Endorsements for DuPage County Board Districts 1-6
Fiscal responsibility, mental health services, bipartisanship, public safety, infrastructure, serving all residents of DuPage County — these are the top priorities of candidates running for District 1-6 board seats.
District 1: Cahill
In District 1, Republican incumbent Cindy Cronin Cahill, a CPA and business owner from Elmhurst, is focused on public safety (including increasing staffing for the sheriff’s and state’s attorney’s offices), fiscal responsibility (she rallied bipartisan support to allocate $10 million in surplus to pay down debt) and growing the economic base. She’s also working to provide funding for food pantries, shelter (DuPage PADs and affordable housing options) and mental health and addiction resources, including the partially board-funded Crisis Recovery Center. Democratic challenger Maria Sinkule, from her work as a school licensed clinical social worker, sees firsthand how gaps in mental health care, language and transportation barriers and access to vital community resources are critical to residents in underserved areas including Addison, Bensenville and Wood Dale. The Addison resident wants to lessen these disparities through strategic funding. While both are strong candidates, Cahill’s experience gives her a slight edge — she is endorsed.
District 2: Honig
District 2 candidates Democrat Andrew Honig, an accountant and finance chair for the Village of Lombard as a village trustee, and Republican Laura Hois, an attorney and law firm owner from Downers Grove, are vying for an open seat. Honig touts his fiscally pragmatic leadership in balancing Lombard’s $50 million budget, as well as his focus on increasing mental health services such as through the Crisis Recovery Center, growing small businesses and addressing food disparity and affordable housing as he’s done for seniors in Lombard in a bipartisan way. Hois feels she would bring a conservative voice to the board, with her top priorities as restoring public safety and fiscal responsibility with a goal of smaller government and lower taxes. She also questions how the Crisis Recovery Center would be funded and who would be eligible for services. Honig would bring a youthful, bipartisan voice to the board — he is endorsed.
District 3: Chang Evans
In District 3, incumbent Democrat Lucy Chang Evans — a Naperville resident, former Secret Service agent and licensed professional civil engineer — would continue her focus on climate resilience in county infrastructure, including funding essential projects to prepare for potential natural disasters (floods, etc.), supporting increased funding for public safety and the judicial system, maintaining a balanced budget through prudent spending as well as continuing to provide increased resources for at-risk residents in District 3, specifically in the Hinsdale Lake Terrace Community. Republican challenger Baron Leacock, an options trader from Hinsdale, would focus on fiscal discipline, support for law enforcement to keep streets and schools safe, holding the line on taxes and employing solution-based approaches to countywide issues in a bipartisan way. Given Chang Evans’ civil engineering and law enforcement background and the strides she’s taken to support public safety, affordable housing and essential infrastructure, we would like to see her continue in this position. She is endorsed.
District 4: LaPlante
District 4 incumbent Democrat Lynn LaPlante, a violinist, violist and writer from Glen Ellyn, brings a different perspective to the board. As chair of the Economic Development Committee, she’s in the middle of a feasibility study on economic development and the arts for the county, which could include building a performing arts center on the county fairgrounds property. She’s also a staunch supporter of fiscal responsibility, bipartisan cooperation, transparency, supporting the new Crisis Recovery Center and affordable housing initiatives, growing the economy and driving tourism to DuPage County. Republican challenger Annette Corrigan, a College of DuPage board trustee, attorney and Wheaton resident, declined to participate in our interview. We’d like to see LaPlante continue her mission. She is endorsed.
Districts 5, 6: Gustin, Schwarze
In DuPage County Board Districts 5 and 6, one thing becomes immediately clear: Voters have two candidates in each district who are both passionate and knowledgeable about the issues. Furthermore, they come to this race with strong life and professional credentials that will be helpful on the board.
They all seem like good, levelheaded people who are very active in their community. They have done their research on the issues. Whether you agree with them on every issue or not, DuPage County voters can feel confident that a qualified and well-intentioned person will be elected to the County Board.
But we’re tasked with making a choice here, just as you will be when you cast your vote. We believe the board is on the right track with individuals who generally work well together across district and party lines. So we’re going to stick with the incumbents — Republican Party Gustin in District 5 in her race with Democrat Saba Haider and Democrat Greg Schwarze in District 6 in his race with Republican Joe Soto — so they might continue their work on behalf of their constituents.
Gustin, a former Naperville City Council member, brings her business background to the board’s finance committee as it faces key issues on funding programs.
Schwarze, a former Carol Stream village trustee, is a retired paramedic/firefighter who chairs the Human Services Committee and is well-versed in questions about feeding and housing DuPage County residents.