DuPage board chief eyes running for state office

DuPage County Board Chairman Robert Schillerstrom is hinting at a possible run for statewide office in two years.

"I'm interested in doing what I can to turn things around (in Springfield), and I'm not exactly sure what that may be at this point," he said. "It may be to continue doing exactly what I'm doing right now, it may to be very involved in the selection of the next slate and it may be to potentially be a candidate. Time will tell on those issues."

Schillerstrom made those remarks during a taping Friday of the WBBM NewsRadio 780 program "At Issue" that will air at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. The Daily Herald also participated in the interview, during which the chairman discussed the pending county budget and Nov. 4 election results that saw three Democrats added to the previously all-Republican county board.

"The state is just not working," Schillerstrom said. "It is functionally bankrupt. There's a crisis of leadership there."

Schillerstrom has hinted at running for attorney general and governor in the past, but he wouldn't single out a specific office he might seek in two years. A Naperville resident, Schillerstrom has been the county board's chairman since 1998.

He said voters wanted change this year and he's "confident" they'll continue to want change in two years when statewide offices are up for grabs.

Schillerstrom highlighted his county's current condition during the 30-minute interview.

"We will end this year with a higher cash balance in our budget than we've had in over 10 years," he said. "So the bottom line is things are good in DuPage County, and this budget provides services that people in our county want."

He said one of the big things residents will notice once this budget passes is work will begin next spring on the Eola Road interchange at I-88 in Aurora. He it's something "motorists waiting for 30 minutes at Route 59" will appreciate.