DuPage board hopefuls differ on O'Hare noise
Both candidates in the race to decide who represents District 1 on the DuPage County Board say something must be done to address airplane noise from O'Hare International Airport.
They differ on what role the county board should play in making that happen.
Democrat Rolly Waller is running against incumbent county board member Paul Fichtner, an Elmhurst Republican, for a District 1 seat.
The winner of the Nov. 4 election will represent a district that includes all or parts of Addison, Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Elmhurst, Glendale Heights, Itasca, Lombard, Roselle, Villa Park and Wood Dale.
During a recent endorsement interview with the Daily Herald, the first issue Waller brought up was O'Hare expansion, which he says is "destroying the quality of life" in Bensenville, Wood Dale and Itasca.
The 80-year-old Bensenville resident said the amount of jet noise over those towns has increased since the opening of a new runway in October 2013 shifted air traffic to an east/west flow.
"I have seen very little activity from Paul or from the board in trying to reduce the noise problem, which is a major issue in my district," Waller said.
Waller said he would ask state lawmakers to enact legislation establishing additional sound monitoring. He said existing monitoring is being done "in the wrong areas."
He said the extra monitoring will determine whether airplanes are generating noise beyond legal limits.
If that happens, he said the state should fine airlines that violate noise regulations and use revenue from those fines to soundproof houses and assist homeowners who want to sell.
Fichtner says he's committed to working with communities to coordinate efforts to combat the high level of noise from the air traffic.
Still, the 52-year-old said his opponent is "barking up the wrong elective office."
"He mentions legislation," Fichtner said of Waller's proposal. "That's all with the state House and the federal government. They're the ones that are going to be vastly responsible for fixing the problem."
Fichtner said he was an Elmhurst alderman when that city belonged to the anti-expansion Suburban O'Hare Commission. He said he has "been at the forefront of what the county board can do" to deal with the noise issue.
"I've done more than my opponent has," he said.
When it comes to what DuPage can do now, Fichtner said it can serve as a "coordinating body," by connecting municipal leaders with state lawmakers. The county also could help provide funding for a study.
"I think the mayors and the city councils and even the residents are trying to figure out what we could do right now," Fichtner said.
Bensenville, Bloomingdale, Wood Dale and Itasca have put questions related to O'Hare noise on their general election ballots.