Q&A with Brown
Q. Why are you running for this office? Is there a particular issue that motivates you, and if so, what? What will be your main priority?
I am running for re-election because I feel that I still have a lot to offer the citizens of Cook County. I will continue to implement a multiyear strategic plan that calls for upgrading technology. The technological upgrades include: rolling out a new imaging and document system because this will solve our problem of lost or stolen documents and files, implementing an electronic filing system, making court forms available on compact discs, electronic traffic tickets, and warrants, and automating the timekeeping system for employees. (See question 3 for details). These are the issues that particularly motivate me.
Q. As an incumbent, describe your main contributions and tell of important initiatives you've led.
My technological and efficiency accomplishments include: ensuring fast and accurate financial transactions by building a brand new integrated cashiering and security system; saving taxpayers $1 million by consolidating mainframe systems; quickening record searches, retrievals and verifications by automating case management systems in two court operations divisions; improving service to victims of domestic violence by creating an Integrated Order of Protection Index, and strengthening public knowledge of the court system by developing a comprehensive Web site. My customer service accomplishments include: reducing waiting time for walk-ins by building self-service information kiosks & installing new signs; quickening case "filing" by revamping no fee and bulk filing procedures; conducting outreach on critical family issues through a Community Speaker's Bureau; increasing services to Pro Se litigants and heightening awareness of criminal record expungement procedures.
Q. While other court clerk's offices nationwide have gone electronic, Cook County remains in the paper age. As the incumbent, why have you not converted to electronic as you promised in a Daily Herald endorsement interview the last time you were up for election? And by what month and year will you have the office running electronically, by which we mean having all documents scanned electronically as a .pdf for ready viewing at public terminals located in the clerk's offices or courthouses?
Due to past funding constraints, required approvals, and the untimely RFP process of the County, the Clerk's Office was just now able to commence to fulfill its promise stated in the last Daily Herald endorsement interview. In July 2008, the Clerk's Office received approval from the Cook County Board for a $6 million new imaging and document management system that will image every document that is filed over the counter and insert it into the electronic docket. This project will commence this fall 2008 and be completed in early 2010. In addition, this fall 2008, the Clerk's Office will pilot a new electronic filing system in the Law Division with the commercial litigation case type where pro ses and attorneys will file electronically. By 2010, it is projected that all civil cases will be on this system. This conversion was held up due to requiring approval of the application from the Chief Judge and the Illinois Supreme Court and the RFP process of the County.
Q. Is the taking of political donations from employees and vendors proper? Why or why not?
Both the Illinois and Cook County Ethics laws permit candidates to accept political donations from employees and vendors. The ethics laws require that employees not be pressured to donate to their employer's nor any other campaigns. Vendors are limited in the amount that they can donate. I feel that candidates can accept donations from employees and vendors as long as it is within the current laws. I always ensure that I stay within the laws, and neither exempt management employees, whose positions I specifically control, nor nonexempt employees, or vendors are pressured to donate to my campaigns. I am a proponent of Campaign Finance Reform that would close all of the loopholes in political donations, such as real estate developers and others who donate to the mayor, aldermen, legislators and the like with no restraints on limits; but yet look for benefits such as permits, zoning variances, legislative changes, etc. These kind of loop holes present a disadvantage to some candidates, and thus can limit fair competition, especially if a person is not independently wealthy.
Q. Consistently, employees of the Daily Herald have found misfiled documents in court files, and have observed judges announce in court that dozens of files have been lost. What are you doing or will you do to secure public court files?
In the Circuit Court of Cook County, more than 18 million documents are filed a year. With such a high volume of business, the Clerk's Office will inevitably misfile some documents. In addition, judges announcing that files have been lost are simply inaccurate statements. Files may be misplaced but are not lost. We have put several measures in place such as improving court file maintenance procedures. This has led to a reduction in the number of misfiled or misplaced files since I have been in office. Customers are required to leave IDs upon receiving a file for review. This system has helped to prevent any significant incidence of theft of files. The Clerk's Office has instituted a uniform system for investigating unreturned files and unclaimed identification cards. Also, the Clerk's Office will be implementing a new imaging and document management system and will pilot a new electronic filing project, both of which will help with eliminate the problem of missing files. Included also will be a new bar code file tracking system for hard copy files.
Q. Often the clerk's office claims judiciary privilege as an exception to Freedom of Information requests. Excluding court files themselves, or personnel files of employees, should any information regarding the administration of the office itself - such as contracts, invoices, interoffice memos, staffing allocations, etc., - be exempt from public inspection? If so, be specific about what areas should remain secret and why.
For several examples given, information is available to the public. All contracts over $25,000 must be approved by the Cook County Board. The Board will publish the names of contractors, the amounts, and the purposes of contracts. In addition, the Cook County budget indicates the allocation of staff by division in the Clerk's Office. Also, the County Board holds a budget transfer meeting midway through the fiscal year to address requests for changes in the allocation of funds by county agencies. Some administrative correspondence should remain confidential to protect the identity and security of individuals, to preserve the effectiveness and integrity of administrative processes, and to maintain trust between various parties. The Clerk's Office would not disclose memos or correspondence related to employee security, ongoing legal matters, negotiations with unions, policy development, or vendor-supplier negotiations. However, the public is entitled to know the outcomes of most administrative processes. The public has a right to know the terms of a union contract, the outcome of litigation involving the Clerk's Office, the policies and practices of the Clerk's Office regarding record-keeping and collecting fees and fines, and the effectiveness of initiatives funded by the taxpayer.
Q. Please tell us about issues or your position on issues that we have not addressed that you believe voters should know about.
I have improved the collection of court fees owed to Cook County. I have supported legislation that has enabled Cook County to collect money more effectively, including: assessing late payment penalties in criminal cases (725 ILCS 5/124A-10); requiring the application of bail bond deposits for child support obligations, attorney fees, and court costs first (725 ILCS 5/110-7); charging late payment penalties on civil cases (705 ILCS 105/27.2a); and permitting the Illinois State Comptroller to intercept income tax funds to satisfy unpaid court fees and costs (705 ILCS 105/27.2b). I will continue to pursue similar initiatives.