Q&A with Sullivan

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? What will be your main priority?

I'm running for the Kane County Board to help solve the transportation problem that exists in our area - too much traffic and not enough alternative transportation options available. I can draw upon a decade of work experience and relationships with key players in the transportation industry to develop the much-needed solutions. The residents of Kane County know that the attractiveness of our communities has caused a huge increase in population and resulting congestion, but the situation is not hopeless. A balanced investment in both roadway improvements as well as high-quality, high-speed public transportation infrastructure now, before our communities become too overdeveloped, will set our transportation planning process on the right path toward less reliance on the automobile, less traffic and less pollution.

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.

There are many contributions I can make to Kane County government. First, I have the energy and dedication to participate fully in the job at hand, a quality that has been lacking for several years in District 2's seat. Additionally, as a fiscal conservative, I intend to pursue efficiency in operations and keep county spending at a level that reduces the property tax burden on working families. In the transportation arena, which represents nearly half of the county's operation, I possess a wealth of knowledge that I can use to the benefit of commuters. I also look forward to working with the sheriff's office and local police departments to implement several strategies which will reduce crime and maintain our quality of life. Finally, I have strong relationships with most of the area's elected officials and policymakers, allowing me to advocate for the county's needs and partner with other units of government.

3. Do you support moving all county offices to one home surrounding the judicial center? If so, what should be done with the current county government property and buildings on Batavia Avenue? If not, then what's the best use for the remaining acreage at the judicial center?

There are clearly some efficiencies created by moving certain county facilities, such as the jail and sheriff's office, adjacent to the new judicial center, because the county saves money by no longer needing to transport prisoners and employees from one facility to another. However, the efficiencies gained by relocating other buildings, such as the recorder's office, are negligible. During a time when the county government is undergoing cost-cutting, there is no need for the tremendous capital expenditures required for a mass relocation. Thus, I do not support moving any more county offices to the Route 38 campus at this time. The county should keep the remaining acreage at the judicial center under its control to be available for future construction of facilities. At some point in the decades ahead, all the county's offices will become obsolete, so new buildings are inevitable. Having visited all county facilities and examined their relative conditions, I believe a new and expanded coroner's facility should be the county's highest priority for future construction.

4. Kane County continues to experience a population explosion. What are the areas and services you believe will be most challenged by this growth? Where will the money come from to extend and increase services to these new residents?

Two areas in particular are most affected by population growth: transportation and law enforcement. The county's road network is bursting at the seams every rush hour, and a jail opened only 33 years ago was recently replaced because it could hold only 500 of the county's 700 inmates. Fortunately, the county can now take advantage of the 1/4-cent sales tax created by recent state legislation to fund improvements in both transportation and law enforcement. Transportation money should be used for both roadway improvements and investments in public transportation, because Kane County can't solely build roads to mitigate its congestion. Rather, we must truly offer commuters a viable alternative to the automobile if we are to ever stem the tide of costly and frustrating traffic congestion. The county's existing impact fees can also help pay for some of the infrastructure improvements necessitated by traffic growth. The portion of the sales tax proceeds directed toward public safety purposes can be used for the relocation of the 911 call center, among other projects. Additional funding to fight crime, especially for investment in technology, can come from state and federal grants, which I've been successful in securing.

5. The county has taken a leadership role in studying the issue of long-term water supply maintenance and protection. What should the county's emphasis be in this area over the next few years? Explain.

More will be known about the county's needs and potential strategies in 2009, when Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the Regional Water Supply Planning Group complete their strategic plan. The county's overall goals should be to protect the quality of our water supply, conserve our water resources and continue to participate in intergovernmental and regional planning efforts. Certainly, water knows no political jurisdiction, so those of us in Kane County trying to maintain adequate water supplies will have to depend on the cooperation of those in surrounding counties, and vice versa. Likewise, the county government will have to partner with the municipal governments who directly supply water to their residents. As a board member, I look forward to actively participating in the county board's adoption of a water supply management ordinance sometime in 2010, and most importantly, enforcing the implementation of that ordinance.

6. Transportation issues continue to be a major concern to residents. How would you judge the county's response to their demands so far? What would you consider to be of highest county priority in this area and how would you fund its delivery?

I commend the county board for their leadership and funding participation in the recently created Ride-in-Kane program, which provides a (nearly) countywide dial-a-ride service, mostly for seniors and persons with disabilities. However, as anyone who drives in Kane County knows, the county's response as a whole has been inadequate. The quality of the transportation infrastructure is a major factor in the region's economic competitiveness, but as it takes longer for people and goods to reach their destinations, Kane County will lose economic investment to less congested states. Other than the recently completed intersection improvement at Kirk and Butterfield roads, there is no other project in the county Department of Transportations's 2008-2012 transportation improvement plan that benefits County Board District 2. As a board member, I would certainly advocate for my district's needs. Furthermore, I would ensure that a significant portion of the county's new 1/4-cent sales tax is invested in public transportation - either operating subsidies to bring additional Pace bus and Metra train service to our residents, or capital investment to provide higher quality public transit service and better pedestrian access to those transit services.

7. Not including those issues already identified above, is there another issue you believe will affect the county or your district over the next four years? If so, define it and explain how you would like to see it addressed.

Development and land use are critical issues facing Kane County. Unplanned suburban sprawl imposes real costs upon our transportation system, our public utilities and our environment. We need to offer an alternative vision to the one in which hundreds of thousands of future residents get in their hundreds of thousands of vehicles and drive on our already congested roads every day. While I recognize that additional costs and mandates upon the home building industry can have drastic effects when economic activity in this sector is already depressed, I also believe that we can encourage population, housing and job growth in a more intelligent fashion by offering incentives (to developers and municipal governments) for greater housing density, transit-oriented development and preservation of open space. The county board has taken a step in the right direction with its Land Resource Management Plan, but the board needs to exercise the political will to enforce it, unless we all want to be left with a legacy of stifling traffic congestion and a degraded environment. I also hope to use some of the resources generated by the forest preserve's recent voter-supported referendum to secure open space that benefits the residents of District 2.

8. Please list the names of all relatives employed by or involved in contracts with Kane County, their relationship to you and their position or area of business.

None. My father, a 16th Circuit associate judge, is an employee of the state of Illinois.