Lawmakers showed courage in votes

Last November, the DuPage County Board was forced to increase the property tax levy in order to ensure critical public safety and human service programs were able to operate and serve the residents of our county. Since that time, the county has had the good fortune to secure a new revenue source that will allow us to fund critical public safety, transportation and human service programs, as well as ease the property tax burden on our residents.

Securing a new revenue source was an important step in maintaining our quality of life in DuPage County. For decades, families have moved into our county because of our safe streets, great schools and low property taxes. I want to acknowledge and commend three legislators in the Illinois State Senate who stood up for the families of DuPage County and our quality of life.

State Sens. Kirk Dillard, Dan Cronin and John Millner, each facing enormous political pressure, helped secure passage of the RTA bill, which allowed us to abate the property tax which will ease the tax burden on DuPage residents, and also allow us to maintain and improve our public transit system. I cannot thank them enough for their courage and leadership on this important issue.

DuPage County operates one of the leanest county governments in the entire nation. Our ratio of employees to population is one of the lowest in the country, and we maintain the highest bond rating possible (AAA), which less than one percent of the counties in our nation have been awarded.

As we move forward with a budget for fiscal year 2009, I look forward to working with the county board in finding and enacting efficiencies that will help streamline services and reduce costs. I also look forward to using our Strategic Plan -- which was the result of tremendous public input -- as we move forward with future budgets to ensure we remain responsible stewards with the people's money.

Once again, I want to thank Sens. Dillard, Cronin and Millner for helping to keep DuPage County a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Robert J. Schillerstrom Chairman

DuPage County Board