Roth, Speer face off in Streamwood race

Billie Roth believes Streamwood residents know what to expect from her after 20 years as village president.

Roth, 57, vows to continue the same type of leadership if voters re-elect her April 7. That includes resisting budget cuts that would discontinue village services, she said. The village is in sound financial shape, she believes, with a healthy reserve fund.

"We have planned for these type of (financial) events, after 9/11 we had the same type of things happen and we were able to get through that," Roth said. "We work with a very lean staff, we do a lot of jobs and it works."

Her challenger is Trustee Jason Speer, 33, whose campaign for the village board in 2007 Roth helped run. Both Roth and Speer are Republicans, although municipal races are officially nonpartisan.

Roth's assistance helped Speer, at the time a virtual unknown, get elected in 2007, along with two other candidates considered friendly to Roth. But Speer said the two had a falling out shortly after the election.

Speer said he's disgruntled with how long it takes to accomplish anything in Streamwood, pointing out it took him a year and a half to have his e-mail address posted on the village's Web site. He said he's so frustrated that he feels uncomfortable voicing his concerns during village meetings. He doesn't think meetings provide a proper forum.

"It boils down to control," Speer said.

Speer maintains Roth has too much responsibility over village affairs, which restricts what village staff could accomplish.

Roth, meanwhile, has been a stalwart in Streamwood government for more than 30 years. Before being elected president, she also was village clerk and a trustee.

In an endorsement session with the Daily Herald Monday, Roth argued her "perceived power" doesn't need to be checked, and said the only time she even votes on village matters is to break a tie when the six trustees are deadlocked.

Incumbent trustees Michael Baumer, William Carlson and Bill Harper are also up for re-election in April and are getting Roth's endorsement. Speer is supporting challengers Eric Cameron and Richard Janiec, although he says he is not involved in their campaigns. Michelle Nabor is also running for trustee.

Roth, facing her first contested race in 16 years, wants to keep Streamwood out of the spotlight for the most part, saying quiet government is good government. She was elected in 1989 and said she's proud of her record, including the road improvements she says prompted her nickname "Blacktop Billie."

Speer said Roth prefers to keep events out of the public's eye by not communicating with the public, specifically about crime-related topics. He added he wants Streamwood to work more with its state legislators, saying Roth refuses to return their phone calls. Speer said better communication would lead to more opportunities for the village.

"Our current village president just doesn't have a level of comfort with people of other elected offices, and it's a shame," he said.