Q&A with Sivisoglu

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 is that? What will be your main priority in office?

After 25 years of building a successful corporate business career, I had the opportunity to reexamine my life's goals and decided that it was time to give back to the country that had so greatly blessed my life. I rededicated myself to community service by embarking on a new career as a college business professor and taking on a highly active role in multiple charitable and social organizations and causes.

Also, on the ballot in the past election, I like others noticed a lack of challenging candidates for many positions. A central requirement for a properly functioning democracy is obviously choice - and this was missing. When I inquired as to why no one was challenging, I learned one primary reason was that people were afraid to run due to the money and power of entrenched incumbents' political machines and the smear tactics they employed. Rather that deter me, the need to fight against abuse of power, and their underhanded tactics, convinced me to run.

As I explored the goings on of the county board, I came across a multitude of areas for correction: pay-to-play, patronage, lack of transparency, and uniformity of thought / absence of customary hard inquiry. These issues motivated me further to run. My main priority is to rectify these underlying structural weaknesses of the Board and to represent taxpayers, not politically-connected campaign contributors, for a change. I want the taxpayers of DuPage County to be assured that their County Board will wisely spend their hard-earned monies and that it will operate in a proper, thoughtful, accountable, and accessible manner.

2. 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.

I would lead inquiry into the spending of the board. For far too long, there has been a mutual rubber stamp, with board members voting for one another's appropriations and appointments with a lack of much, if any, publicly-seen discussion. Relatedly, my actions would increase transparency of the board's actions. I would ensure that every action by the board would be one which receives scrutiny, with the best interests of the taxpaying public as the priority.

When elected, two examples of several specific initiates I have to improve the lives of the citizens of DuPage County are:

Promoting the freezing of county property taxes for all combat veterans and their surviving spouses so as to honor the dedication and service of those who have served in our military.

Advocating for an increased commitment to the DuPage County Senior Services so as to improve and augment home and community-based senior care options.

3. What are your thoughts on how to best make use of revenue from the county sales tax increase approved by the state legislature? What should be done with any surplus from the sales tax increase?

The main priority for these funds is to bring public services to needed levels. In the past several years, these service levels have been dropping due to increasing funding constraints and must be restored. It is reasonable that any "surplus" go to set-aside so that taxpayers are not quickly asked again to fund the County Board's lack of budgetary discipline.

Further, we must remember that this revenue did not drop from heaven, it comes from the pocketbooks of hardworking taxpayers. As such, we must not treat it as a piggy-bank to be doled out with glee. Rather we must evaluate how best to modify the spending of the board so that the yearly search for funding sources, aka raiding the Water Commission or asking more of taxpayers, stops being the norm. When additional revenues are required, the public must be assured that the operations of County government are as efficient as possible. The present existence of the Pay-to-Play environment, coupled with political appointments, ensures just the opposite. Taxpayer monies should be paying for services, not for the profits of county contractors or for the salary, benefits, and retirement of political appointees.

4. Should candidates for county board and other elected offices accept campaign contributions from companies that do business with the county? If so, why? If not, why not, and how should this be addressed? If you have accepted campaign contributions from county vendors, please list them by name and amount.

Absolutely not. No candidate, nor any elected official should take even a single dollar from companies doing business, or wanting to do business, with the county. Solicitation of contributions from such businesses is tantamount to influence peddling. Incumbents who accept these contributions claim it does not affect their decisions, but you only have to look at the list of incumbents' campaign contributors to see a long list of companies whose receive county contracts. There is no place in government for those who put the interests of their (re) election before the interests of the people.

I have a widely proclaimed policy of not accepting any contributions from DuPage (or other) County contractors. I have further challenged the incumbents to do the same and to return all monies they have accepted to date - the public should find the incumbent's silence on this issue most revealing.

5. With the high price of gasoline, what should the county board be doing to improve energy efficiency in government operations? What, if anything, should the county board be doing to encourage expanded mass transit options in the county?

The county should faze out all the gas or diesel burning county fleet vehicles and replace them with hybrids, electric, and etc. They should also research advantages to retrofitting existing buildings with energy saving options and, most importantly, thereafter take action, not simply give lip-service to the issue.

The funding of mass transit is pitiable and must be corrected significantly upward. As part of this, it must be ensured that PACE has adequate funding to improve service to ALL of DuPage County.

A related initiative I have is the creation of a DuPage County Green Technology Zone - possibly in the area that will be adjacent to the proposed O'Hare Expansion Plan, this would become the home of new businesses that would develop and manufacture Green Products. This new "Green Tech Zone" could become an international showcase with DuPage County becoming a leader in sustainability while increasing the tax base, providing new "green collar jobs" and stimulate the economy.

6. What are you thoughts on the Canadian National Railway's proposal to purchase the Elgin, Joliet and Eastern Railway Co. in order to reroute some freight train traffic from lines in Chicago and inner suburbs?

While the need to reduce overall freight traffic is understandable, the solution to one problem should not entail the creation of another. Clearly, the rerouting of freight train traffic will have a major impact on the safety and quality-of-life of communities in DuPage County. No such merger should be allowed unless coupled with a requirement, with associated full, committed funding from Canadian National Railways, for vehicular and pedestrian overpasses/underpasses and other related safety measures throughout the affected areas.