District 6 candidates make public safety a priority

DuPage County District 6 residents can be assured of one thing from whomever emerges out of a three-headed race for the district's county board Republican nomination: public safety will be a priority.

In a Daily Herald questionnaire distributed to the three candidates for the Feb. 2 Republican primary, each of them listed public safety as one of their Top 3 issues.

With Paul Darrah, a DuPage County State's Attorney spokesman, Matt Fuesting, former assistant state's attorney for DuPage and Kane counties and 18-year military veteran Bob Larsen in the running, it comes as no surprise.

Fuesting listed the issue as his No. 2 priority, behind reducing residents' tax burden. "The county needs good, strong advocates for public safety and one who can do more with less," said Fuesting, a West Chicago alderman.

Fuesting said his involvement in West Chicago, which he said has experienced a reduction in gang crime during his time, has prepared him for the county seat.

He said the city has reduced its budget twice by 5 percent and once by 2.5 percent during the last three years.

"I don't think the two (other) candidates can say they've reduced budgets like that," he said. "That's proof positive that I have helped lead my city in a positive direction."

Larsen also listed public safety, although he placed it at No. 3 behind jobs and fiscal responsibility.

With a recent revelation that the DuPage County Water Commission recently spent $19 million with very little oversight, the 18-year Marine said his background is just right for this race.

"I have lived my principles my whole life," he said. "Residents can trust my integrity because of my Marine Corps training."

Larsen promises to ensure the county has the resources it needs to increase the public's safety.

"DuPage County cannot lose the best and brightest young deputies because we pay them less than surrounding counties," he said in the questionnaire.

Darrah praised DuPage County's schools and open spaces, specifically in District 6. But he said public safety is what makes those things positive.

"All of those great things our county has to offer doesn't matter if people aren't safe," he said.

While he acknowledged that much of the county has been pretty much grown out, he said any continued growth would have to be monitored.

"The opportunity of growth also brings the opportunity of corruption," he said. "I will get behind maintaining that oversight and of actual physical growth as well as responsible growth."