Q&A with Yensen

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?

It's time for a change. We can no longer afford the "business as usual" attitudes and behavior that one-party rule has brought to McHenry County for most of the past 150 years. We need to make county government more responsive to the needs and aspirations of working families, because healthy, secure families are the bedrock of our community. Political decisions are sometimes tough to make, but I believe it helps to start with a few simple questions: "Is this decision good for our children? Is this going to make our families more secure and prosperous? Will our environment be preserved?" These are serious questions that deserve serious answers.

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.

The citizens I represent are my first priority. As a village trustee, I've always worked very hard to earn the trust people put in me. If elected to the county board, I will continue to be, first and foremost, an advocate for my constituents. I will fight for sustainable economic security for working families and our senior citizens, demand fiscal responsibility, insist on regional planning that actually achieves meaningful results, and embrace environmental stewardship that will preserve our quality of life.

3. 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.

There's been a good-faith effort to do studies and collect data that proves what we already knew - that we are going to start running out of water if consumption patterns don't change. Now comes the hard part: getting regional and cross-jurisdictional cooperation to enact regulations and incentives to cut consumption and maintain our recharge capacity. The county has responsibility for a lot of the groundwater recharge areas, but municipalities in the southeastern part of the county are where most of the consumers are, and where most of the growth in consumption is taking place. More and more of our rainwater is ending up as runoff because we've given no thought to solutions like permeable surfaces and the county has not even enforced its own stormwater management ordinance. We are literally throwing away most of our supply of fresh water as a result of runoff and wasteful consumption patterns. Water is every bit as strategic as oil is to our economy. But unlike oil, we have nearly complete control over our water supply, and we can renew and protect our supply if we have the political courage to do it.

4. 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?

The county is way behind the curve in responding to our transportation needs. I saw the woeful lack of primary and secondary road capacity when I moved to McHenry County over 13 years ago. I've attended most of the county transportation committee meetings for a number of years and I'm not convinced the board sees how our transportation problems affect the economic security of McHenry County. Sustainable economic development cannot occur without a strong partnership between business and government, and government must take the leadership role in deciding how and where to encourage development. Our primary state and county roads are a mess, but we don't have to wait 20 or 30 years for improvements if we can convince developers to shoulder their fair share of the costs. Let's jump-start the process by working collaboratively with developers, federal, state and local government to leverage funds for the long-term economic success of our county. We can do it.

5. 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.

Energy costs are going to continue to rise. There may be peaks and valleys, but the long-term trend is always upward. I don't think it's out of the question to see $7 a gallon gasoline in the next four years. Roughly two-thirds of McHenry County residents who work commute to jobs outside the county, and they are already getting killed by high gas prices. There are really only two permanent solutions to this problem: more efficient transportation (including more mass transit), and job creation in McHenry County. While improving our mass transit options is probably necessary, major mass transit projects are often hugely expensive and politically challenging. They also don't solve the basic underlying problem, which is that people should be able to live near where they work. If we want to create communities that are economically and culturally sustainable for the long term, we must bring the jobs here.

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

I have no relatives employed by or involved in contracts with McHenry County.