DuPage County board District 4 Eckhoff: 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: WheatonWebsite: ElectEckhoff.comOffice sought: DuPage County board District 4 Age: 55Family: Married 20 years to Sheila; Parents Ralph and Ginger Eckhoff of Wheaton; Sister Erica Neville her husband Craig and children Ryan, Kyle and Jaclyn. Brother Ralph.Occupation: AttorneyEducation: Law Degree with honors Chicago-Kent College of Law - 1985 B.A.in Socio-Economic Policy problems from James Madison College at Michigan State University - 1981 Wheaton Central High School - 1977Civic involvement: St. Paul Lutheran Church and Milton Township Republican OrganizationElected offices held: Wheaton City Councilman 1989 - 2002 DuPage County Board 2002 - Present Republican Committeeman at various times over the last 28 years.Have you ever been arrested for or convicted of a crime? If yes, please explain: Yes, I was charged with a DUI in 1986. The case went to hearing and the summary suspension was rescinded and the stop/arrest was quashed because there was not probable cause to stop or arrest me. The case was dismissed and I had the case expunged 27 years ago.Questions Answers Outline two initiatives you have for the county and/or your specific district.I have been actively working to consolidate fire protection districts since 2009. Progress was made when Wheaton, West Chicago, Carol Stream, Winfield and now Bloomingdale formed the West Suburban Alliance. My second initiative has been to spearhead the County Board's efforts to educate the public about the dangers of heroin. I chaired the DuPage Coalition that became one of the first counties in America to hire individuals to come in to our middle and high schools to teach counselors, teachers, parents and students how to avoid it and how to treat those that become addicted.Do you think county board members should receive pensions? Why or why not? If elected, will you accept a pension?Yes. I worked very hard when I was on the Wheaton City Council for 14 years but that pales in comparison to my work on the County Board. It takes a long time to come up to speed in the first few years. But now that I am chairman of the Judicial Public Safety Committee I spend even more time on all of the committee's projects. Such involvement has decreased my law practice and my income from it.What specifically should the county do to address flooding issues and how should such improvements be funded?We continue to work to alleviate flooding throughout the DuPage County. In the past the focus has been on the east side of the county but our attention is turning to the West and Wheaton, West Chicago, Winfield and Carol Stream. We continue to look to build retention areas or buyout flooded homes. Currently general tax revenue is paying off the bonds that we took for current projects. I think the user fee that has been proposed has some merit because those that use the system the most should pay more for it.What would you like to see happen to the county fairgrounds in Wheaton? Should the DuPage County Fair be moved? Why or why not?I live across from the fair grounds and would be happy if it stayed for another 20 years. The County needs to retain the property (which is 45% of the entire County campus) for future needs. Until those needs are identified the fair can stay but we should continue to look for a new home in case the fair has to be moved. Any currently unused property could be leased to the Park/School District for $1 a year for their use. The addition I would make now is a part-time train station to bring employees and citizens to the campus.What should the county do to improve transportation throughout DuPage and specifically in your district?As stated above, a part-time train station at the County campus would be a plus. DuPage is changing from an explosive growth area to a mature area. That means most transportation efforts have been initiated across the county. We need to continue to maintain our current infrastructure and expand where there are bottle necks (such as the railroad crossing at Roosevelt Road in West Chicago). We also need continue our efforts in mass transit with train and bus service.What other issues, if any, are important to you as a candidate for this office?I am always focused on delivering essential county services at the lowest tax rate. We have reduced the levy for the last 6 years in a row. I am now attempting to determine what if anything the DuPage County Board can do to further enhance the collection of child support. I want to make DuPage the one place you do not want to be if you are a dead beat parent.Please name one current leader who most inspires you.Congressman Paul Ryan from Wisconsin. Even if you disagree with him he isn't just bashing the opposition but is putting forth proposals to solve problems.What's the biggest lesson you learned at home growing up?Don't complain unless you are going to do something about it and if you are going to do something be diligent about it.If life gave you one do-over, what would you spend it on?I would have worked at a Chicago law firm before establishing my own firm in Wheaton.What was your favorite subject in school and how did it help you in later life?History. I am working to make sure my area of the world does not repeat the mistakes of the past.If you could give your children only one piece of advice, what would it be?I don't have children. I would tell all children that there are no short cuts and you need to work hard in all you do.