal responsibility, and transparent good governance. Mainstream conservative values can win anywhere in the United States, and that includes Illinois, and that includes DuPage County. Brown’s victory is a lesson for politicians of all stripes that the days of Chicago-style politics is over.

I know we’re right.

With your money and your time, citizens are supporting conservative candidates all over the U.S. DuPage County voters should know that Republicans in DuPage County need a positive message of fiscal responsibility that resonates with the voters. Politicians must pledge to be transparent in all they do on our behalf. Republican candidates need to be strong. They need to work hard for your vote. I encourage all of you to vote in the February 2, 2010 primaries and support your local candidates.

Send your message.

Join the revolution.

For my analysis on the DuPage County Board Chairman candidates:

Debra Olson

Gary Grasso

Dan Cronin

Dan Cronin – Getting Things Done

“DuPage County families are making tough decisions every day. Government must do the same."

- Dan Cronin

Dan Cronin is the only serious candidate in the DuPage County Board Chairman race. Dan’s long time service to his constituents, and his legislative abilities, have been acknowledged time and again. We see all of the local newspapers endorsing Dan. We see DuPage County legislators endorsing Dan. Pro-life groups. Education groups. (See list below) All have come forward to say that Dan is the man to lead DuPage County. The Chicago Tribune has declared Dan to be “among the best in the Senate.”

There’s a reason. His record.

Critics use a candidate’s record all the time. I did when I compared the words and records of Dan’s opponents.

I exposed Gary Grasso’s links to gambling and compared his statements about his alleged fiscal conservatism to the budget mess in Burr Ridge.

Debra Olson chose to make herself the queen of transparency and ethics. I show her actions and her words don’t necessarily align, especially in the areas of her receipt of campaign contributions from DuPage County vendors, her buddy-buddy relationship with ARAMARK, her vaporous 2010 County Board budget claims, and her asleep at the switch oversight of the DuPage County Water Commission. The list goes on and on. At best, her ethical lapses show she is a hypocrite.

As measured by the vehemence of the comments on the blogosphere, Cronin’s opponents certainly touched a nerve when they attacked him about his vote on a one-quarter cent sales tax increase. I laid out the reasons Dan voted for the sales tax increase, which came only after the same people who criticize him were unable to make the tough choices required to balance their own budgets and went crying to Springfield for help. They called to Dan for help, he helps, and they criticize him for his help. Those critics shouldn’t be allowed to have it both ways.

Lastly, I outlined my rationale for voting for Dan.

But what has yet not broken through the noise of the campaign is a snapshot of Dan’s record in Springfield. Dan is no sunshine patriot. Dan constantly fights Springfield, in Springfield, for the people of DuPage County. He did when the Republicans were in the majority. He continued the fight during the past few years when the Democrats completed their corrupt control of Springfield. Dan’s efforts keep DuPage County in better shape than our neighbor to the east, Cook County, and other counties in the state.

Fiscal Responsibility

On budget matters, Dan is a consistent voice for responsible government. Since 2004, I have found 37 instances where Dan has fought spending and tax increases. There are probably more.

Some highlights:

Dan sponsored the DuPage County property tax cap legislation to halt double-digit increases in annual real estate taxes. In 2009, Dan opposed FY2010 Quinn budget proposal that contained the largest tax increase in Illinois history, calling for 50% increases in personal income tax and taxes on employers, and raided the pension fund for $3.2 billion. 


In 2008, he did the same thing on Blagojevich’s bloated FY2009 budget that again increased taxes, swept state funds for use by the governor, proposed selling the Lottery and other state assets, and increased spending on an already out of balance state budget. 


In 2007, Dan opposed Blagojevich again when Blagojevich proposed a budget relying on a Gross Receipt Tax. Dan has fought against every Democrat budget proposal going back to 2004, where I stopped my examination, including a July 2004 proposal where he led the Senate Republicans in halting a new $300 million job killing tax. Dan has voted against all of the raids on the state pension fund proposed by the Democrats, while trying to implement common-sense pension reform.

Dan is pro-fiscal reform. In 2009, Dan advanced proposals that would have saved the state $3.4 billion in the first year alone through cutting waste, Medicaid and pension reforms and limited state-mandated education expenditures that passed costs to the localities. He sponsored the bill that instituted the Illinois Accountability Portal where taxpayers can track how their dollars are being spent. Dan supported the tax accountability act that requires a three-fifths majority vote by General Assembly to increase any taxes.

Education

Both sides of the aisle acknowledge Dan Cronin as the leader in Springfield on education issues. Dan is the current minority chairman and spokesman (and former chairman) of the Illinois Senate Education Committee, which oversees every key education issue in the state. As chief sponsor of the Chicago Public School reform, he demanded local accountability as well as improved standards for teachers, administrators and students. Dan secured millions in funding for new school construction in suburban districts. Dan is a strong advocate for new approaches to public education, including charter schools and alternatives to teacher certification to expedite the hiring of new, qualified teachers.

Transparency and Good Government Reform

Few people remember that Dan was the first legislator to call for the impeachment of Rod Blagojevich. Months before any other legislator, Dan was building support among his colleagues to impeach Blagojevich. Dan sponsored the impeachment resolution in the Senate. Dan sponsored the recall legislation to permit voters to remove elected officials from public office. Dan was out in front when he reformed the state eminent domain laws to protect private property owners from government intervention. Dan sponsored a Senate bill to limit contributions to political campaigns in Illinois, and created laws to improve security at schools, protect women and children from domestic violence, strengthen teen driving laws and reduce gun violence.

Dan’s opponents have whisper thin credentials. They make promises that have no way to keep. They are tied into special interests, and have broken their sacred trust to the people. Compare them to Dan’s accomplishments.

You can’t. There is no comparison.

Vote for Dan Cronin.

For my analysis on the other DuPage County Board Chairman candidates:

Debra Olson

Gary Grasso

Cronin Endorsements

Patti Bellock - State Representative, 47th District

Bob Biggins - State Representative, 41st District

Joe Birkett - DuPage County States Attorney

Fred Bucholz - DuPage County Recorder

Joe Cantore - Forest Preserve Commissioner, District 2

Kathryn Cermak-Durante - Addison Township Supervisor

Chicago Tribune

Clarendon Hills Doings

Tony Cuzzone - York Township Trustee

Daily Herald

Patrick Durante - Addison Township Republican Chairman

Jim Durkin - State Representative, 82nd District

Elmhurst Doings

Barbara Finn - York Township Trustee

Mike Formento - Milton Township Republican Chairman

Chris Heidorn - Milton Township Supervisor

Gwen Henry - DuPage County Treasurer

Paul Hinds - York Township Republican Chairman

Hinsdale Doings

Illinois Citizens for Life

Illinois Federation for Right to Life

Italian American Political Coalition

Chris Kachiroubas - DuPage County Circuit Court Clerk

Moon Khan - York Township Trustee

Gary King - DuPage County Clerk

Dan Kordik - York Township Clerk

Michael Kwasman - Mayor, West Chicago

John Millner - State Senator, 28th District

Pamella Moretti - Addison Township Clerk

Barbara Murphy - DuPage County Republican Chairwoman

Marsha Murphy - Forest Preserve Commission, District 1

Rachel Ossyra - Naperville Township Republican Chairman

Linda Painter - Forest Preserve Commissioner, District 3

Dewey Pierotti - DuPage County Forest Preserve President

Sandy Pihos - State Representative, 42nd, District

Michael Prueter - Lisle Township Republican Chairman

Randy Ramey - State Representative, 55th District

Ron Sandack - Mayor, Downers Grove

Dick Schroeder - York Township Highway Commissioner

Darlene Senger - State Representative, 96th District

Peter Siekmann - DuPage County Coroner

John C. Smith - Winfield Township Republican Chairman

Frank Soto - Mayor, Bensenville

Sun-Times Oak Brook Doings

The United Hellenic Voters of America

John Valle - York Township Supervisor

Deanna Wilkins - York Township Assessor

May Yurgaitis - Naperville Township Trustee

John Zaruba - DuPage County Sheriff

RTA Tax - A Tough Choice

In 2008, DuPage County faced a several million dollar budget shortfall created by Mrs. Debra Olson and the DuPage County Board that would have severely impacted public safety and human service agencies in the county. Debra Olson, a member of the County Board for years, and currently running for the Chairman position, was unable to find a way to maintain these agencies at an acceptable level after having overspent on other projects. The residents of DuPage County were looking at staff reductions of critical personnel in both the State’s Attorney Office and the Sheriff Department, Bailiffs, and Probation Officers, those departments essential to the public safety.

To head off these layoffs and showing a great amount of responsibility, the State’s Attorney, Joe Birkett, and County Sherriff, John Zaruba, and a few other County officials reached out to Sen. Dan Cronin in Springfield to help find a new revenue stream for those critical departments. Even though it meant supporting a fare increase, Dan Cronin felt that the one-cent-on-four-dollars on public transportation tax (a sizeable portion of which is paid by residents NOT living in DuPage County) being debated in Springfield as part of the RTA Act would provide those critical public safety departments with the additional revenue that would allow them to continue funding those departments so they could most effectively serve the residents of DuPage County.

While Debra Olson was sitting on her hands doing nothing, Dan Cronin answered the call.

Cronin agonized over his vote since he was acting against his fundamental principles of low taxes and small government that he’s always followed during his time as a legislator in Springfield. Up until the County he loves was faced with increasing property taxes or cutting services, Dan was and remains a reliable vote against the outrageous spending and taxes we’ve grown to expect from the corrupt politicians in Springfield. Cronin obviously felt that the best interests of the County’s residents would be best served if he voted for the RTA Act, a consumption-type tax (if you don’t want to pay it, don’t ride the RTA). He listened to the arguments of the State’s Attorney and DuPage Sherriff, and looked at Debbie’s and the County Board’s inability to fill its impending deficit and took action.

Dan Cronin, along with his State Senate colleagues Kirk Dillard and John Millner, braved enormous political pressure and helped secure passage of the RTA bill in Springfield. Not every one of our DuPage legislators had the courage to make this tough choice. After Dan made the tough choice, Debbie and the County Board gratefully accepted the additional revenue provided by the RTA plugging a $20,000,000 budget shortfall they had no way to address other than drastic spending cuts or massive tax increases.

Not only was DuPage County able to avoid layoffs in the State’s Attorney Office and the Sheriff’s Department, the additional revenue stream provided by the miniscule fare increase, much of which was paid by non-residents, allowed the DuPage County Board to abate the property tax levy by $1,000,000, providing the residents of DuPage County with much needed tax relief while lowering the reliance on property tax to fund our critical programs and services. Without the revenue increase provided by the RTA, the DuPage County Board would have either had to raise taxes, cut critical services including those involved in public safety, or some combination of both.

Debbie takes all the credit for these rebates, while slamming Dan Cronin, the man who made them possible. What say you, Mrs. Olson? Aren’t you being a touch hypocritical?

It’s easy for a legislator to collapse under political pressure and other legislators in DuPage County did. Some County Board members, like Debbie Olson just stood by and watched, and now those same County Board members criticize Cronin for his vote. Why hasn’t Debra Olson ever been called on the carpet to explain why Cronin had to make this vote? Simply because she wouldn’t look to good if everyone knew Cronin had to cover her butt and she has worked hard covering up these facts.

It’s easy for weak local officials like Debra Olson to snipe about Cronin voting for tax increases when they themselves had no ideas on how to balance their budgets and maintain public safety in DuPage County. Cronin’s tough choice on the RTA Act was courageous and the right thing to do for the citizens of DuPage County.

I hate taxes, and I hate politicians like Debbie Olson who overspend in their areas of responsibility and go crying up the chain, in this case Springfield, for help. Dan Cronin made a tough choice. He was right.

For my analysis on the DuPage County Board Chairman candidates:

Debra Olson

Gary Grasso

Dan Cronin