DuPage County Clerk Hinds: Candidate Profile

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Note: Answers provided have not been edited for grammar, misspellings or typos. In some instances, candidate claims that could not be immediately verified have been omitted. Jump to:BioQA Bio City: Villa ParkWebsite: www.paulhinds.comOffice sought: DuPage County Clerk Age: 53Family: SingleOccupation: Chief Deputy County ClerkEducation: Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science - Calvin CollegeCivic involvement: Elmhurst Elks Lodge #1531 East DuPage Relay For Life-American Cancer Society DuPage Education Foundation Villa Park Lombard Historical Society Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Villa Park Vision 2000 Committee York Township's Special Research and Project CommitteeElected offices held: York Township Trustee (1993-present) York Township Republican Chairman (1998-2014) York Township Republican Precinct Committeeman (1988-present)Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: NoQuestions Answers Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election for the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you? If so, what?I am running to ensure that the high quality of service and professionalism that the DuPage County Clerk's office is known for is continued. The office of County Clerk is responsible for a wide range of services and the next County Clerk must have a working knowledge of all of them. The County Clerk plays an important role in vital records, licenses, filings, tax sale redemptions and the property tax process. I want to make sure these services continue to be done cost effectively and within the guidelines set by State Statutes.If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of any important initiatives you've led. If you are a challenger, what would you bring to the board and what would your priority be?I am not an incumbent, however I am the only candidate running that has worked in the Clerkâ#128;™s office for over eighteen years. I have been involved in the implementation of new laws that affect vital records, property taxes, tax sale redemptions, economic interest statements and marriage licenses. The latest initiative is the digitizing of all County Board and Forest Preserve District ordinances and resolutions for retention and searching. I have the working knowledge of every aspect of the office from the many licenses we issue to the property tax calculations and meeting minutes to meet any future law changes.Describe your position regarding the allocation of resources in the clerk's office. Are personnel allocated as they should be? Are there capital expense or other budgetary items that the office must address, and, if so, how do you propose to address them?Serving as the Chief Deputy to County Clerk Gary A. King, I have been involved in the budgetary process. Today, the County Clerkâ#128;™s office has fewer employees than it had twenty years ago. Due to computerization and streamlining of our procedures, we can handle more requests with less employees. As County Clerk, I will actively work with Chairman Cronin through DuPage ACT (accountability, consolidation and transparency) to expand the working relationship between the County Clerkâ#128;™s office and other County departments. Serving on the DuPage County Imaging Committee, I will continue to search for cost effective ways to image County documents.Name one concrete program youâ#128;™ll create or personnel move youâ#128;™ll make to improve efficiency in the office or make it more successful. Explain how it will be funded and how you will overcome any obstacles to initiating it.As County Clerk, I will improve on-line access, automation and transparency. The on-line filing of over 5,000 Economic Interest Statements will save printing and postage costs. I will continue to evaluate the assignment of staff as the office continues to automate procedures. The County Clerk will continue to work with the County IT department and webmaster for our programming needs. Through sharing of resources with other County departments, the Clerkâ#128;™s office wonâ#128;™t need to budget for additional servers for these new programs.Should the clerk's office oversee elections in the county? Why or why not?I will be open to working with Chairman Cronin and the DuPage County Election Commission to evaluate if it would be cost effective to have the County Clerkâ#128;™s office oversee elections. Special legislation would be required for the Clerkâ#128;™s office to conduct elections. For the past 40 years, since the creation of the Election Commission, the Clerkâ#128;™s office has worked with the Commission providing them new properties and annexations, to ensure that each voter has the correct ballot style. In a democracy, whoever oversees the elections must have the confidence of the electorate that their elections are fair and impartial.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?Experience, the next County Clerk must have a working knowledge of all aspects of the County Clerkâ#128;™s office. The Clerk issues many different licenses: marriage, civil union, assumed business, liquor, raffle, tobacco, amusement device and notary public; furnishes copies of birth, death, marriage and civil union certificates; files and records economic interest statements of all officials in DuPage County. The Clerk plays a vital role in the taxation process by compiling the up-to-date list of all county parcels of property for tax assessment, calculates the amount of tax for each parcel and certifies those amounts to the Treasurer for collection.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Gary King. He has been a mentor to me and has dedicated his life to the County Clerk's office.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?My parents always instilled in me to work hard and to be a good citizen.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have my parents alive to see their son run for office.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?American History. Gave me a better understanding of where we came from.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?Find a profession that you love and become the best at it.