Q&A with Bailey

1. Why are you running for this office, whether for re-election or election the first time? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what is that? What will be your main priority in office?

I am running to make our county government open and accountable, to shine a light on the activities of this all-Republican government, and to represent all of DuPage well not just the well connected. For example, to make DuPage more affordable for working families whose members work as policemen, firefighters, teachers, restaurant employees, etc.

Urban sprawl and the related transportation and quality-of-life issues also motivate me. One high priority will be to improve alternatives to autos and trucks in our county and those of our six-county Northeast Illinois region. This initiative will be vital not only to our region's environment and quality of life but also to our economic health

2. For incumbents and non-incumbents:

If you are an incumbent, describe your main contributions. Tell us of important initiatives you've led.

If you are not an incumbent, tell us what contributions you would make.

I would provide a different perspective, a Democratic view of how to address DuPage's problems better. My thirty years as a locomotive engineer in the Chicago area and more than eight years volunteering with the Chicagoland Transportation and Air Quality Commission (CTAQC -a coalition that advocates effective planning for land use and transportation) give me the right background for addressing transportation policy. What is needed is a dependable, efficient and affordable transportation system for our Northeast Illinois area, but particularly in DuPage.

I also bring decades of experience as a political activist working to reform and improve government and the perspective of a health care professional who can contribute significantly when the County Health Department and the Convalescent Center are the topic. Half of DuPage County Board members are lawyers, and all county elected officials are Republicans. We need alternative ways of looking at our problems and opportunities. 134

3. What are your thoughts on how to best make use of revenue from the county sales tax increase approved by the state legislature? What should be done with any surplus from the sales tax increase?

I understand that the County asked the Illinois legislature for this increase to make up for its budget shortfall but specifically for public safety. The Republican County leaders would take neither the responsibility nor the political heat for raising taxes. After taking care of this concern, significant funds would remain. I would want to invest in services for constituents and to fund private charitable groups that have been doing the work of the County government in taking care of our neediest citizens. Funding for Both Access DuPage and the Peoples Resource Center were recently cut by our County Board during their budget meltdown. (Some funding was restored since this tax was enacted.) Since this bill was enacted as a transportation bill for Northeast Illinois, I would use any remaining funds to improve public transportation

4. Should candidates for county board and other elected offices accept campaign contributions from companies that do business with the county? If so, why? If not, why not, and how should this be addressed? If you have accepted campaign contributions from county vendors, please list them by name and amount.

No, County Board members and other elected County officials should not accept campaign contributions from companies that do business with the County. There are potential conflicts of interest, and the practice called "pay to play" could easily develop. Pay to play could increase the costs of County contracts and make working with the County more difficult and costly for contractors. These extra costs would be passed on to our County and thus to taxpayers, either in increased taxes or in poor quality of work performed. Conflicts of interest and pay to play are both against the interests of taxpayers. So, elected officials should not receive contributions from companies that do business with our County. Such practices inevitably lead to corruption of our County government and its bidding and decision making process.

I will work to adopt a County ordinance similar to Illinois House bill 824 to apply to all elected DuPage County government officials. Such a bill would prohibit all contributions to elected County officials from contractors doing business with our county government. I won't seek any contributions from County contractors and will return them if I find them.

5. With the high price of gasoline, what should the county board be doing to improve energy efficiency in government operations? What, if anything, should the county board be doing to encourage expanded mass transit options in the county?

The County should continue promising initiatives already under way such as green roofs. We should also look for other ways the government can reduce energy use. Fellow candidate, Richard Dunn has suggested planting ground covers along County roads and on County property to reduce the cost of mowing the grass. We should also look for ways to enable and encourage County residents and businesses to conserve energy. For example, we could build an internet-accessible, computer-based ride-sharing system.

DuPage County should lead Northeast Illinois in efforts to reduce sprawl and improve public transportation by increasing bus routes, improving bus and train schedules, and establishing walk/bike paths and encourage us to use them. It should eliminate impediments to safe walking and bicycling. Each new or improved road should include crosswalks and bike/walkways. Transportation issues and planning involve all of Northeast Illinois. We need to coordinate with other units of government. Also coordinate development with existing and planned transportation assets. We need to ensure a steady, reliable source of funding for public transportation operating needs, maintenance, and expansion so we will be ready with a reliable transportation system when the public is ready. We should make this transition before conditions force it upon us. 200

6. What are you thoughts on the Canadian National Railway's proposal to purchase the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Co. in order to reroute some freight train traffic from lines in Chicago and inner suburbs?

I used to work as a locomotive engineer bringing trains from the CNRR onto the EJ&ERR.

Although there are many concerns for local residents and communities, railroads provide many benefits. They take trucks off our roads, provide high-paying jobs, and enhance industry and commerce. Chicago is the rail and transportation hub of North America. A more efficient flow of rail traffic will keep Chicago as a rail hub, with resulting industry and commerce along with decent jobs. Railroads can also move passengers, leaving room on our roads.

I support this merger but only with tough negotiations that ensure reduction of negative effects and maximization of benefits for communities involved. We should demand reduced train length and limits on numbers of trains, along with underpasses and other improvements to reduce interruptions of road traffic. We should also get CNRR to commit to facilitating Metra traffic. Since there aren't enough potential riders now along the Metra STAR line, proposed to run alongside the EJ&E tracks, we should demand CNRR commit to facilitate startup of this passenger train service on existing EJ&E tracks when the population density rises to make it feasible. Until then we should improve north-south transit via bus rapid transit