District 3 consists of portions of Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Darien, Downers Grove,
Hinsdale, Lemont, Westmont, Willowbrook, and Woodridge
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07-23-08 - "Local Democrats decry pay-to-play" - Brandt quote: "I challenge Chairman Schillerstrom to find a county contract over $50,000 that was awarded to a company that hasn't made campaign contributions to himself or other
DuPage County elected officials. I’m not going to hold my breath."
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05-28-08 - "DuPage board freezes own pay for four years, cuts stipends" - Brandt quote: "These cost cutting measures are a good start (and are preferable to raising property taxes as Schillerstrom and the County Board have done for the last three years) but they are too little and about five years too late."
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05-16-08 - "Democrats criticize County Board's financial planning" - Brandt quote: There is always something more that the county can spend our tax dollars on - hire another police officer, pave another street, build another jail cell, etc. These are all worthy expenditures but at some point we taxpayers need to say "enough is enough."
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12-12-07 - "DuPage Democrats cry foul on tax hike" - Brandt comment: Schillerstrom says the "sales tax increase is a long-term solution." My long-term solution is to consolidate departments, reduce the number of elected officials, reduce salaries and perks, and reform and modernize county government.
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11-26-07 - PRESS RELEASE - Brandt calls for investigation of DuPage County Board Member and criminal defense attorney Michael F. McMahon for violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct based on the opinion of the Illinois State Bar Association that "it is improper for a member of a county board to represent criminal defendants being prosecuted by the state's attorney of that county." Click here for more information.
12-31-07 UPDATE - The ARDC has declined to take any action citing a 1992 Attorney General opinion which determined that no per se conflict exists. I believe the Attorney General should re-evaluate their decision. In any event, DuPage residents deserve a County Board member who will work 100% to get criminals off the streets, not off the hook.
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Experience. Honest. Change.
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Schillerstrom's Plan:
Even after raising property taxes and raising the sales tax last year, DuPage County Chairman Robert Schillerstrom and the 100% Republican County Board have proposed:
1. more spending in 2009 (a 12% increase over last year);
2. making government bigger (hiring more county workers);
3. borrowing almost a quarter-billion dollars (to fund new projects).
My Plan for Better DuPage County Government:
1. Cut county spending;
2. Shrink county government;
3. Make county government more effective, efficient and accountable.
Implementation Steps:
1. cut County Board Member salaries by 50% (currently $50,079 a year for
2 meetings a month);
2. eliminate the retirement plan for County Board Members (which pays 80% of their part-time salary after 20 years of service);
3. hire a professional administrator to manage the day-to-day operations of the county, as well as prepare the annual county budget;
4. consolidate county departments and reduce the size of county government as suggested by the independent non-partisan Civic Federation and the county’s own Efficiency Committee;
5. increase governmental transparency by creating a web-based database with all county personnel and county vendor information; webcasting all committee and board meetings;
6. institute an ethics ordinance to prohibit campaign contributions from companies with county contracts ("pay to play"); and
7. oppose "home rule" and stop any attempt to bring "home rule" power to DuPage County.
(more details on my "Issues" page)
November 4, 2008 general election results:
Here is a report of the money spent / votes received for the candidates for DuPage County Board Member (District 3) for this election cycle:
Michael F. McMahon (R) - $124,257 spent - won with 30,158 votes
John Curran (R) - $77,329 spent - won with 30,987 votes
Robert "Bob" Brandt (D) - $5,934 spent - lost with 26,824 votes
Karol Sole (D) - $3,059 spent - lost with 21,074 votes
